Discover Portsmouth

Portsmouth is the only island city in the United Kingdom. Its compact, low-lying urban profile makes it easier to walk between attractions. You can combine different themes during your stay: maritime history, historic buildings, arts and crafts, harbour views and outdoor recreation. If you’re looking for a hotel in Portsmouth, you can start by considering which of these aspects of the city you’d like to shape your stay.

Maritime history and museums

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is a living museum with 500 years of maritime history. LCT 7074 is the last surviving Landing Craft Tank from the D-Day period. It is located on the Southsea seafront and is part of The D-Day Story; it is open to visitors. As operational access may change, check visitor access in advance. The Mary Rose Museum offers tours led by expert museum guides. Booking in advance is recommended, as the offering may change. Each offers a different focus: the Dockyard spans a broad period of maritime history, LCT 7074 represents a specific vessel from the D-Day period, and the Mary Rose Museum tours offer a guided museum visit.

Harbour views, sightseeing and arts and crafts

The 170-metre-high Spinnaker Tower offers panoramic views across Portsmouth and the Solent to the Isle of Wight. If you’re looking for an active experience rather than a sightseeing attraction, you could consider abseiling from a height of 100 metres. As availability may vary, check before your visit.

From the ramparts of the Hotwalls, you can watch ships entering or leaving Portsmouth Harbour. At the Hotwalls Studios, you can meet the artists and craftspeople who work there, take part in workshops, and buy or commission work directly. As studio and workshop availability may change, check the details before visiting. Watching harbour traffic and meeting craftspeople offer different ways to spend your stay.

Exploring Portsmouth on foot

If you’d like to explore several named areas of the city on one route, the Millennium Promenade runs from Portsmouth Historic Dockyard via Gunwharf Quays and Old Portsmouth to Southsea. It is about 2.6 miles long and almost entirely flat. Portsmouth’s compact layout and low-lying profile also make it easier to walk between attractions. The promenade offers a specific route through these areas; Southsea Common is another way to spend time outdoors. You can enjoy picnics, fly kites and take part in various sports there. This gives you a choice between a route through several parts of the city and recreational activities in one place.

Historic Old Portsmouth

Portsmouth Cathedral is located in historic Old Portsmouth and was founded in 1185. Its founding date offers a different historical perspective from the Historic Dockyard’s 500 years of maritime history. If you’d like to explore Portsmouth’s history beyond its ships, the cathedral is another named focus to consider. Along with the promenade, which passes through Old Portsmouth, it makes this part of the city interesting to travellers who want to include historic sites and routes through the city in their plans.

Discover more destinations: Southsea.

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