Portsmouth
United Kingdom · Europe
About Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( PORTS-məth) is a port city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in England not located primarily on the mainland. The city is located 22 miles (35 km) south-east of Southampton, 50 miles (80 km) west of Brighton and Hove and 74 miles (119 km) south-west of London. With a population last recorded at 208,100, it is the most densely populated city in the United Kingdom. Portsmouth forms part of the South Hampshire urban area with Gosport, Fareham, Havant, Eastleigh and Southampton.
Portsmouth's history can be traced to Roman times and it has contained a significant Royal Navy dockyard and base for centuries. Portsmouth was founded c. 1180 by Anglo-Norman merchant Jean de Gisors in the south-west area of Portsea Island, a location now known as Old Portsmouth. Around this time, de Gisors ordered the construction of a chapel dedicated to St Thomas Becket. This became a parish church by the 14th century. Portsmouth was established as a town with a royal charter on 2 May 1194. The city is home to the first drydock ever built. It was constructed on the orders of Henry VII in 1496.
Portsmouth has the world's oldest dry dock currently in use, "The Great Stone Dock"; originally built in 1698, rebuilt in 1769 and presently known as "No.5 Dock". The world's first mass production line was established at the naval base's Block Mills which produced pulley blocks for the Royal Navy. By the early-19th century, Portsmouth was the most heavily fortified city in the world, and was considered "the world's greatest naval port" at the height of the British Empire throughout Pax Britannica. By 1859, a ring of defensive land and sea forts, known as the Palmerston Forts, had been built around Portsmouth in anticipation of an invasion from continental Europe.
Portsmouth achieved city status on 21 April 1926. During the Second World War the city was bombed extensively in the Portsmouth Blitz, which resulted in the deaths of 930 people, and it was a pivotal embarkation point for the D-Day landings. In 1982 a British task force departed from Portsmouth to serve in the Falklands War. HMY Britannia was formerly based in Portsmouth and oversaw the transfer of Hong Kong in 1997, after which Britannia was retired from royal service, decommissioned and relocated to Leith as a museum ship.
HMNB Portsmouth is an operational Royal Navy base and is home to two thirds of the UK's surface fleet. The base has long had the nickname Pompey, which it shares with the wider city of Portsmouth and Portsmouth Football Club. The naval base also contains the National Museum of the Royal Navy and Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, which has a collection of historic warships, including the Mary Rose, Lord Nelson's flagship, HMS Victory (the world's oldest naval ship still in commission), and HMS Warrior, the Royal Navy's first ironclad warship.
The former HMS Vernon shore establishment has been redeveloped into a large retail outlet destination known as Gunwharf Quays which opened in 2001. Portsmouth is among the few British cities with two cathedrals: the Anglican Cathedral of St Thomas and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of St John the Evangelist. The waterfront and Portsmouth Harbour are dominated by the Spinnaker Tower, one of the United Kingdom's tallest structures at 560 feet (170 m).
Southsea is Portsmouth's seaside resort, which was named after Southsea Castle. Southsea has two piers; Clarence Pier amusement park and South Parade Pier. The world's only regular hovercraft service operates from Southsea Hoverport to Ryde on the Isle of Wight. Southsea Common is a large open-air public recreation space which serves as a venue for a wide variety of annual events.
The city has several mainline railway stations that connect to London Victoria and London Waterloo amongst other lines in southern England. Portsmouth International Port is a commercial cruise ship and ferry port for international destinations. The port is the second busiest in the United Kingdom after Dover, handling around three million passengers a year. The city formerly had its own airport, Portsmouth Airport, until its closure in 1973. The University of Portsmouth enrolled 23,000 students.
Portsmouth is the birthplace of notable people such as author Charles Dickens, engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, former Prime Minister James Callaghan, actor Peter Sellers and author-journalist Christopher Hitchens.
Portsmouth travel guide
Understand
The majority of the city of Portsmouth lies on Portsea Island, though it is separated from the mainland only by a roughly 30-m wide stretch of seawater, so is perhaps more accurately thought of as a peninsula. Historically, Portsmouth has long been an important naval port and builds on its rich heritage with memorials, museums, trails and the fascinating Historic Dockyard. It has 4 mi (6.4 km) of seafront, including pebbled beaches. It is a university city, home to the University of Portsmouth, and has a large multicultural student population. Portsmouth has a population of 200,000 people and is the most densely populated city in the UK, outside of certain parts of London. The entire Portsmouth Urban Area is home to more than 442,000 people.
Visitor information Visit Portsmouth website
Climate
Portsmouth has a mild oceanic climate, it sees more sunshine than much of the UK. Typical summer daytime maximums average around 22 °C (72 °F) and at night around 15 °C (59 °F). The temperatures can still exceed 24 °C (75 °F) and not go below 17 °C (63 °F) at night on particularly hot days. Daylight hours range from 5AM-9:15PM in the summer months, to 8AM-4PM in the winter months.
Getting there
By train 1 Portsmouth & Southsea station has National Rail trains run frequently from London Waterloo and take between 1 hr 30 min and 1 hr 40 min via Haslemere. Or about 2 hr 10 min via Winchester (you may arrive earlier by taking a later train via Haslemere than going via Winchester). A cheap day single is about £33. Other major services include Brighton (1 hr 40 min), Cardiff (3 hr 10 min) via Bath and Bristol; and Southampton (1 hour). There are also direct trains from Gatwick Airport (1 hr 20 min). Alight at Portsmouth & Southsea station for Portsmouth City Centre shopping, Portsmouth Guildhall and a short walk to the seafront. Alight at 2 Portsmouth Harbour station for the Historic Dockyard, Gunwharf Quays, the Spinnaker Tower and ferries to the Isle of Wight. Alight at 3 Fratton station for Fratton Park football stadium. 4 Hilsea station is in the northeast of the city. It serves the local industrial estates and most visitors would have no reason to alight here unless they are visiting Portsmouth Rugby Club. Some trains do not stop at this station. When departing by train those unfamiliar with the stations can easily miss them even when only a few feet away. Portsmouth Harbour is behind the bus station at The Hard. Portsmouth & Southsea is easily found at the bottom of Commercial Road if you look out for the railway bridge just south of the building. Fratton can be found to the east of the road bridge at the bottom of Fratton Road and north of the roundabout between Victoria Road North and Goldsmith Avenue. The less frequented Hilsea Station is underneath the road bridge at Norway Road and Cosham station is on the Cosham High Street.
By car Portsmouth is easily accessible by car via the M275 the M27 and A27. From London, take the A3 or M3 south. As Portsmouth is an island city, routes in and out are limited, and so congestion can be a problem, especially during rush hour. The large majority of residential roads have a 20 mph (~32 km/h) speed limit. Parking is plentiful on the street (about £1/hr) and in pay-and-display car parks. The city centre and Gunwharf Quays both have multi-storey car parks, and Southsea has on-street parking. Some roads have a time limit on parking for non-residents and these limits are enforceable 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Portsmouth has a Park & Ride scheme allowing parking for a reasonable cost and free bus travel to the city centre and The Hard. The buses run until the early or late evening depending on the day. There is no access for cars from the Park & Ride car parks into the city proper - only buses are pe
Getting around
By bus Several bus companies operate within Portsmouth and the surrounding areas: First Bus Solent and Stagecoach South A day travel ticket can be bought for £4.50 for First Bus only. It is also possible to travel between the harbour and the city centre using the train. It is a compact, flat city however, and nowhere is a very long walk. There are two local minicab companies - City Wide Taxis (more than 90 vehicles) and Aquacars (more than 700 vehicles) that can be prebooked and many actual taxis that can be flagged down in the street or found and taxi ranks scattered around the city.Uber operates in the city. At night, if you can find an elevated position you can navigate via the chain of blue lights along the seafront, to the south. Here are some of the local names for the areas which may be useful for people visiting
The Hard is the area around Portsmouth Historic Dockyard, Gunwharf Quays and Portsmouth Harbour Train and Bus Stations. Old Portsmouth/Sallyport/Spice Island, the area around the Anglican Cathedral Square and Round Tower, Camber Dock and along the sea walls. Southsea, the area next to the sea at the southern end of the island and it stretches further north to include Southsea Town Centre (Palmerston, Elm, Marmion and Albert Roads). Commercial Road, the city centre, and the main shopping and market street, home of Cascades shopping mall. Fratton, the area north of Southsea and east of Commercial Road (really useful only if you are attending a football match at Fratton Park or changing trains at Fratton Station)
See
1 Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. A major naval heritage site within an active Royal Navy base, featuring historic warships including HMS Victory and HMS Warrior. It also includes the National Museum of the Royal Navy and other museums, exhibitions and interactive attractions. Allow at least half a day to a full day depending on interest. 36 GBP or 51 GBP with Mary Rose. (updated Feb 2021) 2 Mary Rose Museum. Daily 10AM – 4:45PM. The Mary Rose Museum houses the remains of Henry VIII’s flagship, which sank in 1545 and was raised in 1982 after more than 400 years underwater. The museum is built around the preserved hull, displayed in a climate-controlled environment alongside thousands of Tudor artefacts recovered from the wreck. Timed entry is required, and advance booking is strongly recommended. 36 GBP or 51 GBP with Dockyards Museum. (updated Jun 2026) 3 Spinnaker Tower, Gunwharf Quays, ☏ +44 23 9285-7520. Daily 10AM-6PM (until 10PM Sa and every day during Jul and Aug). This striking and highly visible £21-million landmark tower rises some 170 m above the redeveloping harbour of Portsmouth, symbolising the wind filling a spinnaker sail. Visitors can use the tower to view from 3 levels: at 100 m, 105 m and 115 m. A high-speed internal lift takes you to the top. Adult £7, child £5.50, concessions £6.20. (updated Feb 2021)
4 Southsea Castle, Clarence Esplanade, PO5 3PA. Built in 1544, the castle was part of a series of fortifications constructed by Henry VIII around England's coasts to protect the country from invaders. Heavily modified due to being in use until the end of World War II. Contains a rather random selection of cannon that have ended up in the collection of Portsmouth city council over the years. (updated Feb 2021) Southsea Seafront. 4 mi (6.4 km) of seafront promenade backed by gorgeous green spaces and gardens. (updated Nov 2017) 5 Southsea model village, Lumps Fort, Eastney Esplanade, PO4 9RU (seafront), ☏ +44 7825 558231. 10:30AM-5PM. (updated Nov 2017) 6 Southsea Rose garden. Inside the 19th-century Lumps Fort. (updated Nov 2017) 7 Ernest Smith Clock Tower, 43C Castle Rd, Southsea, PO5 3AY. A beautiful clock tower over a barbers. (updated Oct 2021)
Churches 8 Portsmouth Cathedral (The Cathedral Church of St Thomas of Canterbury), High St, PO1 2HH, ☏ +44 23 9282-3300. A Romanesque Anglican cathedral in the old town. (updated Nov 2017) 9 St John's Catholic Cathedral, Bishop Crispian Way, PO1 3HQ, ☏ +44 23 9282-6170. A Catholic cathedral in the city centre. (updated Nov 2017) 10 Royal Garrison Church (Domus Dei (Hospital of Saint Nichol
Do
1 Southsea Common, Southsea, PO5 3AE, ☏ +44 23 9282-8112. Relax on the common with a picnic or barbecue. (updated Nov 2017) Follow the Renaissance Trail around the Millennium Promenade, a self-guided walk with information along the way -- look for the chain in the pavement. 2 Clarence Pier. A small fairground close to the Hoverport with rides and amusement arcades. (updated Nov 2017) 3 The Bandstand, Southsea, PO5 3NT. Listen to live music here every Sunday in the summer. (updated Nov 2017) 4 Portsmouth FC, Fratton Park, 44 Frogmore Rd PO4 8RA, ☏ +44 23 9273-1204. "Pompey" play soccer in the Championship, the second tier. The women's team were relegated in 2026 and play down in the amateur tiers. (updated Jun 2026) 5 Portsmouth Rugby Football Club, Norway Road, PO3 5EP, ☏ +44 23 9266-0610. (updated Oct 2018) Victorious Music Festival, Southsea Seafront (2020 venue), [email protected]. 28-30 August 2020. This annual music festival has been running since 2012 with big name acts such as Ray Davies headlining and up to 80,000 people attending.
Buy
1 Portsmouth City Centre (Commercial Road & Cascades). Usual high street names, but has Miss Selfridge, Topshop, H&M, New Look and Primark next to one another. (updated Nov 2017) 2 Gunwharf Quays. Outlet centre, with shops like M&S, Cadburys, Claire's, Gap. Some of the prices are cheaper than the high streets, but likewise some are similar or more expensive so shopping around is a good idea. (updated Nov 2017) 3 Southsea Town Centre. A variety of small specialist shops, boutiques, art shops, delis, home furnishings. Also Knight & Lee. (updated Nov 2017) 4 Albert Road. A good bet for smaller (independent) shops, second-hand goods and antiques. (updated Nov 2017)
Eat
Portsmouth has hundreds of restaurants catering to all tastes. Towards Fareham, the marina Port Solent offers a variety of restaurants in a pleasant environment with a multiplex movie theatre nearby, and ample (free) onsite parking.
Budget Throughout the town you find the known restaurants like Taco Bell, JD Wetherspoon and Greggs (bakery).
1 The Tenth Hole Tea Room, Eastern Parade (next to mini-golf course), ☏ +44 23 9281-7278. Great for light lunch but the highlight is the amazing home-made cakes. (updated Feb 2023) 2 Jenny's Restaurants, 4-6 Charlotte St. (updated Feb 2023) 3 Ocean Fresh Fish & Chips, 152B Kingston Rd. (updated Feb 2023) 4 Nut Cafe Restaurant, 81D London Rd. (updated Feb 2023) 5 North End Cafe, 106 London Rd. (updated Feb 2023) 6 Britannia Fish and Chips, 7 The Hard. (updated Feb 2023) 7 The Fratton, 25 -27 Fratton Rd. (updated Feb 2023)
Mid-range Best places for curry: Portsmouth offers a variety of Indian restaurants thanks to its prominent Asian community. The best places are Albert road where the curries are cheap as there is a restaurant literally every couple of shops, and Palmerston road which is more expensive.
8 abarbistro, 58 White Hart Rd, ☏ +44 23 9281-1585. Old Portsmouth. Modern European cuisine. Also great but you can drop a lot of money in this place, which has great service! (updated Feb 2023) 9 The Beach Club, Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, ☏ +44 23 9229-5004. A relatively new restaurant right on the pebbles, with the most amazing views of the Solent. Great for a cold glass of wine, stonebaked pizza and pasta. £15-25. (updated Feb 2023) 10 Panero Lounge, 36-38 Palmerston Rd. British fare £10-20. (updated Feb 2023) 11 Becketts Southsea, 11 Bellevue Terrace. British-inspired cuisine (updated Feb 2023)
Splurge 12 The Chambers, 27 Landport Terrace. (updated Feb 2023)
Drink & nightlife
Guildhall Walk and around the railway station has bars such as Walkabout, Yates and Wetherspoons, and clubs Route 66 and Babylon. The area is well-policed but keep your wits about you.
Southsea Albert Road is main drag, with student pubs, wine bars, cafe-bars and Indian restaurants.
1 Bold Forester, 177 Albert Rd, Southsea, PO4 0JW, ☏ +44 2392 838 743. Green King (updated Oct 2021) 2 Brewhouse & Kitchen, 51 Southsea Terrace, Southsea, PO5 3AU, ☏ +44 2392 818 979. 11AM-11PM. (updated Oct 2021) 3 The Deco, 128 Elm Grove, Southsea PO5 1LR. Friendly rock and alternative, sometimes metal bar. (updated Feb 2021) 4 Emporium Bar, 152-156 Elm Grove, Southsea, PO5 1LR, ☏ +44 2392 293 991. 11AM-. (updated Oct 2021) 5 Festing, 1A Festing Rd, Southsea, PO4 0NG, ☏ +44 2392 825 560. noon-11PM. Green King (updated Oct 2021) 6 Hole in the Wall, 36 Great Southsea St, Southsea PO5 3BY. Small pub with a traditional feel and real ales. (updated Feb 2021) 7 The Honest Politician, 47 Elm Grove, Southsea PO5 1JF. A pub with pool tables and a relaxed atmosphere, and always a rocking soundtrack. (updated Feb 2021) 8 The Kings, 39 Albert Rd, Southsea, PO5 2SE, ☏ +44 2392 820 557. 10AM-10PM. (updated Oct 2021) 9 The Phoenix, 13 Duncan Rd, Southsea, PO5 2QU, ☏ +44 2392 781 055. 10AM-midnight. (updated Oct 2021) 10 The Wine Vaults, 41-47 Albert Rd, Southsea PO5 2SF, ☏ +44 2392 864 712. noon-11PM. Good cask ales and great atmosphere, arrive early if you want a seat. (updated Feb 2021) Palmerston Road also has several and is more up-market with the establishments tables in the road:
11 Meat and Barrel, 110-114 Palmerston Rd, PO5 3PT, ☏ +44 2392 176 291. noon-10PM. Meat majors on burgers, wings and ribs. (updated Jun 2022) 12 Croxton's Kitchen & Tap House, 94-96 Palmerston Rd, PO5 3PT, ☏ +44 2392 816 641. T-Th Noon-10PM, F Sa noon-11PM, S noon-9PM (M closed). Interesting range of summery beer. Food includes: Bavett of beef, mussels. (updated Jun 2022) 13 The Jolly Sailor, 54 Clarence Parade, Southsea, Portsmouth, Southsea PO5 2EU, ☏ +44 2392 295 195. (updated Oct 2021) 14 The Lord Palmerston, 84-90 Palmerston Rd, Southsea, PO5 3PT, ☏ +44 2392 728 000. 8AM-midnight. Wetherspoons. (updated Oct 2021) 15 Shenanigans, 57 Osborne Rd, Southsea, PO5 3LS, ☏ +44 2392 293 756. Irish pub doing breakfast and occasional music. (updated Oct 2021) 16 The Southsea Village, 81 Palmerston Rd, Southsea, PO5 3PP. (updated Oct 2021)
Gunwharf Quays This area has over 20 bars and restaurants, many with waterfront views:
17 Ship Anson, 10 The Hard, Portsea, PO1 3DT. Green King overlooking the HMS
Sleep
Accommodation in Portsmouth can be browsed online via the official VisitPortsmouth website and the Visitor Info Centre can make bookings/check availability on your behalf: +44 23 9282-6722.
1 Bed and Breakfast at No3, 3 Bellevue Terrace, ☏ +44 23 9234-9929. Within walking distance of local attractions. (updated Feb 2021) 2 Duke of Buckingham, 119 High St, PO1 2HW, ☏ +44 2392 827 067. (updated Oct 2021) 3 Florence House Hotel and Somerset House Hotel, 2 Malvern Road, ☏ +44 23 9275-1666. The city's only boutique accommodation just back from the seafront, these upmarket hotels are in easy reach of everything. (updated Feb 2021) 4 Ibis Portsmouth Centre, Winston Churchill Avenue, ☏ +44 23 9264-0000. Also good, near the Portsmouth & Southsea train station. (updated Feb 2021) 5 Pembroke Park Hotel, 1 Bellevue Terrace, Southsea, ☏ +44 23 9229-6817. Minutes from the old town and the seafront. Portsmouth and Southsea are within easy walking distance. (updated Feb 2021) 6 Queen's Hotel, ☏ +44 23 9282-2466, [email protected]. A must for Mr. Bean fans - this was where the episode "Mr. Bean in Room 426" was set. (Whatever you do, don't eat tainted oysters or lock yourself out of your room!) (updated Feb 2021) 7 Spitbank Fort. The lighthouse has been refurbished and has accommodation. (updated Feb 2021) 8 Holiday Inn Express Portsmouth - Gunwharf Quays, The Plaza, Gunwharf Quays, ☏ +44 23 9289-4240. (updated Feb 2021) 9 Travelodge Portsmouth, Kingston Crescent, North End, ☏ +44 8719 846208 (high cost). The Portsmouth hotel is within easy reach of the Continental ferry port and the Isle of Wight ferry. Conveniently located very close to the centre of this historic naval city, with the thriving shopping and leisure centre and Gunwharf Quays all nearby. (updated Apr 2019) 10 Travelodge Portsmouth Hilsea, Copnor Road, Hilsea, ☏ +44 8715 591841 (high cost). The Portsmouth Hilsea hotel is a great base for fitness fanatics with Hillsea Lido, the rugby club and fitness centres within jogging distance. There's also a great running track along the water. (updated Apr 2019)
Go next
Gosport shares the harbour with Portsmouth and can be reached by a short ferry ride from Portsmouth Harbour station. Home of Explosion: Museum of Naval Firepower and the Royal Naval Submarine Museum. Winchester, the former English capital, is a beautiful city worth a visit. Excellent restaurants, interesting shops and the famous cathedral. Chichester housing a lovely city centre and impressive cathedral Emsworth is a small fishing town, a nice retreat year round. The food festival is in the first week of September. New Forest, on the other side of Southampton, is one of the nicest rural getaways in England. Southampton is the largest city in Hampshire and Westquay is the South's premier shopping centre. Isle of Wight is a genteel place reached by ferry, usually from Southampton. Brighton - One direct train per hour takes 80 minutes to this buzzy resort. Jersey and Guernsey in the Channel Islands are reached by ferry from Portsmouth.
Overview adapted from Wikipedia, travel guide fromWikivoyage (CC BY-SA)。Photography via Wikimedia Commons.