Car Rental Southampton - Exploring Southampton

The area surrounding Southampton is so full of castles, houses and historical monuments that it really has to be explored by car.

Jane Austen moved to Chawton House, one mile south of Alton off the A31, from Southampton in 1809 and began writing Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park. This is a must-see for literary buffs!

Longleat House in Warminster is a magnificent example of Elizabethan architecture. Originally the home of the Marquis of Bath, it was the first stately home to open its doors to the public over 40 years ago. Queen Elizabeth I visited the house during its construction in 1574, and the present Queen joined the current Marquis for a celebration of the 400th anniversary of the completion of the house.

The Isle of Wight is a scenic island off the mainland, with 60 miles of coastline. Here you can visit the Ventnor Botanic Gardens, experience Osborne House or see the donkeys working the well wheel at Carisbrooke Castle - where Charles l was imprisoned. If you take the Redjet from Southampton, the crossing takes only 24 minutes.

The legendary Stonehenge in Wiltshire is an ancient stone circle as old as the pyramids of Egypt and one of the most famous historic landmarks in Great Britain. Classified as a World Heritage Site, it is of unique importance. You can take an audio tour of the stones and discover more about this incredible feat of engineering, as well as listen to the various theories as to why Stonehenge was built.