The only island city in the UK is one of the “best secrets” and “souls” of our ship country. Portsmouth, just off Hampshire, sits on Portsea Island, a lowland peninsula separated from the mainland by Port Sea Creek. It is a city that has played an crucial role in the 800 years of British maritime history.
Portsmouth was the headquarters of its headquarters and was the main aboard point for military and naval units directed towards Normandy. D-Day Landings. The world's first dry dock was built by King Henry VII in 1495. Mary Rose, King Henry VIII's favorite ship, was built in the city. The HMS victory of Vice General Nelson, the UK's most famous warship, is now proudly sitting on the dock. The city is also home to 40 gun steam-powered frigate HMS warriors. British Navy 1859-61.
Dominique Jones, CEO of the Mary Rose Museum, Express Portsmouth does that a lot in terms of its history and cultural offerings.
He said: “It's an incredible place. It's a truly special island city. I want it from a historical and cultural perspective. It's probably one of the best secrets of the UK. Before I worked here, I didn't know how great this place was.
This includes the only museum in Britain dedicated to telling the story of Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. The D-Day Story about the Clarence Esplanade in Portsmouth offers visitors the opportunity to board the tanks of their last surviving lander.
At the Mary Rose Museum you can see the shipwrecks of Henry VIIIAn iconic battleship sank from the Isle of Wight on July 19, 1545 during the Battle of Sorrento. The conflict saw almost 500 of the 500 people owned by Mary Rose, even though Tudor England won over the French.
The wreck lay at the bottom of the ocean for 437 years until 1982, when Percy Ackland was raised from Sorrento in 1971 after encountering three exposed wood that protruded from the seabed thanks to Alexander Mackey's efforts to find the historic ship.
The new 4D immersive experience allows visitors to hear stories of people diving on the ship, from Tudor Divers to McKee and his team of volunteers.
Jones said that for a long time, the ruins of Mary Rose were sitting on a dry dock so you couldn't get close to it, but thanks to a dedicated home, a timber-clad building designed by the architects of Wilkinson Eyre, the public can now get much closer.
Besides Mary Rose, the museum, which first welcomed visitors in 2013, is full of artefacts raised alongside the ship. These include the skeletons of dogs that died on board and the backgammon boards recovered next to the skeletons of the ship's carpenter. Jones said it was something like “Pompeii, UK” and a lot has been recovered and is now open to the public.
In addition to the HMS Victory and The Mary Rose Museum, Portsmouth boasts the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. Visitors here can also learn about the UK about the nuclear deterrent of the sea.
Portsmouth's historic dockyard is a big draw and home to HMS victory, and Mary Rose and HMS warriors also feature the city's highlights, including Spinnaker Tower, where you can go over glass floors or enjoy a truly “high” tea.
The tower soars above Gunworfkey, a designer shopping outlet with a large brand along the city's waterfront.
Near the seaside is Henry VIII's Southsea Castle. This offers spectacular views over Sorrento on the Isle of Wight. There are also miles of beaches and seaside promenades, as well as playgrounds, a splash pool, a Blue Reef Aquarium and two piers.
On a visit to Portsmouth, the city said there are places to stay from “good” budget options such as the Travelodge and the Premier Inn, as well as “good” budget options such as the Holiday Inn, the Ibis, the Marriott, the village, and independent hotels such as the Queen's Hotel and the Royal Maritime Hotel.
As for where to eat, you can find major chains in the Gun Half quay and various independents in the South Sea. Old Portsmouth has a pub with ocean views offering food, along the seaside along the courtyard of Southsea Castle, Brinie and Southsea Beach Café.
It takes about 2 hours and 20 minutes to drive from London to Portsmouth. It takes the same amount of time from Bristol. It takes about 3.5 hours by car from Birmingham.
There are regular trains to Portsmouth via the Southwest Railway. It takes less than 90 minutes from London and about 45 minutes from Southampton.
