The Borough of Basingstoke and Deane covers an area of over 245 square miles. It is easily accessible by car from junctions 6 and 7 of the M3 motorway. Direct trains run regularly to Waterloo Station, London, Midlands and Southampton Airport.
Festival Place in central Basingstoke is a regional shopping centre with restaurant/cafe and leisure facilities. Key leisure attractions include: The Anvil Concert Hall; Basingstoke Leisure Park, including Milestones - Hampshire’s Living History Museum; The Aquadrome; Bowlplex; Vue cinema, with over 2 million visits each year. There are also a number of rural attractions, including Whitchurch Silk Mill, Basing House and The Vyne – National Trust.
The western half of the borough is dominated by the picturesque North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, such as Overton and Whitchurch, both of which lie within the upper valley of the River Test. Jane Austen was born and spent the first half of her life in Steventon and wrote her early novels here. The attractive rural environment and historic significance is characterised by 46 conservation areas and over 1800 listed buildings.
A wide range of quality accommodation is available, from picturesque rural B&Bs to large 4* central hotels.