WHEN Leonardo Di Caprio and Kate Winslet put Southampton on the Hollywood map, with Titanic Oscar glory, they tapped into a deep public fascination with the world's most fated liner.

Of all the ships which have made the journey down the Solent and away past the Isle of Wight, Titanic's spectacular demise in the icy depths of the north Atlantic in 1912 still proves irresistible.

For years visitors to the ship"s home port have gorged themselves on Titanic trivia and hunted out those locations with links, no matter how small, to the passengers and crew.

Over the years pubs, hotels, shops and parks have been scoured by tourists and residents alike, all searching for the whispering voices of history which they hope will be able to reveal some of Titanic"s secrets.

Throughout Southampton those sites with a connection to the liner, on which 1,523 people died, can be visited on what has become known as the Titanic Trail.

Begin the walk at Ocean Village marina car park before turning left at the traffic lights and into Canute Road.

There you will find Canute Chambers, which is the former headquarters of the ship"s owner and operator the White Star Line.
In the aftermath of its sinking this building was the centre of attention for people seeking the latest news and updates on the disaster.

Groups of worried friends and family members gathered at the office each morning and afternoon to scour the daily lists of surviving crew and passengers, hoping against hope that they would spy a familiar name.

Continue along Canute Road until you arrive at the junction of Platform Road and Terminus Terrace.

It is possible to go into the docks to see the Titanic's departure point and the dockside memorial, but only with prior arrangement with Associated British Ports. Their contact number is 023 8048 8800.

On the corner of Terminus Terrace sits the elegant South Western House, which has recently been converted into luxury apartments.

In 1912 this building was the South Western Hotel where many of the passengers who used Southampton's oceangoing liners stayed, because of its proximity to the docks.

On the day of Titanic's departure the area would have been buzzing, with travellers checking out of the hotel and their luggage being brought down to the ship.

Carry on up Terminus Terrace and at Stanley"s Casino make a left turn into Oxford Street where you will discover The Grapes pub.

For more than 150 years the city"s sailors and dock workers have visited this traditional pub to quench their thirst after a hard shift.
Many of the passengers and crew of the Titanic are believed to have drunk at the bar in the days leading up to her departure from the city.

After leaving The Grapes take your first left into Latimer Street, turn right into Queens Terrace and follow the park around into Orchard Place and on to Town Quay.

Continue along, keeping the car ferry on your left, until you reach the maritime museum on the corner of Bugle Street.

This museum hosts its own Titanic Voices exhibition made up of firsthand accounts of the disaster as well as salvaged personal belongings.

The museum is free to visit and is open between 10am and 5pm, Tuesday to Friday, 10am to 4pm on Saturdays and 2pm to 5pm on a Sunday.

Once you leave the maritime museum turn right up Bugle Street and head for St Joseph"s Church where you will find the Titanic restaurant staff memorial. This is a brass plaque incorporated in an oak table commemorating the brave staff of the ship"s Ritz restaurant.

You should then turn right and go through the square by St Michael"s Church, cross Castle Way and head down St Michael"s Street.

At the bottom of the road cross over the High Street to the corner of Bernard Street where there is a Titanic staff memorial urn at the ruins of Holyrod Church.

Turning right, back on to the High Street, make your way up towards the city"s impressive Bargate, stopping on the way at the post office where the postal workers" memorial is situated.

Head on up past the Bargate, through the pedestrian precinct and carry on to the end of Above Bar Street, where on the righthand side in East Park is the city"s memorial to the Titanic's engineers.

The final stop on Southampton"s Titanic Trail is at the junction of London Road and Cumberland Place where the Titanic musicians" memorial is situated.

It is rumoured that as the ship was going down to her icy grave the musicians kept on playing, and their courage is remembered here with their own monument.