Portsmouth

Where to base yourself in Portsmouth depends largely on which side of the city's dual character appeals most. Staying around Gunwharf Quays or the harbour puts the Spinnaker Tower, outlet shopping and the Historic Dockyard within a short walk, and suits anyone who wants to drop their bags and start sightseeing straight away; it is also the easiest area for arriving by train, since Portsmouth Harbour station sits right on the waterfront. Old Portsmouth, just around the corner, offers a quieter and more characterful alternative in a handful of smaller guest houses set among the cobbled streets near the cathedral and Camber Dock, ideal for a couple wanting atmosphere over amenities.

Southsea, a short walk or a few minutes by bus from the centre, spreads a wider choice of hotels and guest houses along its seafront and side streets, from grand Victorian buildings facing the Solent to smaller family-run guest houses inland towards Albert Road. It suits visitors who want beach access, a slightly slower pace in the evenings, and a wider range of independent restaurants and pubs within walking distance. For those arriving by car or attending business at the naval base or nearby commercial parks, the North Harbour and motorway-side hotels near the M27 offer more generous parking and easier access out of the city, at the cost of needing a short drive or bus journey into the historic centre. Prices in Portsmouth are generally more moderate than nearby coastal towns further along the Solent, though they rise noticeably on Historic Dockyard peak weekends, during major cruise ship turnarounds, and around summer events such as Victorious Festival on Southsea Common.

Portsmouth's compact size means most of its best-known attractions can be covered on foot or via the free dockyard shuttle bus, with plenty to fill several days.

• Portsmouth Historic Dockyard brings together HMS Victory, the Mary Rose Museum and HMS Warrior 1860 on one ticketed site, alongside the National Museum of the Royal Navy and harbour boat tours.
• Spinnaker Tower offers 350-degree views across the Solent, Portsmouth Harbour and out towards the Isle of Wight from its viewing decks, including a glass floor for those with a head for heights.
• Southsea seafront and Southsea Castle combine a long shingle beach, promenade gardens and a Tudor artillery fort built by Henry VIII to defend the Solent approaches.
• The D-Day Story museum, close to Southsea seafront, tells the story of the D-Day landings through the Overlord Embroidery and the last surviving landing craft tank.
• Gunwharf Quays pairs a working marina with a large outlet shopping centre, cinema, bars and restaurants, and sits directly beneath the Spinnaker Tower.
• Charles Dickens' Birthplace Museum preserves the modest Georgian terraced house where the novelist was born in 1812, furnished in period style with some of his personal effects.
• Portsmouth Cathedral, in Old Portsmouth, blends a medieval chancel with a much later nave and tower, and is worth combining with a wander around the surrounding cobbled streets and the Camber Dock.
• A harbour or Isle of Wight ferry trip gives a different perspective on the naval base and dockyard, with regular sailings across the Solent to Ryde and Fishbourne.

As a port city, Portsmouth has a strong tradition of fresh fish and seafood, with catches landed at the Camber Dock finding their way onto menus around Old Portsmouth and Southsea. The city's pubs are a major draw in their own right: the Spice Island quarter near the Camber Dock takes its name from the spice ships that once unloaded there and is now home to a cluster of harbourside pubs with views across to Gosport, while the Still & West and the Round Tower area offer some of the best vantage points to watch ferries and warships pass. Southsea has developed a livelier independent food scene in recent years, with Albert Road and Elm Grove home to small bakeries, coffee roasters and restaurants alongside longer-standing pubs. Portsmouth's markets and food stalls at Gunwharf Quays and around the Guildhall add another layer, particularly during seasonal food festivals, and the city's naval heritage means a proper pint and a plate of fish and chips by the harbour remains one of the simplest and most satisfying ways to end a day of sightseeing.

Portsmouth itself is almost entirely built up, being packed onto a small island, so there is no camping within the city proper; the nearest genuine sites lie a short drive away across flatter, low-lying coastal and farmland terrain around Hayling Island and Fareham, both within about ten miles. This part of Hampshire is gentle and largely flat, with a mix of arable farmland, tidal creeks and shingle coastline rather than dramatic scenery, which makes for easy cycling and walking between pitches and the coast rather than challenging terrain.

Wild camping is not legally permitted anywhere in Hampshire without landowner consent, so anyone wanting to camp near Portsmouth needs to book into one of the established touring parks or campsites in the surrounding area rather than pitching informally on the coast or in the New Forest to the west. The coastal position means weather can turn breezy without much warning, particularly on exposed sites near Hayling Island, so a sturdy tent or well-anchored awning is worth having even in summer. The most reliable camping months run from April through to September, when local sites are open and daytime temperatures make the beaches and creek-side walks genuinely pleasant; several of the touring parks close or reduce facilities over winter, so it is worth checking opening dates before planning a visit outside the main season.