Moving to Bournemouth: Getting to know your new city
With 7 miles of beautiful beaches, Bournemouth is a natural choice for lovers of coastal living. This seaside town in Dorset, right on the south coast of the UK, boasts spectacular views, unspoilt coastline, and heaps of outdoor space.
When you’re not strolling along the sands, there is Bournemouth gardens to explore: a 2 mile stretch of rock gardens, a plant collection cultivated from across three continents and an aviary.
The city boasts a wealth of Victorian architecture, as well as a world-famous Pier, painting a gorgeous backdrop for evenings exploring the night life.
Bournemouth is a youthful and lively sea side home – with a population of 194,000 and an average age of just 34. And it boasts up to 25% more sunshine than the UK average. So, if you’re ready to move, why not check out our free moving quote service now and see how we can make this the easiest move of your life. At Santa Fe, we can even store your possessions while you’re in-between properties, in our 24-hour secure London storage facility.
Bournemouth’s history
Moving to Bournemouth means moving to a seaside town loaded with history. Not only is the surrounding area littered with impressive castles (check out Christchurch Castle), but the important position of the city during the Norman period means that everywhere you turn there’s ancient architecture and ruins to discover. Visit local castles, like Corfe Castle, which at 1000 years old has a very impressive history and was built by William the Conqueror.
Bournemouth is also home to one of the United Kingdom’s oldest football team. AFC Bournemouth have been the pride of the city for 120 years, so a trip to a home game is a must for any new resident.
If you’re about to move, or if you’ve recently moved into the city, our local experts can tailor a city induction package just for you, helping you get to grips with the city in record time. At Santa Fe, we believe in making every part of the moving experience easy, that’s why we have an unrivalled range of personalised moving services.
Bournemouth: highlights and culture
Bournemouth’s busy social calendar and wealth of cultural activities keep the locals busy year-round – and draws in swathes of tourists.
Once you’re settled into your new Bournemouth home (our unpacking service makes this a breeze), it’s worth popping a few of the key events into your calendar to make sure you get the most out of your first year.
The annual Bournemouth Air Festival, held in summer, draws airplane enthusiasts and visitors from across the country with a 4-day spectacular. With incredible displays from vintage airplanes as well as Bournemouth regulars the RAF Red Arrows, this is one summer festival not to be missed.
St Peters Church is a historical and architectural must see! The church is a Grade 1 listed pride of the city, at 135 years old. And for art lovers a trip to the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery and Museum is the perfect foray into Bournemouth’s impressive arts scene.
For the beach worshippers, you’ll soon be familiar with the popular sunbathing spot at Southbourne Beach. And if you have a four-legged family member, Hengistbury Beach is the most dog friendly spot.
Things to do in Bournemouth
Quite honestly, you are going to be spoiled for choice. A move to Bournemouth offers you a really unique work/life balance, with a short walk to the beach after work, and a plethora of water sports and outdoor activities on your doorstep.
Some of our favourite things to do in Bournemouth are:
• Jump on a boat and visit the Old Harry Rocks: a world heritage site, the views are truly incredible
• Visit Lord Sandwich. A real local treasure, this incredible sandwich shop is locally regarded as one of the best places to grab a quick breakfast, snack, or lunch on the go.
• Take a weekend drive to the New Forest National Park. 500 square kilometres of unspoiled countryside, and you’re guaranteed to see the famous wild horses.
• Jump on the ferry to Poole Harbour and enjoy a stroll around Brownsea Island, where you can spot a rare red squirrel.
• Take a walk into the city centre and take a 15-minute hot air balloon ride from Lower Gardens, so you can take in the whole city from the air. You don’t even need to book!
• Spend some time at the Bournemouth 7’s: this annual national rugby and music festival has something for everyone.
Where to live in Bournemouth
Movers to (and within) Bournemouth are spoiled for choice. There are a number of excellent places to move to in the city, but some of our personal favourites are East Bascombe, Talbot Woods, Westbourne (for a village feel), and Southbourne.
With average house prices for a detached home at around £410,000 (accurate as of March 2019), buying a house in this desirable location is highly competitive compared to prices in London and the immediate commuter belt. The average rental cost in Bournemouth is around £1300 a month. For a truly luxurious beach house, the Sandbanks area offers some of the most salubrious beach fronted properties.
If you are looking for a permanent, rental or temporary home in Bournemouth, we have an excellent range of services that can make this even easier, and a removals team to take care of your move. Santa Fe Relocation: we make moving home easy for you.
Family life and education in Bournemouth
Bournemouth council operates a 2-tier education system for children under 18. The city has 26 state primary schools to choose from and operates a selective education process for 11+ education, meaning secondary school is either one of two remaining grammar schools or one of 10 secondary schools.
There is also one further education college and a selection of Independent schools to choose from. With so many great schools to pick from, our Santa Fe schools finder service can work with you to find the perfect match.
The city also boasts two well renowned universities: The Arts University Bournemouth and Bournemouth University.
Travel information
Bournemouth benefits from excellent transport links. With great road links, you can drive to Southampton, Portsmouth or Winchester in under an hour.
Bournemouth Airport operates daily flights, and services 30 European destinations, meaning you won’t have to take a journey into London for an EU getaway.
That said, if you need to get into the city, the train to London run regularly every day, and takes less than two hours.
How can we help you move to Bournemouth?
At Santa Fe Relocation we have the local expertise to help you at every stage of the moving journey: from school search to storage, help finding your new home, and comprehensive packing and unpacking removals. We use our knowledge and experience to ensure you have an enjoyable, seamless moving experience.
