Explore the UK on Your Own: Winchester Day Trip
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Winchester is a very livable city located in Hampshire, southeast England. It is a historic city with world-class attractions and architecture, including a magnificent university, award-winning pubs and restaurants, and is a famous ancient capital of England. Recommended day trip itinerary:
📌 Walk about 10 minutes from the train station to the cathedral, walk about 1 minute to the Wolvesey Castle Ruins, walk about 1 minute to Winchester College, walk about 1 minute to Jane Austen's House, walk about 7 minutes to Abbey Gardens, walk about 4 minutes to High Street, walk about 15 minutes to St. Giles Hill Observation Deck, and walk about half an hour back to the train station.
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🟡 Winchester Cathedral (Images 6️⃣7️⃣):
🕙: Monday 11:00–17:00, Tuesday to Friday 9:00–17:00, Saturday 9:00–17:00, Sunday 12:30–15:00
🎫 £12.50
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🟠 Wolvesey Castle (Image 8️⃣):
🕙 Daily 10:00–17:09
🎫 Free
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🟢 Winchester College (Image 🔟): The first school in the UK to train clergy and civil servants, it pioneered the history of public school education in the UK. Today, it has evolved into an aristocratic boarding school for boys only. The college was founded in 1382 and designed by a famous architect. The architecture is breathtaking. Most of the buildings are still in use, including the student canteen, where students still eat at wooden long tables that are over 600 years old. Outsiders are not allowed to enter the school, but you can join one of the two guided tours led by teachers every day. You can book directly at the school gate or online.
🕙 Two tours daily at 2:15 pm and 3:30 pm, each lasting one hour.
🎫 £12
You can visit the Treasury at the school gate (Image 9️⃣). It is not very big and there are not many exhibits. The museum was converted from a stable.
🕙 Daily 14:00–16:00
🎫 Free
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🔵 Jane Austen's House (Image 11) is next to the college. It is still a private residence and cannot be entered. The bookstore next door (Image 12) sells some books and related products.
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🟣 Abbey Gardens (Images 4️⃣5️⃣): The River Itchen, which flows through Winchester, is an important chalk river. There are only about 200 chalk rivers in the world, more than three-quarters of which are found in the UK. The garden is an open park by the river.
🟤 High Street is the busiest shopping street (last image).
🔴 Image 1️⃣2️⃣ St. Giles Hill Observation Deck is highly recommended! The hill is not high and has steps. The observation deck has chairs where you can rest and watch the sunset. When navigating, do not use the name of the hill. Use the coordinates SO23 0JJ to avoid detours.
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