What to See & Do in Portsmouth
SightsPortsmouth is home to Nelson’s Flagship HMS Victory, also the Mary Rose & HMS Warrior. Other attractions in Portsmouth include Gun wharf Quays, Henry VIII Castle, Charles Dickens Birthplace, The Round Towers, D-Day Museum, The Pyramids, Fort Nelson, Royal Marines Museum, The Submarine museum, Portchester castle, Port Solent and many more. The Isle of Wight is 10 minutes away by Hovercraft.
Dockyard: Visit the magnificent historic ships HMS Victory, HMS Warrior, and Mary Rose, and drop into the Mary Rose Museum, Royal Naval Museum and Action Stations - an interactive attraction about the modern Navy.
Fort Cumberland: This is the finest example of a five-sided 18th century bastioned fort. It dates from 1740, but was extensively rebuilt between 1785 and 1820. The fort was designed to lie as low as possible but still allow the gun batteries to fire. It was used by the Royal Marines until 1973.
Marwell Zoo: this is a major zoo, with over 200 different species, including favourites such as meerkats, penguins, zebra, rhino, tigers and hippos, and is very family-friendly.
Southsea Castle: built in 1544, this castle was part of a series of fortifications constructed by Henry VIII around England’s coasts to protect the country from invaders. The work was barely finished when Henry VIII’s flagship, the Mary Rose, sank in front of the castle. During the English Civil War, nearly a century later, the castle was captured for the only time in its history, by Parliamentarian forces.
Portchester Castle: discover 2000 years of history at this magnificent coastal castle. Situated two miles to the east of Fareham, Portchester has grown up around the approaches to Portchester Castle. The Romans built a naval base here in the third century to guard against attack and today the walls are the most complete example of their style in northern Europe. There are spectacular views over Portsmouth Harbour and the remains of the Castle from the top of the Norman Keep.
Charles Dickens’ Birthplace: the writer Charles Dickens was born in this modest house in Portsmouth, England in 1812. The house has miraculously survived and is now a museum furnished in the style of 1809, which was when John and Elizabeth Dickens set up their first home together.
D-Day Museum: opened in 1984 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of D-Day, its centrepiece is the magnificent Overlord Embroidery, commissioned as a tribute to the men and women who took part in Operation Overlord.
Food & Drink
Portsmouth and its resort of Southsea have a vast choice of restaurants, pubs and cafes, with food for every taste: English, Italian, Mexican, Spanish, Indian, American, Chinese, Turkish, Caribbean, and more. There are hundreds of takeaways, cafes, restaurants, pubs and snack bars all over the city.
Transport
Walking is the best method of getting around Portsmouth. It is architecturally rich, and best savoured at a leisurely pace rather than from a bus or car, although vehicles can be rented. Public transportation in Portsmouth consists of a combination of a bus system called the ‘Coast’, and a tram system, which is generally used for guided tours.
