Discover Portsmouth City travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises, spa and resorts

Portsmouth is a lively coastal city in the south of England, full of character and diversity. If you are looking for a friendly, compact city with everything in reach, Portsmouth is ideal. It is a city with many identities: tourist destination, home of the Royal Navy and a university city. Portsmouth is within easy reach of Heathrow, Gatwick and is 90 minutes by direct train from London.

The city has a fantastic variety of restaurants and cafes, so you really will be spoilt for choice. Gunwharf Quays has over 20 bars and restaurants, where you can sit and take in harbor views. Southse seafront is just a short walk from the center of the city and offers beautiful sea views. Southsea has a range of contemporary cafes, bars and restaurants to choose from. You’ll also find cafes and pubs along the cobbled streets of historic Old Portsmouth. The Spinnaker Tower in Gunwharf Quays offers the perfect way to view Portsmouth. At an impressive 170 m tall, you can experience vast panoramic views of the city, the harbor and walk on Europe’s largest glass floor (if you’re feeling brave).

Charles Dickens, Rudyard Kipling and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle have all left their mark on the city. You can discover their stories in the many museums and art galleries. Take a trip to the Historic Dockyard, home to HMS Victory, HMS Warriot, the Mary Rose Museum and the Royal Naval Museum. Discover how the sailors of the past lived their lives serving the nation on these great ships. Visit Southsea Castle where King Henry VIII stood and watched the Mary Rose sink in 1545.