A Travel Price Comparison for United Kingdom Southampton vs. Inverness for Attractions, Food, Couples, and Nightlife

Should you visit Southampton or Inverness?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Should I visit Southampton or Inverness? This is a common question asked by many travelers. By figuring out which city has activities that align with your interests along with knowing which is more affordable, you'll understand where you can get more bang for your buck. So, let's dive into the details and the data, which all comes from actual travelers.

Southampton

Southampton is a waterfront, dynamic, and up-and-coming port city. It's a beautiful place to visit, too. And you can't forget about the nightlife, food, and shopping.

Inverness

Inverness is a historic, cultural, and traditional city. With fun activities and sights, this is a small town worth visiting. Visitors also love the museums, nightlife, and food.

Southampton and Inverness: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Southampton or Inverness?

Visitors will usually find more to do in Inverness than Southampton, as it offers more sights, attractions, and activities. Inverness is better known for its museums, food, shopping, and small town charm, while Southampton is more popular for its impressive beauty. Inverness is more touristy than Southampton and is popular for its surrounding countryside, but also its regional heritage, local festivals and proximity to the famous Loch Ness. Also, Inverness is famous for Loch Ness. Southampton is well known for its popularity as a cruise ship port as well as its focus watersports.

How is Southampton different from Inverness?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Inverness and Southampton. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Southampton or Inverness?

Inverness is a great city for its historical sights. Also, Southampton is not as popular, but is still a nice port city for its sights and museums.

Inverness offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. As a city rich in culture and heritage, you'll find a number of sights and museums in town. Check out the Highland House of Fraser, Culloden Moor, and Clava Cairns.

If you're looking for an educational opportunity, there are a decent number of museums and historical sights around Southampton. Museums are a favorite activity in town. There are a surprising number of options including SeaCity Museum, the Tudor House and Garden, and Southampton City Art Gallery.

Is the Food Better in Southampton or Inverness? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Inverness is a great city for its local flavors and cuisine. Also, Southampton is not as popular, but is still a nice port city for its local cuisine and restaurants.

Inverness has a huge number of terrific restaurants. The city makes a great spot to fill your belly after a few days exploring the Scottish Highlands. You'll find local restaurants that serve up regional specialties, and when the weather's nice, there are some spots with outdoor seating.

There are many up and coming restaurants in the Southampton area. While most people used to pass through Southampton on their way somewhere else, the city now offers a dynamic food scene with local restaurants mixed with international options and even fine dining.

Is Southampton or Inverness Better for Nightlife?

If the nightlife is your priority, you'll find notable options in both Southampton and Inverness.

If you're looking for night time activities Southampton has a few options to choose from. The nightlife scene is filled with restaurants, pubs, and bars as well as a few nightclubs mixed in.

There's a variety of activities in the evening in Inverness. Nightlife isn't the first thing that comes to mind with this town, but there are actually lots of distilleries in the area and there's a surprising number of high quality bars and pubs that make for a fun evening.

Is the Shopping Better in Southampton or Inverness?

Inverness is a great city for its shopping opportunities. Also, Southampton is not as popular, but is still a nice port city for its shopping areas.

Inverness is well-known for its shopping. The town is at the cultural heart of the Scottish Highlands you'll find plenty of local shops where you can pick up local products. Make sure you check out the Inverness Victorian Market.

Many visitors go to Southampton to go shopping. The city has two indoor shopping centers, as well as a range of markets and several independent vendors.

Is Southampton or Inverness Better for Families?

Kids will enjoy a visit to either Southampton or Inverness.

Southampton offers lots of family activities. This cruise port city offers a handful of fascinating activities for kids including learning about the Mayflower and the Titanic. There are also many parks and gardens as well as the Mayflower Theater, which regularly has kid-family productions.

Inverness is a family-friendly place to visit. The city has some parks and activities that are great for kids. Make sure you explore Inverness Castle and the Inverness Mystery Treasure Trail.

Is Southampton or Inverness Better for Couples?

Southampton is a well-known place for its romantic activities. Also, Inverness is not as famous, but is still a good city to visit for couples.

Southampton is a very popular place to visit for couples. Museums, parks, gardens, and chartered boats all offer a romantic experience for couples visiting the area.

Inverness is a good port city for couples to visit. Located in the Scottish Highlands, there ae many scenic spots and nice activities that couples can enjoy in the area.

Is Southampton or Inverness Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Southampton and Inverness both offer respectable public transit to get you around.

Public transit is mostly limited in Southampton. There are buses around town that make some areas accessible even without a car.

Public transit is generally limited in Inverness. There are local buses that pass through the town.

Is Southampton or Inverness a more walkable city?

Inverness is a great city for its high level of walkability. Also, Southampton is not as popular, but is still a nice port city for its ease of walking around.

Inverness is a very walkable city. It's compact enough that you can explore much of the town on foot.

Southampton is a somewhat walkable port city. It's possible to walk in parts of Southampton but in general it's easier to take a taxi.

For even more information, also check out Is Southampton Worth Visiting? and Is Inverness Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Inverness or Southampton?

How long in Southampton or Inverness?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Southampton and Inverness. In our opinion, Inverness has more to see and do, so we recommend spending more time in Inverness than Southampton. However, 1-3 days is a good amount of time to spend in either destination.

Families should spend more time in Inverness than Southampton. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Inverness, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Inverness than Southampton if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Inverness.

One day in Southampton or Inverness?

You'll find shopping and museums around the port city of Southampton. One day is a great amount of time to relax and see the many things that Southampton has to offer. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

Visitors enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the local city of Inverness. One day should give you a good understanding of everything this city has to offer. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

A weekend in Southampton or Inverness?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the dynamic destination of Southampton. This is a popular place to visit for a weekend.A weekend should give you a good understanding of everything this port city has to offer. This port city offers a variety of activities to choose from.

Visitors enjoy the food and shopping when visiting the historic destination of Inverness. This city offers something for everyone. Plenty of people spend a weekend in the area when traveling. If you enjoy all that's offered here, then a weekend is just the right amount of time to spend here.

Five days in Southampton or Inverness?

Travelers enjoy the nightlife and food when visiting the up-and-coming port city of Southampton. The length of your ideal trip is an individual decision. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

The historic city of Inverness offers shopping and museums. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel.

A week in Southampton or Inverness?

Southampton is a popular choice for travelers. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips. It will give you the chance to have new experiences.

Many people enjoy the museums and nightlife when visiting Inverness. Anyone can find something fun to do here. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best One-Week (7-Day) Tours from Edinburgh, The Best 10-Day Tours from London, The Best 10-Day Tours from Edinburgh, and The Best 2-Week Tours from London.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Southampton and Inverness, we can see that Inverness is more expensive. And not only is Southampton much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Southampton would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Southampton and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Inverness would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Inverness than you might in Southampton.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Southampton Expensive? and Is Inverness Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Southampton or Inverness?

Southampton has a larger population, and is about 6 times larger than the population of Inverness. When comparing the sizes of Southampton and Inverness, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Southampton or Inverness?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Southampton or Inverness in the Summer?

Both Inverness and Southampton during the summer are popular places to visit. The family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Southampton this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Inverness for the small town charm and the family-friendly experiences.

Southampton is a little warmer than Inverness in the summer. The daily temperature in Southampton averages around 18°C (64°F) in July, and Inverness fluctuates around 14°C (58°F).

In the summer, Southampton often gets more sunshine than Inverness. Southampton gets 195 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Inverness receives 147 hours of full sun.

Southampton usually gets less rain in July than Inverness. Southampton gets 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Inverness receives 55 mm (2.2 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Southampton or Inverness in the Autumn?

The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Southampton and Inverness. Many travelers come to Southampton for the shopping scene and the natural beauty of the area. Also, many visitors come to Inverness in the autumn for the shopping scene and the small town atmosphere.

In the autumn, Southampton is a little warmer than Inverness. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Southampton in October average around 12°C (53°F), and Inverness averages at about 9°C (49°F).

Southampton usually receives more sunshine than Inverness during autumn. Southampton gets 107 hours of sunny skies, while Inverness receives 84 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Southampton usually receives around the same amount of rain as Inverness. Southampton gets 58 mm (2.3 in) of rain, while Inverness receives 56 mm (2.2 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Southampton or Inverness in the Winter?

The winter brings many poeple to Southampton as well as Inverness. Many visitors come to Southampton in the winter for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Also, most visitors come to Inverness for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine during these months.

Inverness can be very cold during winter. Southampton can get quite cold in the winter. In January, Southampton is generally a little warmer than Inverness. Daily temperatures in Southampton average around 4°C (40°F), and Inverness fluctuates around 3°C (38°F).

In the winter, Southampton often gets more sunshine than Inverness. Southampton gets 52 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Inverness receives 42 hours of full sun.

Southampton usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Inverness. Southampton gets 52 mm (2 in) of rain, while Inverness receives 53 mm (2.1 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Southampton or Inverness in the Spring?

Both Inverness and Southampton are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities. Most visitors come to Southampton for the natural beauty during these months. Also, the spring months attract visitors to Inverness because of the small town charm.

Southampton is a little warmer than Inverness in the spring. The daily temperature in Southampton averages around 9°C (48°F) in April, and Inverness fluctuates around 7°C (44°F).

Southampton usually receives more sunshine than Inverness during spring. Southampton gets 147 hours of sunny skies, while Inverness receives 136 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Southampton usually receives more rain than Inverness. Southampton gets 45 mm (1.8 in) of rain, while Inverness receives 36 mm (1.4 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Inverness and Southampton