Guide to Winchester and the local area

Winchester famously topped a poll of the best places to live in Britain. With its attractive town centre made up of historic old buildings and fantastic shops surrounded by miles of rolling Hampshire countryside, it's not hard to see why.

SHOPPING: Winchester town centre has plenty to keep dedicated browsers busy: from big high-street names and upmarket boutiques to one-off, independent stores and cutting-edge art galleries. Some of Winchester's most unusual shops can be found in the streets around the Old Vine, and also a short walk away in Parchment Street and the Cathedral Close.

WINCHESTER CATHEDRAL has its origins in the 7th century, when a Christian church was first built on this site. Since then it has played a fundamental part in the daily life of this ancient city, and an important role in the history of our nation: it is the burial site of kings, bishops, saints - and novelist Jane Austen. More recently it has appeared in the film adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, and also houses a work by the contemporary sculptor Antony Gormley. The Inner Cathedral Close also houses the famous Pilgrims' School, surrounded by delightful gardens which contain sculpture by Dame Barbara Hepworth.

THE GREAT HALL: This fascinating 13th-century building contains perhaps the greatest symbol of medieval mythology: King Arthur's Round Table.

JANE AUSTEN'S HOUSE: Close to Winchester College is the house where novelist Jane Austen came to convalesce until she died in 1817. She is buried in Winchester Cathedral. The house where she lived for most of her life, and where she completed some of her most famous novels, including Pride and Prejudice, is at Chawton near Alton. Now housing a Jane Austen museum, the house is some 20 minutes drive from Winchester.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS: The Christmas market, the farmers' market (fortnightly on Sundays), the quarterly French market, the Mayfest folk festival, July's Hat Fair street festival and the year-round programmes of concerts in the cathedral. Please contact Winchester tourist information office for details: (01962) 840 500.