cosy corners, city wandering and the deli bar at its best
Autumn behind the walls
The city bolthole, at its snuggest
THE PIG-in the wall was made for autumn. Twelve rooms tucked into Southampton's medieval walls, a log burner in the deli bar and a city outside that trades its summer bustle for something calmer and more atmospheric. This is the season our little city hideaway feels most like a hideaway.
The evenings draw in, the fire gets lit, and the deli bar becomes exactly the kind of place you want to spend an autumn evening - a glass of something good, a board of something local, and no reason to hurry anywhere.
Step outside
the city in autumn
The medieval walls and Old Town are at their most atmospheric as the light drops earlier - walk them at dusk and the history feels very close. Oxford Street's restaurants come into their own as the evenings cool, and the parks and waterfront trade summer crowds for golden leaves and quiet.
The deli bar in autumn
Daily deliveries from THE PIG in the New Forest bring the autumn harvest into the city - seasonal deli plates, warming dishes and sharing boards made for long, unhurried evenings by the fire.
Autumn here is best enjoyed in two parts.
Half the day out in it - collar up, cheeks pink, wandering the old walls and quiet streets as the light turns golden.
Then spend the other half by making your way slowly indoors, where the fires are lit and nobody's in a rush to move you along.
A day trip to the island
The Red Funnel ferry from Southampton's town quay gets you across to Cowes in under an hour - and autumn is a lovely time to make the crossing. Quieter beaches, golden light over the Solent, and the island's coastal paths at their most peaceful. Back in time for a fire and something warming behind the walls.
Rooms worth coming back to
Original beams, cosy corners and proper beds - our rooms were made for dark evenings and slow mornings. Autumn city breaks don't get much snugger.
