A weekend in Winchester
Went to Winchester for the weekend and had a lovely time. The centre is small enough to get around easily but there’s still plenty to see and do.
First of all, great shopping! The main street is pedestrianised and contains all the usual suspects but do explore the side streets where there are lots of other, more individual shops. We went into a shop called Forme and ended up buying some early Christmas presents for friends. The personal service and beautiful gift wrapping were an absolute bonus and the presents now look a complete work of art.
Then, of course, there is the cathedral and the beautiful open green park area in front on it. A marvellous spot to have a picnic in summer and they hold a Christmas market in the area in December.
So many of the houses and buildings in Winchester are elegant and the local council’s hanging baskets were gorgeous - the whole area was a joy to trip around.
Last but not least - restaurants! There are so many of them within easy walking distance of each other that you’re spoiled for choice. We’ve eaten at the Old Vine (opposite the cathedral) a couple of times when we’ve visited before (highly recommended!) but this time everywhere seemed to be busy and we ate at a less than impressive Italian restaurant (that we won’t be visiting again).
Train links from Winchester into London are excellent - takes around an hour to get there and the train service is pretty regular, so it’s also easy to use as a base for days out in London.
So what’s not to like? It’s a great place to visit for a city break.
Tags: city break, Winchester