The historic naval city of Portsmouth has plenty to offer visitors. Located on an island, there is no escaping its rich maritime history. The Portsmouth Dockyard, Henry VIII's ship the Mary Rose, the Gunwharf Quays and the Port Solent Marina all attest to its seafaring importance.
Portsmouth has a very mild climate even in winter, which makes it great to visit at any time of the year. Many of the maritime sights are outdoors but there are also plenty of museums in Portsmouth. There is an interesting City Museum as well as a Natural History Museum. The Royal Marines Museum is also worth a visit as is the Easteny Beam Engine Museum located in Southsea. It is not all museums, however - the Pyramids Centre in Southsea is a great family destination thanks to its pools, flumes and soft play centre.
Another benefit to Portsmouth is its connections. Many ferries leave from the city to the Continent or visitors can also take a ferry to the Isle of Wight. Southampton Airport (SOU) is less than 20 miles away and for visitors to Portsmouth car hire is readily available from the airport.
With its compact centre, it is easy to get around the city but car hire in Portsmouth is useful for getting to nearby places of interest. The pretty cathedral town of Chichester is less than 30 miles away, for example. Another nearby town is the traditional seaside resort of Bognor Regis. Selsey is now one of its suburbs and together they make for a good day out. North of Portsmouth is the historic town of Fareham, which also has strong naval connections along with some lovely Georgian architecture.
A visit to Charles Dickens' birthplace of Portsmouth really does provide much for the visitor to see and do.
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