Lego Titanic takeover, Easter inspired art, family paddle to the pub, an E-bike heritage trail and pop-up market make for a fun Easter line up in Southampton

Southampton is putting on a host of Easter activities for creative and active types. Visit Southampton’s (https://visitsouthampton.co.uk) top picks include:

Bunny Take-Over at Southampton City Art Gallery

Families looking for some Easter-inspired creativity will love, Southampton’s City Art Gallery’s holiday workshops. The bunny inspired art sessions include, on 12th April, and ideal for the under 6s, a Peter Rabbit story time and mobile-making activity (£6 for children, accompanying adults free). For 5-12yrs there’s a Bunny Wire Sculpture activity on 13th and 14th April (£7 children, accompanying adults free) and all ages will enjoy the Play with Clay Easter Hares session on 14th April (£7.50 per person). Each activity is repeated several times each day. https://www.wegottickets.com/SouthamptonCulture

Spring Folklore Explored at The Tudor House and Garden

Southampton’s Tudor House & Gardens offers a fascinating peek into the past 800 years of the city’s history. And with a nod to Medieval folklore, visitors to the historic house this Easter can enjoy a series of art sessions including on 19th April ‘Green Man Wall Plaque’ making and on 20th April a ‘Wickerman and Wish Jars’ workshop. Each comprising a 90-minute morning or afternoon session, the cost is £8 per person. Visit http://www.tudorhouseandgarden.com/ and for tickets: https://www.wegottickets.com/SouthamptonCulture

Paddle to the Pub

For a springtime family adventure, Woodmill Activity Centre is offering a ‘Paddle to the Pub’ kayaking experience along Southampton’s River Itchen. Following an instructor-led briefing, participants can enjoy a leisurely 2.5hr round trip with a pleasant stop-off at waterside pub The White Swan. The cost is £35 per adult and £25 per child including all equipment and lifejackets (pub meal extra). www.woodmill.co.uk

Also, for Easter, Woodmill is offering archery and high ropes discovery sessions from £22 per adult and £11 per child for a 90-minute tutored experience. Kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards can also be hired for the hour from £14 pp.

Titanic Lego Experience at The Sea City Museum 10th April

This year marks 110 years since the Titanic set sail from Southampton. To remember the stories and lives of those who sailed upon the doomed vessel, the Sea City Museum is staging a special event on 10th April. As well as a character led museum tour, families will be able to take part in a special workshop and climb Southampton’s clock tower. Plus, all around the museum, in partnership with The BRICK People, there will be attractions and activities featuring LEGO® bricks including ‘speed build’ competitions, the chance to buy rare and discontinued LEGO® sets, a win a minifigure tombola plus face painting. Tickets to the museum cost £9 adults, £6.50 children, £27 family (2+3) https:// seacitymuseum.co.uk

Southampton’s SeaCity Museum explores the city’s relationship with the sea and the famous voyages – from the Mayflower pilgrims and the Titanic to the Blue Riband lines – that have set sail from its shores. Perfect for Easter, the museum has a free to download Titanic Trail. The 75-minute walking tour and map features key locations in and around the city and port providing a fascinating backstory to the ship, its passengers and crew.

Easter Market 9-10 April

Shoppers heading to Southampton’s ‘Bedford Place’ will experience a buzzy village market vibe this Easter as a pop-up street market sets up shop. Selling everything from antiques, gifts, crafts and clothes to edible goods, drinks and street food, the pop-up will offer a colourful mix of businesses designed to compliment Bedford Place’s independent shopping offer. For more information visit https://www.thevillagepopup.com/

New Sightseeing by Bike Tour

A new E-Bike sightseeing tour has launched in Southampton. Local operator Madein:Here has teamed up with SEE Southampton tour guides and The Hub Cycleworks to offer visitors and locals an alternative sightseeing perspective on the city.

Led by an accredited guide, the two-hour Classic tour takes cyclists through the city’s backstreets, parks, and cycle paths at a gentle pace, with frequent stops to learn about Southampton’s surprising history.

Departing from the Dolphin Hotel (where Jane Austin celebrated her 18th birthday), the route includes the quayside dock where the Titanic set sail on her doomed voyage; the heart-rending D-Day Wall and the spot where RJ Mitchell developed the iconic Spitfire fighter plane. Cyclists will also discover Southampton’s intriguing Saxon and Tudor heritage; ride past St Mary’s Stadium (home of Southampton FC’s ‘The Saints’) – and even local boy, singer Craig David’s, childhood home!

The Ebike Tours run on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month at 10am from the Mercure Dolphin Hotel car park with a special ‘sunset tour’ on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at 6pm. Tickets cost £18 per person for adults and £16.50 for 16–18-year-olds and include the services of a tour guide and assistant, electric bike hire, helmets, and a map of the route. For those wanting to make a day of it, there’s the option to extend the bike hire until 4pm for an extra £18 per person. For more information and to book: www.madeinhere.co.uk/product/e-bike-tours