There is something appealing about market towns with the bustling atmosphere and Hampshire has plenty to offer on this score.

Alton is a thriving market town. In the Domesday Book it had the most valuable market recorded and today there is a mix of old and new buildings and the many markets and fairs that are still held here attract many visitors. It's also one of the local towns where regular farmers markets are held.

Andover is another of this countys attractive market towns. Dating back to Saxon times, the town has an attractive High Street and walkways, though many of the buildings are from the 18th century, when the prosperity of this town developed. This being mainly due to it being a stopover for coaches travelling to and from London. The town still enjoys a weekly street market on Thursdays and Saturdays and still possesses the bustling atmosphere of times past.

Hampshire also is home to many villages that we would picture in our mind as classically english. Quaint cottages and quiet streams being part of the picture. Kingsclere is one of those peaceful villages which has had royal patronage since Saxon times and the village is surrounded by pretty downlands. Nearby is Highclere Castle, which is the ancestral home to the 5th Earl of Canarvon, who with Howard Carter discovered the famous tomb of Tutankhamun.

We think of summer days and perhaps watching a sedate game of cricket with afternoon tea - well Hartley Wintney is home to the oldest cricket greens in England. It's also known for its antiques trade and West Green House Gardens, owned by the National Trust now and enjoyed by many.

Hampshire contains a wealth of picturesque villages and towns, dotted throughout the county. So why not get a map and plan a trip through this beautiful county and enjoy the peaceful villages and exciting markets that are waiting to be discovered by you......