Portsmouth

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 sea water, 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 four miles 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.

See

• ⊙Portsmouth Historic Dockyard. Located in the naval base, the Historic Dockyard has a number of historic ships including the Mary Rose, HMS Victory and HMS Warrior. In the Historic Dockyard is also Royal Naval Museum and Action Stations - an interactive look at the navy of today. There is a great old pub outside of dockyard called the Ship Anson, worth a try. Portsmouth Visitor Information Centre can be found adjacent to the visitor entrance of the dockyard.  
• ⊙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.  
• ⊙Southsea Castle. 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.  
• Southsea Seafront. 4 miles of seafront promenade backed by gorgeous green spaces and gardens. (updated Nov 2017)
• ⊙Southsea model village, Lumps Fort, Eastney Esplanade, PO4 9RU (seafront), ☎ +44 7825 558231. 10:30AM-5:00PM. (updated Nov 2017)
• ⊙Southsea Rose garden. Inside the 19th-century Lumps Fort.

Churches

• ⊙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)
• ⊙St John's Catholic Cathedral, Bishop Crispian Way, PO1 3HQ, ☎ +44 23 9282 6170. A Catholic cathedral in the city centre. (updated Nov 2017)
• ⊙Royal Garrison Church (Domus Dei (Hospital of Saint Nicholas and Saint John the Baptist)), PO1 2NJ, ☎ +44 23 9237 8291. Tu-Sa 11AM-4PM. A partly roofless English Heritage property. Only occasionally open to the public. (updated Nov 2017)

Museums

• ⊙Royal Marines Museum, Southsea, ☎ +44 23 9281 9385. Daily 10AM-5PM (except Dec 24-26). Covers the history of the Royal Marines. The museum is in what was one of the most stately Officers' Messes in England, built in the 1860s with beautiful ceilings, huge paintings and a grand staircase. Adult £9.  
• ⊙D-Day Museum. Daily (except 24-26 Dec) Apr-Oct 10AM-5:30PM; Nov-Mar 10AM-5PM.  
• ⊙Blue Reef Aquarium, Clarence Esplanade, Southsea, ☎ +44 23 9287 5222. Daily except 25 Dec 10AM-6PM (Nov-Mar until 5PM). Take an undersea safari at the aquarium on the seafront. Adult £9.75.  
• ⊙Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum, 393 Old Commercial Rd. Daily from mid Apr-Dec 10AM-5:30PM. The famous writer Charles Dickens was born in this modest house in 1812.  
• ⊙Cumberland House Natural History Museum, Eastern Parade, PO4 9RF, ☎ +44 23 9281 5276. Tu-Sa 10AM-5PM. A fairly limited collection. Free. (updated Nov 2017)
• ⊙City Museum & Records Office, Museum Rd, PO1 2LJ. Home of the Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes exhibition "A Study in Sherlock".  

Eat

Portsmouth has hundreds of restaurants catering to all tastes.

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.