Portsmouth

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.

By train

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 for the Historic Dockyard, Gunwharf Quays, the Spinnaker Tower and ferries to the Isle of Wight.
Alight at Fratton station for Fratton Park football stadium.
is situated in the north east of the city - it's sited to serve 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 via 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 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 permitted to leave the car parks in this direction - this is to avoid residential roads being used as rat runs by cars entering the city.
If you stroll a little away from the city centre and tourist hot spots (sometimes just around the corner in Southsea), parking can be found for free or in time-limited bays.
Motorcycles can park without a residents permit and within the marked bays. Gunwharf Quays also has a dedicated motorcycle bay in the underground car park.
If you're visiting the university, you can obtain day car passes from University House. However, the car parks are very busy during term-time.

By bus

Local bus routes stretch as far afield as Havant and Southampton. Day passes can be bought for £3.70 which allow unlimited travel in the Portsmouth City area or £4.80 for the whole of Hampshire.
National Express travels into the Hard (few hundred yards from harbour and historic dockyard) with links to many of the country's major cities.

By boat

Since Portsmouth is the 'Waterfront City', there are numerous options for arriving by boat from near and far.

From France

There are ferry services from four ports in Normandy and Brittany.

• Caen

• Brittany Ferries, up to 3 a day, 5 hr 45 min

Cherbourg

• Condor Ferries, 1 Sunday service, 5 hr
• Brittany Ferries, 1 a day, 3-hr fast service

Le Havre

• Brittany Ferries 1 a day, 8 hr 15min overnight

Saint-Malo

• Brittany Ferries, up to 2 a day, 9 hr overnight or in the daytime

From Spain

There are services from two ports in northern Spain (the Basque Country and Cantabria.

• Bilbao

• Brittany Ferries, 'cruise style' 2 a week (W: 24 hr, and Su: 32 hr), 'économie' 1 a week (Tu: 28 hr).

Santander

• Brittany Ferries, 3 a week (Tu F Su: 24 hr).

From the Channel Islands

There are services from the Channel Islands of Jersey and Guernsey.

• Guernsey

• Condor Ferries, 1 a day, 6hr 30min

Jersey

• Condor Ferries, 1 a day, 10hr 30min

Local services

From the Isle of Wight

The Isle of Wight is under 60 min by ferry or 10 min by hovercraft.

• Fishbourne

• Wightlink, ever 30 mins, journey time 35 mins

Ryde

• Wightlink, every 30 mins, journey time 15 min
• Hovertravel, every 30 mins, journey time 15 min.

From Gosport

The Gosport Ferry runs every 7 min at peak times and every 15 min at other times until midnight for £3.30 return.

From Hayling Island

The Hayling Ferry is a foot and cyclist ferry from Ferry Point on Hayling Island to Eastney that typically runs hourly for £5.50 return.

By plane

The nearest airport is Southampton Airport (SOU), around 20 mi (32 km) from Portsmouth in Eastleigh. Over 47 European and domestic destinations are served from here. From the airport it is simple to get to Portsmouth by train, traveling from Southampton Airport Parkway and changing at either Southampton Central or Eastleigh.

By bus

Several bus companies operate within Portsmouth and the surrounding areas: Firstgroup and Stagecoach
A day travel ticket can be bought for £4.50 for FirstBus 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 (90+ vehicles) and Aquacars (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 sea-front, 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)

• Portsmouth Historic DockyardLocated 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

  phone: +44 23 9285 7520
  address: Gunwharf Quays
  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.

• Southsea CastleBuilt 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 Seafront4 miles of seafront promenade backed by gorgeous green spaces and gardens.

• Southsea model village

  phone: +44 7825 558231
  address: Lumps Fort, Eastney Esplanade, PO4 9RU

• Southsea Rose gardenInside the 19th-century Lumps Fort.

Churches

• Portsmouth Cathedral

  phone: +44 23 9282 3300
  address: High St, PO1 2HH
  A Romanesque Anglican cathedral in the old town.

• St John's Catholic Cathedral

  phone: +44 23 9282 6170
  address: Bishop Crispian Way, PO1 3HQ
  A Catholic cathedral in the city centre.

• Royal Garrison Church

  phone: +44 23 9237 8291
  address: PO1 2NJ
  A partly roofless English Heritage property. Only occasionally open to the public.

Museums

• Royal Marines Museum

  phone: +44 23 9281 9385
  address: Southsea
  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.

• D-Day Museum

• Blue Reef Aquarium

  phone: +44 23 9287 5222
  address: Clarence Esplanade, Southsea
  Take an undersea safari at the aquarium on the seafront.

• Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum

  address: 393 Old Commercial Rd
  The famous writer Charles Dickens was born in this modest house in 1812.

• Cumberland House Natural History Museum

  phone: +44 23 9281 5276
  address: Eastern Parade, PO4 9RF
  A fairly limited collection.

• City Museum & Records Office

  address: Museum Rd, PO1 2LJ
  Home of the Arthur Conan Doyle and Sherlock Holmes exhibition "A Study in Sherlock".

Further afield

• Portchester Castle

  phone: +44 23 9237 8291
  address: Church Road, Portchester, PO16 9QW
  About 5 miles from Portsmouth is one of the best preserved Roman fortifications in Northern Europe. The castle's keep was built in Norman times (largely from recycled Roman brick) and extensive late Roman structures remain although ruinous. The castle is well sign posted, and served by regular buses, Portchester rail station is a 10-min walk north.

• Portsdown HillOffers amazing views across Portsmouth and the South Downs. Just to the rear (north) of Portsmouth, it is a world away with countryside walks and traditional pubs.

• The Royal Armouries at Fort NelsonSits just on Portsdown Hill and is free of charge to visit.

• Southsea Common

  phone: +44 23 9282 8112
  address: Southsea, PO5 3AE
  Relax on the common with a picnic or barbecue. See this guide for where they are permitted.
• Follow the Renaissance Trail around the Millennium Promenade, a self-guided walk with information along the way look for the chain in the pavement.

• Clarence PierA small fairground close to the Hoverport with rides and amusement arcades.

• The Bandstand

  address: Southsea, PO5 3NT
  Listen to live music here every Sunday in the summer.

• Portsmouth FC

  address: Fratton Park, Frogmore Rd, PO4 8RA
  Portsmouth FC play soccer in League 1, the third tier of English football.

• Portsmouth Rugby Football Club

  phone: +44 23 9266 0610
  address: Norway Road, PO3 5EP
• The annual Victorious Music Festival has been running since 2012 with big name acts such as Ray Davies headlining and up to 80,000 people attending.

If you like a bit of nightlife, there are four parts of town you should visit;

• Gunwharf Quays is a great place to eat and drink (over 20 bars & restaurants, many with waterfront views) but can be a little pricey
• Albert Road has a fair few student pubs, wine bars and cafe-bars, not to mention the numerous Indian restaurants.
• The lesser-known but nicer area of Southsea is Palmerston Road - some bars and good restaurants.
• Guildhall Walk, where you will find bars such as Walkabout, Yates and Wetherspoons, and clubs Route 66 and Babylon. Strictly for 18-30s.
• Liquid & Envy is also close to the Guildhall (just across from Portsmouth & Southsea station).

The University of Portsmouth is a modern university with a population of about 20,000 students. Portsmouth is also home to Highbury College .

• Portsmouth City CentreUsual high street names, but has Miss Selfridge, Topshop, H&M, New Look and Primark next to one another.

• Gunwharf QuaysOutlet 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.

• Southsea Town CentreA variety of small specialist shops, boutiques, art shops, delis, home furnishings. Also Debenhams and Knight & Lee.

• Albert RoadA good bet for smaller (independent) shops, second-hand goods and antiques.

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.

• The American Bar

  phone: +44 23 9281 1585
  address: 58 White Hart Rd
  Old Portsmouth. Modern European cuisine. Also great but you can drop a lot of money in this place, which has great service!

• Bangkok

  phone: +44 23 9242 9922
  address: 64 Albert Road
  A nice Thai place where you can take your own drink.
• Mozzarella Joes, 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.

• Regal House

  phone: +44 23 9282 8382
  address: 88 Albert Road
  Chinese takeaway.

• Rosie's Vineyard

  phone: +44 23 9275 5944
  address: 87 Elm Grove, Southsea
  French/modern European. Wonderful wine selection food and atmosphere.

• Sur La Mer

  phone: +44 23 9287 6678
  address: 69 Palmerston Road
  French.

• Strada

  phone: +44 23 9281 7278
  address: Gunwharf Quays
  Italian.
• The Tenth Hole Tea Room, (next to mini-golf course), +44 23 9283 0009. Great for light lunch but the highlight is the amazing home-made cakes.

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.

• The Bombay Brasserrie

  phone: +44 23 9282 1661
  address: Albert Road
  Very popular curry house that offers very good value for money and that lets you bring your own drinks. Arrive early.

Best Indian takeaway:

• The Indian Ocean Takeaway

  phone: +44 23 9282 4720
  address: 234 Fratton Road
  Probably the longest serving curry outlet in Portsmouth, established in the early 1980s by the current owner/chef. The quality of the food is of the highest quality and their curries are also priced very reasonably.

As to be expected from an historic port town, and a current university city, there is an abundance of drinking establishments in Portsmouth, from traditional pubs to chic and trendy waterfront bars. The bars and clubs along Guildhall Walk are a popular spot but despite heavy police presence, a certain degree of vigilance is advised to ensure you have a fun and safe night out.

Southsea

• The Fat Fox, Albert Road. nice relaxed atmosphere, beer garden, traditional English pub menu.
• The Wine Vaults, Albert Road. Good cask ales and great atmosphere arrive early if you want a seat.
• Hole in the Wall, on or near Castle Road, off Elm Grove. Small pub with a 'traditional' feel, and real ales.
• Slug & Lettuce. Friendly and well priced contemporary bar on Palmerston Road.
• The Honest Politician, Elm Grove. A pub with pool tables and a relaxed atmosphere, and always a rocking soundtrack.
• The White Horse A pub with a relaxed atmosphere along Southsea Terrace.
• The Registry. A student pub near the Student Union with fairly cheap beer and food. Not a place for a quiet drink.
• The Deco. Friendly rock and alternative, sometimes metal bar.

Gunwharf Quays

• The Old Customs House

  phone: +44 23 9283 2333
  address: Vernon Buildings, PO1 3TY
  A traditional pub in a historic building, within a modern setting. Great ales and food.

• Tiger Tiger

  phone: +44 23 9288 2244
  address: Gunwharf Rd, PO1 3TP
  A place for a big night out - with 8 different bars, a club and restaurant in the same building!

Old Portsmouth

• The Still & West

  phone: +44 23 9282 1567
  address: 2 Bath Square, PO1 2JL
  A pub with a good view of harbour entrance and restaurant upstairs.

• Spice Island Inn

  phone: +44 23 9287 0543
  address: 1 Bath Square, PO1 2JL
  Also has amazing views of the harbour in action and a good restaurant.

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.

• Bed and Breakfast at No3

  phone: +44 23 9234 9929
  address: 3 Bellevue Terrace
  Within walking distance of local attractions.

• Florence House Hotel and Somerset House Hotel

  phone: +44 23 9275 1666
  address: 2 Malvern Road
  The city's only boutique accommodation just back from the seafront, these upmarket hotels are in easy reach of everything.

• Ibis Portsmouth Centre

  phone: +44 23 9264 0000
  address: Winston Churchill Avenue
  Also good, near the Portsmouth & Southsea train station.

• Pembroke Park Hotel

  phone: +44 23 9229 6817
  address: 1 Bellevue Terrace, Southsea
  Minutes from the old town and the seafront. Portsmouth and Southsea are within easy walking distance.

• Queen's Hotel

  phone: +44 23 9282 2466
  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!)

• Sandringham Hotel

  phone: +44 23 9287 6156
  With views over the seafront common the excellent location offers great views at cheap rates. If you're on a budget and need a clean and comfortable room, look no further.

• Southsea Backpackers

  phone: +44 23 9283 2495
  address: 4 Florence Rd
  In Southsea. Not easy to get to but is cheap and friendly.

• Spitbank FortThe lighthouse has been refurbished and has accommodation.

• Holiday Inn Express Portsmouth - Gunwharf Quays

  phone: +44 23 9289 4240
  address: The Plaza, Gunwharf Quays

• Westfield Hall Hotel

  phone: +44 23 9282 6971
  address: 65 Festing Rd, Southsea
  Privately owned, it has been stylishly redesigned to ensure comfort and enjoyment. It aims to be the best 3 star hotel in Portsmouth, offering warm hospitality, fine food and accommodation at prices that represent value for money.

• Travelodge Portsmouth

  phone: 0871 984 6208 (high cost)
  address: Kingston Crescent, North End
  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.

• Travelodge Portsmouth Hilsea

  phone: 0871 559 1841 (high cost)
  address: Copnor Road, Hilsea
  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.

As with most other large English cities, there can be a problem with violence around the city centre at weekends, around pub and club closing times (around 11PM and 2AM), but with a little common sense, the risk is minor.
The main place to avoid is Somerstown, the highrise council estate near the city centre, especially after dark. Buckland situated to the north of the city centre should also be avoided at night.
Nothing should be left on display in vehicles and it's sensible to park your car in a Park Marque scheme facility (ask at the Visitor Info Centre +44 23 9282 6722).
Due to football rivalry, wearing a Southampton football top may cause some problems in the city. In fact, anything with red and white vertical stripes (Southampton's colours) is probably a bad idea.

• Gosport shares the harbour with Portsmouth and can be reached by a short ferry ride from by 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 this small fishing town is a nice retreat year round, but the food festival in the first week of September is a real treat, not to be missed if you are in the area.
• 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 West Quay is the South's premier shopping centre.
• Isle of Wight
• Brighton - One direct train per hour takes 80 minutes to this buzzy resort.