"I love cities that are on the water. I love the water element, specifically the sea. I grew up on the sea and I grew up sailing - I love sailing - and the presence of the sea gives the air and the light a very special quality that I absolutely adore." ~ Connie Nielsen

Located between the Rivers Test and Itchen, the city center is almost surrounded by water, inviting maritime visitors of destruction throughout the centuries, as well as providing a point of embarkation for military ships and some others you may have heard of before.

In 1620 the Mayflower set sail for religious freedom in New England,

 with Pilgrim Fathers aboard.

Much later, in 1912, the RMS Titanic left on its fateful, maiden voyage 

with quite a bit of crew from the area among those that lost their lives.

The RMS Queen Mary, RMS Queen Victoria and RMS Queen Elizabeth call Southampton their home port.

The water has and still does play an important role in the local economy, but its the ubiquitous sailboats that catch our fancy and are beckoning our return.