Retirement Properties in Southampton

RETIREMENT LIVING IN SOUTHAMPTON

Steeped in history and culture, Southampton provides its residents with much to see and explore. You can visit one of the best-preserved medieval Cistercian monasteries in England at Netley Abbey, explore the medieval gatehouse of Bargate or discover over 800 years of history in Southampton’s Old Town.

Southampton is also the south coast’s shopping hub. You'll find over 100 different stores at the Westquay Shopping Centre, such as John Lewis and Marks & Spencer, as well as your favourite fashion retailers and restaurant brands. A little further out from the centre, you can explore the independent boutiques and up-market shops, bars and pubs of Bedford Place and Oxford Street, or you can pick out local produce and a wide range of craft goods at the markets near Bargate.

COMMUNITY

You’ll find huge collections of publicly-owned art at the internationally renowned Southampton City Art Gallery, which features over 5,000 works, or contemporary and visual works at Solent Showcase and The John Hansard Gallery.

For evenings out, you can see opera, ballet and West End Musicals at the Mayflower Theatre, the largest theatre in southern England, or you'll find a variety of high-quality Shakespearean drama at the University of Southampton theatres. There's also classical, world music and jazz at the Turner Sims Concert Hall, tribute bands playing at The Brook, or some of the biggest touring musical acts at the 1,700-capacity O2 Guildhall.

SIGHTS

For hundreds of years, Southampton has been a leading English port, instrumental in the shipbuilding and trading industries. Now, the marina hosts the start and finish of round the world yacht races while famous cruise ships such as the RMS Queen Mary 2 and the record-breaking MS Freedom of the Seas dock at the port.

You can learn all about the long history of the city's sea-faring exploits, including the famously tragic Titanic voyage at the SeaCity Museum, or see first-hand the iconic Spitfire fighter aircraft at the Solent Sky Museum. You can even book a trip on the SS Shieldhall, the largest working steam vessel in Britain, or ride the oldest pier railway in the world along Hythe Pier.