Portsmouth

Breathe in the ocean air and set out to discover the picturesque maritime town of Portsmouth. Portsmouth is filled with old homes and museums, and you'll have your pick of fascinating historic sites.

One of the newest attractions is Spinnaker Tower which soars 170 metres into the sky above the historic harbour of Portsmouth and see the striking views of the harbers. It has three observation decks, one of which has the largest glass floors in Europe. There is a £2 additional charge to take the panaramic lift, but it's well worth the charge on a clear day. The Tower is open from 10AM to 10PM and it costs £5.95 to go to the top.

Portsmouth is a marine town, and many of the museums and tourist attractions are in the the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard by Victory Gate. Victory Gate was constructed in 1711 and comprises two tall limestone pillars, each topped with a golden globe. Through this gate you'll find museums for many of the old Naval ships and on Naval History as well. One of the more fascinating museums is the HMS Victory which is a ship built in 1759. It is the world's oldest commissioned warship and is still manned by Officers and Ratings of the Royal Navy. An older ship still is the Mary Rose. The Mary Rose sank in 1545 and was recently raised from the harbor, and many of the artifacts from the wreck put on display. The museum tour has many hands-on displays as well as audio visuals to explain what many of the artifacts are. The HMS Warrior is another battleship and was built in 1860. In its time revolutionised warship construction. It was powered both by steam and sail and was the largest and fastest ship of her day. Or, you can climb aboard the USS Albacore, a retired U.S. Navy submarine offering tours and exhibits.

Of course, like many British towns, Portsmouth has a castle. Southsea Castle was built in 1544 as part of a series of fortifications constructed by Henry VIII around England's coasts to protect the country from invaders. The castle's key position guarding the entrance to Portsmouth harbour meant that whenever danger threatened it was right in the front line. In fact, it was not taken out of active service until 1960 when the castle was purchased by the Portsmouth City Council. The castle is open daily between April and October from 10AM to 5PM.

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See a Map of Portsmouth