Portsmouth travel guide

Portsmouth Tourism | Portsmouth Guide

You're Going to Love Portsmouth

With a population of 194,150, Portsmouth is a must-see destination in England, United Kingdom. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Portsmouth deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Activities & attractions in Portsmouth

Where to Eat in Portsmouth

If you’re looking for affordable options, Casa Brasil Portsmouth (44/45 The Boardwalk Port Solent) and Carluccio's - Portsmouth (Unit R20 Blake House) are great picks.

When to visit Portsmouth

Portsmouth in December
Estimated hotel price
£72
1 night at 3-star hotel
Portsmouth in December
Estimated hotel price
£72
1 night at 3-star hotel

How to Get to Portsmouth

Plane

When flying to Portsmouth, you’ll arrive at Southampton Airport (SOU), which is located 15 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Portsmouth departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Portsmouth, followed by Train. The train journey from Portsmouth to Coventry takes 1h 34m and costs around £16 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £25 for a 1h 34m trip. Located 1.8 miles from the city centre, Portsmouth Fratton, Hants is the busiest station in Portsmouth. Another popular train station is Portsmouth Harbour, located 1.6 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Portsmouth is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 63 miles from Portsmouth. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and DRIVALIA , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Portsmouth, including National Express, Megabus and FlixBus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Portsmouth takes 135 miles and will cost you around £3. From Nottingham, the ticket costs about £8 for a journey of 140 miles. The most popular bus station is Portsmouth Widley, located 3 miles from the city centre of Portsmouth. Portsmouth Rudmore Roundabout is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 miles from the city centre.

Plane

When flying to Portsmouth, you’ll arrive at Southampton Airport (SOU), which is located 15 miles from the city centre. The shortest domestic flight to Portsmouth departs from Belfast and takes around 1h 15m.

Train

AccesRail is the most popular train carrier serving Portsmouth, followed by Train. The train journey from Portsmouth to Coventry takes 1h 34m and costs around £16 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Bristol, expect to pay about £25 for a 1h 34m trip. Located 1.8 miles from the city centre, Portsmouth Fratton, Hants is the busiest station in Portsmouth. Another popular train station is Portsmouth Harbour, located 1.6 miles from the centre.

Car

Another option to get to Portsmouth is to pick up a car hire from London, which is about 63 miles from Portsmouth. You’ll find branches of GREEN MOTION and DRIVALIA , among others, in London.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Portsmouth, including National Express, Megabus and FlixBus. From Bristol, the bus ride to Portsmouth takes 135 miles and will cost you around £3. From Nottingham, the ticket costs about £8 for a journey of 140 miles. The most popular bus station is Portsmouth Widley, located 3 miles from the city centre of Portsmouth. Portsmouth Rudmore Roundabout is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 miles from the city centre.

Airports near Portsmouth

Airlines serving Portsmouth

Lufthansa
Good (4,614 reviews)
KLM
Good (848 reviews)
SWISS
Good (927 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,451 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,599 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,282 reviews)
Air France
Good (974 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,549 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (476 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,930 reviews)
Emirates
Good (2,125 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,478 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,729 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (228 reviews)
Finnair
Good (878 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (832 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,160 reviews)
LOT
Good (682 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (911 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (832 reviews)
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Where to stay in Portsmouth

Average rates range from around £101 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to £151 and up for a 5-star experience.

Where to stay in popular areas of Portsmouth

Most booked hotels in Portsmouth

Leonardo Royal Southampton Grand Harbour
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, Excellent reviews)
£94+
Holiday Inn Express Southampton M27, Jct.7
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£68+
Leonardo Hotel Southampton
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, Excellent reviews)
£72+
Holiday Inn Southampton
4 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
£79+
Portsmouth Marriott Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8, Excellent reviews)
£83+
Holiday Inn Express Portsmouth Gunwharf Quays
3 stars
Good (7.8, Good reviews)
£99+

Hiring a car in Portsmouth

Hiring a car in Portsmouth costs £42 per day, on average, or £85 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.49 per litre in Portsmouth (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £17.77 and £23.69. The most frequently booked car type in Portsmouth is Compact (Class Compact Wagon or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Suzuki Vitara or similar) is, on average, 56% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.

Hiring a car in Portsmouth costs £42 per day, on average, or £85 if you want to hire it for 2 days.

Expect to pay £1.49 per litre in Portsmouth (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your car hire, filling up the tank will cost between £17.77 and £23.69. The most frequently booked car type in Portsmouth is Compact (Class Compact Wagon or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Intermediate car hire (Suzuki Vitara or similar) is, on average, 56% cheaper than other car hire types in the city.