Enjoy events and activities throughout the entire year in Winchester. Situated in the Southeast of England and at the western end of the South Downs National Park, Winchester is a cathedral city known for being the ancient capital of England and its medieval heritage. The city is famous for its cathedral, the Great Hall of Winchester Castle, home to King Arthur’s Round Table. 

Winchester is supported by a vibrant community, and the Winchester City Council takes great pride in organising and participating in a variety of events taking place throughout the year.

Explore events in Winchester and discover what this historical city has to offer, you’ll find everything you need to know right here. 

Where is Winchester? 

Winchester is located to the south-west of London in the county of Hampshire. The city is easily accessible by South Western Railway (SWR), and there are many transport links in and out of the area.

How do I get to Winchester?

Travelling by train

There are regular trains serving Winchester every day, making it easy to travel here from many different locations. Winchester train station can be found on Station Hill, Winchester, Hampshire, SO23 8TJ and is just a 10-minute walk from Winchester City Centre.

Winchester Station is directly accessible from several locations, including Bournemouth, Portsmouth (through the northern suburb of Cosham train station), Weymouth, and Poole, all with South Western Railway.

It is accessible from major cities such as Exeter via a connection. The journey with fewer connections is through Basingstoke train station. 

Travelling from London   

It is easy to get to Winchester from both London Waterloo and Clapham Junction, it takes approximately one hour to get to Winchester train station.  

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 

There are plenty of things to see and do in Winchester with 100s of events taking place throughout the year. Here, you can find the full list of 2026 events in Winchester. Below, see some of the standout events taking place for the rest of the year. 

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, held from Thursday to Saturday, is located on the Lower High Street and Middle Brook Street. The Art & Design Market takes place every third Sunday of the month, 9 am to 5 pm, and the Antiques, Vintage, Retro & Collectables Market takes place every first Sunday of the month, 9 am to 5 pm. The Hampshire Farmers’ Market, 9 am to 2 pm, is on the second and last Sunday of the month. They are both 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 that suit all budgets. From the budget friendly Premier Inn situated in walking distance from the town. To the high-end 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.