Winchester is a cathedral city shaped by centuries of history. Once England’s ancient capital, it’s home to standout landmarks including Winchester Cathedral and the Great Hall, where King Arthur’s Round Table takes centre stage.

Today, the city’s heritage sits alongside a lively, creative community. Winchester City Council supports a full calendar of events throughout the year, celebrating local culture, people and place.

Explore what’s on in Winchester and discover the experiences that make this historic city unique - everything you need is right here. 

Where is Winchester? 

Winchester is in Hampshire, in the south west of England, just north of Southampton and about an hour from London by train.

How do I get to Winchester?

Travelling by train

There are regular trains to and from Winchester every day, making it easy to travel there from many different locations across the South West. Winchester train station is just a 10-minute walk from the city centre.

Get to Winchester from the likes of Bournemouth, Portsmouth, Weymouth, Exeter and Poole with South Western Railway.

Travelling from London   

You can get to Winchester from  London Waterloo or  Clapham Junction in around an hour.  

Explore our full range of ticket types to find the right one for your journey to Winchester. You can find cheap train tickets by booking early or going off-peak, and if you have a Railcard or if you’re travelling in a group, you could save even more. 

Things see and do in Winchester 

Winchester has no shortage of things to see and do, with hundreds of events running throughout the year. Here, you’ll find the full list of 2026 events in Winchester.

Winchester Street Markets

Discover Winchester’s Street Markets throughout the year from Thursday to Sunday, offering a blend of local produce, vintage items, artisan goods, unique crafts, and more. 

The Winchester City Street Market runs Thursday to Saturday on the Lower High Street and Middle Brook Street.

The Art & Design Market takes place every third Sunday of the month from 9 am to 5 pm, and the Antiques, Vintage, Retro & Collectables Market is held on the first Sunday of each month, also from 9 am to 5 pm.

The Hampshire Farmers’ Market runs from 9 am to 2 pm on the second and last Sunday of the month. All Sunday markets are located on The Broadway, Lower High Street and Middle Brook Street.

Heritage Open Days

Heritage Open Days takes place over 10 days from 11th to 20th of September 2026. It is a free festival run by Hampshire History Trust, celebrating Winchester’s history, architecture and cultural heritage. Local individuals, groups and organisations run and organise all the events, giving a boost to the local economy. This year’s theme is Everyday Histories, celebrating the local Wintonians history who lived and worked in shaping the city as it is today.

Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market

Come to Winchester between 20th November and 22nd December and discover one of the best Christmas Markets in Europe, attracting 400,000 visitors on average each year. Inspired by the traditional German Christmas Markets, the wooden chalets welcome traders proposing British crafts as well as food and drink. The Christmas Market is open from 10.00 am to 8.00 pm on Friday–Saturday and from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm on Sunday–Thursday. 

Image Credit Winchester College 

Things to do near Winchester 

Winchester has great shopping facilities while also appealing to anyone with a cultural eye who wishes to visit the Winchester Cathedral, for example, or Wolvesey Castle, which are both well worth a visit.

Fancying a bit of nature outside of the city? Saint Catherine’s Hill is a famous tourist attraction you can reach on foot from the city centre a 30 minutes walk, or you can take a bus and then walk up the hill. 

You also have a tasty selection of eateries in Winchester and will find many of them on Jewry Street. A local favourite is Gurkha’s Inn, specialising in Nepalese curries. Or if you’re looking for some fine dining, then Chesil Rectory is the perfect choice.

Find out more about Winchester in SWR’s Winchester Destination Guide. Don’t forget to check out SWR Rewards for money off activities, food, and drink deals.

Where to stay in Winchester

Winchester has a range of hotels suited to various budgets. Premier Inn in a budget-friendly option. If you're happy to spend more, take a look at the beautifully refurbished 17th century Lainston House located a couple of miles outside Winchester.

For something a little quirkier, located right next to Winchester College is the Wykeham Arms. The Wykeham Arms is a country pub with rooms, and another great location option for your trip to Winchester.