How to get there
There are 250 trains going from London to Portsmouth everyday. Tickets can cost under £10.00 and it takes approximately 2.5 hours to go one way (or 1.5 hours if you are on a fast train).
Direct coach from London to Portsmouth takes about 2 hours and tickets for this cost around £5.00.
And of course, you can do a fan road trip of this. To get to Portsmouth from London, you will need to join the A3 which will take you straight to the city.
What's special about Portsmouth?
Portsmouth is one of the best known port cities in the world. It lies in the South-East of the country. Portsmouth has a strong history linked to the Royal Navy and Tudor times. The historic dockyards in the city is home to the National Museum of the Royal Navy, HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and the Tudor Ship Mary Rose. Portsmouth also boasts a shingle beach that stretches all the way from the southern end of Portsea Island to Eastney, which is one of the most popular places to visit in the city.
Things to do
There are lots to see and do in Portsmouth. A day is not long enough time to see everything that the city has to offer but for the day trip, here are my recommendations:
Gunwharf Quays
I'm sure you aren't thinking about Portsmouth as a hotspot for shopping but Gunwharf Quays is a great place to visit as you can get something to eat while looking out onto the harbour. The site of Gunwharf Quays used to be known as HMS Vernon when it was taken over by the Royal Navy in 1923 and was used as a Navy base until 1986. Gunwharf Quays is a large shopping centre which houses over 90 branded outlet stores.
Lipstick Building
As you take a stroll along the streets of Portsmouth, you may come across the Lipstick, named so cause of its slanted rooftop resembling a lipstick. The renovation of this building was completed in 2008 and it is home to a number of swanky apartments. Of course, you won't be able to look into people's homes (because that is weird) but you can marvel at this piece of architecture.
The Spinnaker
On first glance, you can easily forget you're in England and think you have somehow travelled to Dubai and are standing in front of Burj Al Arab. The Spinnaker is an observation tower; you can get a panoramic view of the city for up to 23 miles, giving you a good view of Isle of Wight.
Portsmouth Historic Dockyard
The historic dockyard of Portsmouth is a must see. It is home to HMS Warrior, HMS Victory and the Mary Rose. You can walk around the dockyard for free but if you want to look inside one of the old ships, you will need to purchase a tickets. Tickets are valid for a year so there is no rush to see it all in one day.
Point Battery
You can still find the old barracks in the city. This was once home to the Royal Artillery whose role was to protect the city. You can walk about here and feel like you have travelled through time.
Southsea Beach
Southsea Beach stretches from Portsea Island to Eastney. It's a shingle beach. You can look out onto the ocean and look at the ships coming in. You can also see the Isle of Wight which is about 45 minutes away from the city via ferry. You can just sit back and unwind from the stress of life.
South Parade Pier
Where there is a beach, there is a pier. Where there is a pier, there is some fun to be had. If you are on Southsea beach, be sure to take yourself to the pier and enjoy playing some arcade games and winning some prizes.
Spice Island Inn
The Spice Island Inn is a pub to visit if you enjoy a little bit of history. The pub has been aptly named as it was the first place where spices from Jamaica landed. People now come here to enjoy a nice meal with a drink.
Model Village
The Southsea Model Village is one to see. It was built in 1956 and features forty miniature buildings, houses, forts, castles and a railway. You will no doubt feel like a giant here.
Five fun facts about Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the only island-city in the UK with the narrow Portsea creek separating it from the mainland.
Portsmouth is the birthplace for English author, Charles Dickens.
Portsmouth is the only UK city which has a greater population density than London. More than 200,000 live in the 15.54 square mile city.
Dating back to 1360, the city features on the oldest surviving map of Great Britain, The Gough Map. Back then, it was called 'Portis Mouth'.
Portsmouth is nicknamed 'Pompey'. While there are many theories behind how this name came about, many believe that it is due to ships entering the harbour and an entry to 'Pom P.' i.e Portsmouth Point.
Comentários