The cathedral is £14.90 for a year's entry, the Great Hall £9 and Wolvesey Castle free. Ten places in and around Winchester, with prices checked this week.
Winchester packs a lot into a walkable centre, and three of its best things cost nothing. The list below is ten places in and around the city, each checked against its own website on 10 August 2026, with the price it publishes. Where something has changed, we say so: the City Mill’s waterwheel has been out of action since 2023, and the Guildhall closes for a year of repairs in 2027.
Free, and worth the walk
Wolvesey Castle, the Old Bishop’s Palace
The ruined palace behind the cathedral was the main residence of the Bishops of Winchester through the Middle Ages, and most of what stands dates from the 12th century under Bishop Henry of Blois. On 25 July 1554 its East Hall was hung with silk and gold for the wedding banquet of Queen Mary and Philip of Spain.
Admission free. Open daily, 10am to 5pm from 1 April to 30 September, and 10am to 4pm from 1 October to 31 March (English Heritage).
St Catherine’s Hill
The chalk hill on the city’s southern edge, 47 hectares looked after by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust, with the earthworks of an Iron Age fort on top, the buried ruins of the Norman chapel that gave it its name, and 25 species of breeding butterfly including chalkhill blue, brown argus and marbled white. The views over the city and the Itchen valley are the best free thing in Winchester.
Free, donations welcome. Park on Garnier Road just before the bridge over the river, SO23 9PA. It is a steep climb: expect steps, or take the surfaced path (Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust).
Winchester City Mill
A working watermill on the Itchen in the middle of town, with over a thousand years of history on the site, run by the National Trust. Be clear about what you will find: the waterwheel was decommissioned in early 2023 and the mill is not currently producing flour, the mill race is closed while the replacement wheel project runs, and the Trust is raising money to mill again. The café, bookshop and island garden stay open.
Free entry for everyone, National Trust membership not required (National Trust).
The big three ticketed sights
Winchester Cathedral
The point most people miss is that the ticket is an annual pass, not a day ticket: it gives unlimited entry for 12 months, plus exhibitions, tours, concerts and family activities. Entry for worship and prayer is always free.
- Adult (17+): £14.90, or £13.90 booked online
- Student: £8.50, or £7.50 online
- Child 12 to 16: £6.50, or £5.50 online
- Children 11 and under: free with a paying adult
- Groups of 10 or more: £12.90 an adult
Open 9am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 12:30pm to 3pm on Sunday, last entry half an hour before closing. The Kings and Scribes exhibition runs 10:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Saturday and 12:30pm to 2:30pm on Sunday (Winchester Cathedral).
The Great Hall and Westgate Museum
The Great Hall on Castle Avenue is what survives of Winchester Castle, one of the finest 13th century aisled halls in the country, and it holds King Arthur’s Round Table on the wall. The same ticket covers the Long Gallery, Queen Eleanor’s Garden planted with 13th century species, and the Westgate Museum in the medieval city gate, which has Tudor and Stuart collections and a roof you can climb for the view down the High Street.
- Adults: £9.00
- Concessions: £7.20
- Children 5 to 16: £6.50, under 5s free
- Family of five: £29.50
- 10 per cent off for booking online
Open 10am to 5pm daily (Visit Winchester).
The Hospital of St Cross
A mile south of the centre along the water meadows, St Cross is one of England’s oldest continuing almshouses and still houses its Brothers. Ask at the Porter’s Lodge for the Wayfarer’s Dole, a small portion of bread and ale that has been given to travellers here for centuries. The Hundred Men’s Hall does teas.
- Adults: £7.50
- Students and senior citizens: £5.00
- Children under 13: £4.00
- Registered carers free with a disabled visitor
Open 9:30am to 5pm Monday to Saturday and 1pm to 5pm on Sunday from 1 April to 31 October; 10:30am to 3:30pm Monday to Saturday and closed on Sundays from 1 November to 31 March. Private bookings occasionally close parts of the site, so phone the Porter’s Lodge on 01962 851375 if you are travelling for it (Hospital of St Cross).
With children
Winchester Science Centre
Two floors of interactive exhibits, free live science shows and one of the largest planetariums in the UK, on the hill at Morn Hill east of the city. One planetarium show is included in general admission.
- Standard ticket, adult or child: £22.50 without Gift Aid, £24.75 with
- Summer Discovery ticket, 1 to 31 August: £18.50 without Gift Aid, £20.35 with
- Under 3s: free; carers and personal assistants free with ID
- Annual membership £78.75, plus a £2.50 transaction fee per booking
All tickets must be booked online in advance, and under 14s need an adult with them (Winchester Science Centre).
Marwell Zoo
Six miles south east of the city at Colden Common, in the parkland of Marwell Hall. Peak season runs from 27 March to 1 November 2026.
- Advance with donation: adult £29.00, child 2 to 15 £25.00, student £26.00
- Advance without donation: adult £26.08, child £22.48, student £23.38
- On the day: adult £33.00, child £29.00
- Under 2s free, carers free
Booking ahead saves between £2 and £4 a head against the gate price (Marwell Zoo).
The Watercress Line
The preserved steam railway from Alresford through Ropley and Medstead and Four Marks to Alton, named for the salad crop the line used to carry to London. A Freedom of the Line ticket lets you ride all day.
- Adult 17+: £26.50 online, £30.50 on the day
- Child 5 to 16: £12.00 online, £14.00 on the day
- Children 4 and under: free
- Family, two adults and up to three children: £75.00 online, £86.50 on the day
- A £2.50 booking fee may apply
August runs a two-train service on most days. An Engineering Open Weekend follows on 12 and 13 September 2026 (Watercress Line).
An evening out
Theatre Royal Winchester
The city’s producing and receiving house at 21 to 23 Jewry Street, SO23 8SB. The autumn programme includes Conn Artists Theatre Company’s Jane Eyre on 2 and 3 September, a Motown tribute on 4 September, Ivo Graham’s Orange Crush on 8 September, Breaking Ballroom from Strictly Theatre Co on 11 September and Ministry of Science Live on 13 September. The pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, runs from 4 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 (Theatre Royal Winchester).
One to know about before you plan
Winchester Guildhall closes for a year. The city council is investing £5 million in repairs to the roof, stonework and windows, with £250,000 of that on the clocktower. The building will be closed to the public from March 2027 to May 2028, a 14 month closure starting in spring 2027. Winchester School of Art’s West Wing and the Shoal venue stay open, as does the Visitor Information Centre (Winchester City Council).
Getting here and getting around
Most of this list is within a 20 minute walk of Winchester station, which is about an hour from London Waterloo. See Winchester train times to London for times and fares. If you drive in, the park and ride is £3.50 for the car and up to seven people including the bus, and the details are in our guide to Winchester roadworks and travel, which also covers the M3 junction 9 closures worth planning around this summer.
Prices and opening times were taken from each venue’s own website on 10 August 2026 and can change. Check before you travel, especially for anything ticketed.
Have your say
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