Winchester

The ancient capital of England still carries itself with considerable swagger. Walk through Winchester's medieval streets and you'll feel the weight of over a thousand years of history pressing down on the worn flagstones.

Winchester Castle dominates the western edge of the city, its Great Hall housing what locals claim is King Arthur's Round Table - though historians are less convinced. More authentic is Alfred the Great's legacy, scattered throughout the city centre. The Saxon king made this his capital, and his statue watches over the Broadway like a stern headmaster.

Climbing St. Catherine's Hill offers the best perspective on Winchester's compact medieval layout. It's a proper climb, mind you - the Iron Age fort atop this chalk down rewards the effort with sweeping views across the South Downs. On clear days you can see for miles across Hampshire's rolling countryside.

The High Street runs straight as an arrow from the cathedral to the Westgate, lined with independent shops and proper pubs. Midweek it's wonderfully quiet, perfect for browsing the ancient Buttercross market or popping into the King's Royal Hussars Museum. The Gurkha Museum tells a different military story - one that's both moving and brilliantly told.

Getting here couldn't be easier. Winchester sits bang on the main London to Southampton railway line, just an hour from Waterloo. The M3 practically delivers you to the city walls. Several holiday parks dot the surrounding chalk downs, making excellent bases for exploring both Winchester and the wider South Downs National Park. You're twenty minutes from proper countryside, yet close enough to nip into the city centre for dinner or a show at the Theatre Royal.