Travel Guide to Portsmouth, Great Britain

Portsmouth is located on the shore of the Solent Strait. This is a major port city and a naval base of Britain. The city is quite interesting for travelers because it, like many old English towns, has really wide choice of notable places.

Start exploring the city from visiting Spinnaker Tower built in the shape of a sail. At the top of the tower there is a large observation platform from which travellers will enjoy panoramic of Portsmouth in details. The majority of the city’s attractions and excursions are related to marine issues. You can examine models of ancient ships and even go inside the submarine if you visit Gosport Submarine Museum.

The yard region, which is located near the Spinnaker Tower, features many interesting things. Here is anchored a beautiful ship named Mary Rose, which was built in the mid-16th century. During one of its battles with the French fleet, the ship sank. Later it was discovered by archaeologists and brought to the surface. This is one of the most significant findings of the last century. Another historical monument is the HMS Victory ship, which participated in the battle with the Napoleon’s flotilla. HMS Warrior 1860 is the largest ship. This was the first model, which body was entirely made of iron.

After visiting all models you can visit one of the local shops that offer large selection of souvenirs and miniature models of ships. Souvenir shops will become a true finding for fans and collectors of marine theme items.

Another attraction is Portsmouth's house where lived the famous writer Charles Dickens. It was converted into a museum, which still keeps the decoration from the times when Dickens has lived here. The museum also has numerous manuscripts and a large library.