An Amazing Weekend Break in Portsmouth: Here's Your Itinerary

The lucky setting of Portsmouth on a vast natural harbour with access to the English Channel has made the city a vital player in England’s maritime history; the first docks were built here in medieval times, it was an embarkation point for the D-Day Landings and it’s still a major naval base. Undoubtedly its biggest attractions are the wonderfully immersive floating museums along the teeming waterfront. But Portsmouth is no one-trick pony; it’s fabulously family friendly, with a sandy beach, kid-centric attractions and plenty of eateries to keep smaller appetites topped up. You can nip across to the Isle of Wight on the ferry, and of course, no weekend break in Portsmouth is complete without a trip up the iconic Spinnaker Tower. To help you make the most of your time, here’s an itinerary picking out the essential things to do in the city.

Get your Portsmouth weekend break off to the best start by booking comfortable family-friendly lodgings in the city centre. You could also stay in nearby Southampton – it’s only about half an hour’s drive north of Portsmouth and you can spend Friday evening exploring the buzzing waterfront.

First things first! Entered through the Gunwharf Quays complex, Portsmouth’s world-famous Spinnaker Tower is a stunning and elegant waterfront landmark. Paying tribute to the city’s maritime heritage, the tower’s sinuous metal arcs mimic the shape of a billowing spinnaker sail on the front of a yacht, and at 170 metres high, the three observation platforms offer stunning wraparound views of the city, its coastline and the bustle of ships and boats in the harbour. You’ll definitely need a head for heights if you abseil down the tower or brave the glass floors of the Sky Walk on View Deck One – if needs be, you can grab a restorative high-rise afternoon tea in the aptly named Clouds café.

• Gunwharf Quays, PO1 3TT
• Open daily 10am–6pm (last admission 5.30pm)
• Adult tickets start at £18.95 (€22)
• Walkable from anywhere in the city centre
  

If you’re looking for a spot of discounted retail therapy, this ma–hoosive waterfront shopping mall is your best bet on a Portsmouth weekend break. You can sometimes bag reductions of up to 60% in the high-end shops and department stores, and you’ll certainly find something that appeals for a quick lunch among the food court’s pizzerias, burger bars and Asian cafés.

• Gunwharf Quays, PO1 3TZ
• Open Mon–Fri 10am–7pm, Sat 9am–8pm, Sun 10am–6pm
• In the same complex as the Spinnaker Tower

The maritime heritage that garnered wealth and prestige for Portsmouth comes roaring back to life at this extraordinary bucket-list complex. It’s not every day you get the chance to climb aboard world-famous vessels including HMS Victory, Nelson’s flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar; the steam-powered, iron-clad Victorian battleship HMS Warrior; and the submarine HMS Alliance, which served time in World War II. And that’s just for starters!

Best kept to last is the pièce de résistance in this outstanding museum full of maritime treasures. The Tudor warship Mary Rose was commissioned by King Henry VIII and sank outside Portsmouth Harbour during a naval battle in 1545. She then lay in her watery grave until 1982, when she was raised for conservation – a process that took more than 30 years. Today you can see her painstakingly reconstructed wooden hull in its final resting place, watch immersive 4D films to relive her final moments or snorkel over her wreck, and admire the fascinating haul of Tudor ephemera – from brass canons to manicure sets – retrieved from the wreck.

• Victory Gate, HM Naval Base, PO1 3LJ
• Open daily 10am–5pm
• Adult tickets start at £36 (€43); it is £51 (€61) to access all the attractions
• 8 minutes’ walk along the waterfront

Head for Albert Road in the trendy Southsea district for traditional pubs or hipster eateries serving global cuisines. If you’re a night owl seeking more action, then it’s back to the waterfront Gunwharf Quays for late-night clubbing. Always know your route back to your Portsmouth hotel and enjoy your evening safely.

As the only museum in the UK dedicated to the events of the 1944 Allied Invasion, The D-Day Story is a vital stop on your Portsmouth weekend break. It manages to achieve a deep dive into one of England’s most important historical events without sermonising, using a combination of personal testimonies, interactive displays, archive footage and poignant memorabilia. Pride of place goes to the Overlord Embroidery, an 83-metre, hand-stitched tapestry depicting the progress of D-Day events.

• Clarence Esplanade, PO5 3NT
• Open daily 10am–5pm
• Adult tickets £17.55/€21 (£15.95/€19 when you book online)
• Half an hour’s pleasant stroll across Southsea Common from the city centre

Standing on a windy headland, this fortress was built by King Henry VIII – he actually stood on the battlements and watched the Mary Rose sink – and down the centuries it morphed from defence fortification to military base, lighthouse and Victorian prison. These days it has a rather more welcoming ambiance; in addition to the immersive displays romping through its colourful backstory, the castle also has a quality gift shop and a microbrewery (occasionally open for tours and tastings). On summer Fridays, you can visit a pop-up bar on the ramparts to sip Champagne and admire panoramas over The Solent to the Isle of Wight.

• Clarence Esplanade, PO5 3PA
• Open Apr–Oct Tue–Sat 10am–5pm
• Admission free
• 5 minutes’ walk from The D-Day Story

It’s time to break from heritage for the day and enjoy an entertaining underwater jaunt through giant tanks richly populated with sharks, stingrays, jewel-coloured reef fish and turtles, all viewed through an underwater glass tunnel.

• Clarence Esplanade, PO5 3PB
• Opening times vary seasonally but roughly 10am–5pm; last entry an hour before closing
• Family ticket £51.60 (€62)
• 8 minutes’ walk from the castle

Here’s one last suggestion for your Portsmouth weekend break: take a day trip to the Isle of Wight! A regular ferry service runs between Portsmouth Harbour and Fishbourne in 45 minutes, leaving you plenty of time to explore this endearing slice of “England in miniature”. Spend a sunny day kitesurfing or lazing on golden sands at Compton Bay, cycle around the dramatic coastline, or gen up on Queen Victoria’s lavish lifestyle at Osborne House. Kids with you? Make a beeline for the breathtaking clifftop cable-car rides at The Needles Landmark Attraction.

Ready to book up your next UK break? Head to central England for a break in breathtaking Cotswolds landscapes, or head up north for a warm Geordie welcome to Newcastle’s freebie museums and attractions.