Things to Do in Portsmouth (Hampshire, England)

Portsmouth has been recognized as the hub where the ships assemble before the start of a campaign by the sea. Portsmouth has all the features to be a Naval base, primarily because of the location. The small island called the Isle of Wight, located just across the Solent strait gives stable protection to this port. The importance of this place can be more dignified if I say the fact that this place is the home for 2/3rd of the Royal Navy’s modern surface fleet. Without further due, let’s look at the best things to do in Portsmouth.

This place is filled with full of forts, ships and Naval museums, making it an absolute must-visit for the people who are into Military history. The famous dockyard where Lord Nelson was killed at the Battle of Trafalgar, HMS Victory can be seen. In addition to this, you can also witness the wreck of Mary Rose in 16th-century to be carefully preserved.

Top 6 things to do in Portsmouth

• Mary Rose Museum
• Historic Dockyard
• Spinnaker Tower
• D-Day Museum
• Portsdown Hill
• Fort Nelson

1. Mary Rose Museum

This museum is easily one of the best things to do in Portsmouth. Mary Rose was a huge ocean sailing ship which was used by Henry VIII. This is said to have sunk during the battle of Solent during the 16th century. Around 350 soldiers died and this was not identified till 1971. It was lifted above the water in 1982 and is now kept in the New Museum Building. You can still see the ancient artefacts made of timber that are well preserved till date.

In addition to this, people can also witness the old iron and bronze guns used by the soldiers and also surgical instruments that were used by the medic in the event of any injuries. Few gold coins, leather shoes and belts. You can also get to know how this was brought and conserved before kept for the display.

Also read: London’s Best Museums: Museums in London, England

2. Historic Dockyard

People can understand the expertise of British in the Sea mode of Warfare with the likes of famous ships in the countries history. Starting from HMS Victory, HMS M33 and also the huge HMS Warrior and few other small ships that took part in the Gallipoli Battle. The Naval base that is open to public access was a contribution to improve the trade by the British Royal Navy.

Nearby this famous attraction, there are two other exciting museums, namely the Royal Navy Submarine Museum and the Explosion Museum of Naval Warfare. HMS Alliance is another famous museum ship in this place which is very famous. This can be reached by taking a free waterbus.

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3. Spinnaker Tower

The Spinnaker tower was established as a structure to showcase the role of the Portsmouth in the countries history. This was constructed by one of the renowned firms firm called HGP Architects. This peaks at a height of 170 metres with 3 different observation decks. Of the three decks, the Skywalk at a height of 100m is the most famous one among the visitors. Because this is people get awestruck by the transparent floor beneath.

The top observation deck gives you a panoramic view of the beautiful Gunwharf Quays as far as 23 miles. The structure is constructed in the shape of a Spinnaker, a 3 cornered sail used on the ships to trap wind for navigation. The spinnaker tower is one of the things to do in Portsmouth for sure if you are travelling with kids.

4. D-Day Museum

Though you have a lot of museums to visit in this place, there is some uniqueness about this. This is solely dedicated to the very important event of Allies invading the Normandy during the second world war. In the centre of the museum, you can see a giant handwoven piece of cloth which is 83m, called Overlord Embroidery. In fact, you can also get to see some of the real footages from that age. The list of best things to do in Portsmouth won’t be complete without the D-Day museum.

More like the Mary Rose museum, even here you can find the ancient things used by the people back then and some war vehicles including tanks are found. people can actually feel the expertise by looking at the pipelines laid to feed the incoming vehicles with fuel during the wartime. This is more like a pitstop for ships during the war.

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5. Portsdown Hill

For all of you who are done with the war museums and the history of the nation, it’s time to enjoy some bit of raw beauty of the nature on the Portsdown Hill. This is not technically a hill but an enormous ridge of height up to 131 metres. The slope acts as an ideal observation spot in the city. You can get some mind-blowing views of the Solent strait and the Isle of Wight.

Again due to the geographical location of this attraction this is also a home for a few famous forts which includes the famous Nelson Fort. Bird lovers can have a wonderful time witnessing some of the rare species of birds that include Kestrels and peregrine falcons, even Whitethroats at special seasons. The complete landscape is covered with wildflowers which make it look vibrant. Visiting the Portsdown Hill is one of the relaxing things to do in Portsmouth.

6. Fort Nelson

When the French land was ruled by Napoleon III, an invasion took place along the south coast of Portsmouth as it is completely open to the French. Fort Nelson is one of the forts that were built by Frech during the time of Invasion i.e the 1860s. This famous historic structure has six sides and is surrounded by a typical ditch that you can see on almost all the forts out here.

The fort was found to be in a very poor stage in the 1970s. But soon after people understood the value of utility, this now acts as a gallery that features Royal Armouries. You could really see what gunpowder was back in that time. In fact, there are few underground passages connecting to the underground weapon storage. Not to miss the 60Kg Granite ball which used in ancient cannons.

This should have given you some bit of clarity on things to do in Portsmouth. This is a city which has a rich heritage and would surely give you the Royal feel. Want to customise your next UK vacation? Pickyourtrail believes tailoring the vacation plans according to your needs to make your vacation truly unforgettable. Check out our guides page for more info on the destination or leave a Whatsapp inquiry for more options.