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Winchester Hen Party Ideas

England’s ancient capital, Winchester, is an unspoilt cathedral city situated by the South Downs National Park. With an atmospheric city centre, easy access to lush countryside and being situated only an hour from London, it’s a great hen party destination.

Winchester is packed with world class attractions, historic buildings, museums, monuments and architecture, and the compact size of the city means it’s easy to explore on foot. The most famous building is the eleventh century Cathedral – world famous as a place of worship for over 900 years and full of hidden treasures. The Great Hall has housed the legendary Round Table for more than 700 years. Winchester’s Tudor and Stuart era is revealed in the Westgate Museum, a fortified medieval gateway – climb the narrow stairs and take in the rooftop views across the city.

An easy climb up the central St Giles Hill will give you a view of the medieval and Georgian buildings, laid out to the original Saxon street plan, or for a more challenging hill walk, take a stroll up St Catherine’s Hill for great views of the area.

Try and plan your trip to coincide with a festival – during spring and summer, the city’s streets are packed with exciting arts festivals, including the Hat Fair, Winchester Festival and Winchester Fashion Week. Blissfields is an annual music festival in the nearby Hampshire countryside.

For hen parties who like to shop til they drop, Winchester and its nearby market towns can offer a selection of independent shops and boutiques. The High Street, once the Romans’ east to west route through the city, has high street names and traditional stores, many with Regency and Elizabethan bow-fronted windows. Browse the narrow passages and backstreets in the area. Hyde Vale has a range of exciting shops and restaurants, Parchment Street is a unique boutique shopping destination, and The Square is an attractive part of town with specialist shops, bars and restaurants. Don’t miss the charming winding lanes known as ‘The Constabulary’, home to independent shops selling handcrafted jewellery, gifts, antiques and wine. Further afield, the quaint market towns near Winchester are also full of specialist shops and attractions.

Foodies will be spoilt for choice in Winchester and its surrounding area, as there are a number of award-winning pubs and restaurants. Try the historic Chesil Rectory for a modern British menu, the Running Horse gastropub, and the Bugle Inn. If the weather’s good, pack a picnic – Winchester’s full of beautiful spots perfect for watching the world go by – try Winchester Cathedral Close, Abbey Gardens or St Catherine’s Hill.

With the South Downs National Park on Winchester’s doorstep, you’ll find steep wooded hills and hidden valleys, perfect for a group who want to get away from it all. With lots to see and do, including walking, cycling or horse riding across the Downs, discovering wildlife in the wetlands or visiting one of the heritage sites, discover the landscape which helped inspire Jane Austen.