The city has much to offer in terms of entertainment and culture, including bars, clubs, theatres and museums. Seafront attractions include miles of green parkland, a funfair and a boating lake. During the summer you can enjoy festivals and live music.
Gunwharf Quays is the city’s landmark waterfront development and boasts designer outlet stores as well as bars, restaurants and a cinema. Southsea’s Palmerston Road has a wide range of shops, including independent outlets and high street names.
Big name bands and other touring attractions play at the Guildhall and you can enjoy independent acts and comedy at Southsea’s Wedgewood Rooms. Gunwharf Quays is a popular spot for nightlife and it’s great fun exploring Southsea’s Albert Road and Palmerston Road areas for trendy bars, clubs and restaurants.
Portsmouth is the current headquarters of the British Navy and the Historic Dockyard includes Admiral Nelson’s famous warship HMS Victory. For a stunning view of the harbour you can ascend the 170-metre high Emirates Spinnaker Tower or you could visit the birthplace of novelist Charles Dickens.
The seafront promenade is perfect for walking, jogging or running, the Mountbatten Centre has an Olympic-sized pool, health suite, gym and athletics track, there are many cycle-paths as well as a whole host of watersports available.
The Isle of Wight, once the holiday playground of Queen Victoria, is easily reached by hovercraft or ferry, where historic towns, picture-postcard villages and beautiful countryside are plentiful.
Trains take just 1hr and 30mins from London (Waterloo) and convenient airports are Southampton, London Gatwick and London Heathrow.
