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Situated on the southern coast of England, in the county of Hampshire, Portsmouth or Pompey as it is commonly known is one of the largest cities in the UK in terms of population and considerably more so in terms of population density. Located on the Solent, a waterway that runs the Isle of Wight and the coats of Hampshire. Plymouth is also sometimes known as the Flagship city, as it is one of the key cities in the history of maritime England. It is hard to escape the effect of the sea when visiting Portsmouth and many of the city’s tourist attractions are based around it. The D-Day museum is a fascinating place to visit as well as the Portsmouth dockyard, where the flagship HMS Victory, the Mary Rose as well as Britain’s first steamship built from iron, the HMS Warrior can be found. Another museum which is less focused towards the sea but is still worth visiting is the Charles Dickens’s Birthplace Museum in the city.
Portsmouth’s city center is within walking distance of the harbour, is home to the city’s thirteenth century Cathedral, located on the east of Portsmouth’s natural harbour. Most of the shopping centers can be found in this part of Portsmouth where every high street retailer can be found as well as many locally owned stores offering examples of arts and crafts, local culinary delights, clothing and antiques. There is plenty to do for children also in Portsmouth, making it a very popular family resort. The Blue Reef Aquarium, an interactive museum excitingly called Action Station as well as the Playzone indoor soft play centre makes for a lot of entertainment options, not to mention the beautiful sandy seafront at shines Southsea.
Portsmouth being a sea port attracts many visitors and hosts some of the finest restaurants in the south of England catering for every taste. At night the city center as well as the Southsea harbor area comes alive with action and bars and night clubs provide entertainment for visitors and local alike.
The Isle of Wight is a short ferry ride away from Portsmouth, and its beautiful beaches and coves are the place to take a picnic in the grounds of Osbourne House, that was once the most loved country house of Queen Victoria. Other options are to head inland from the Solent and visit some of the scenery and unspoiled villages that are much of the county of Hampshire.
Renting a car can be an economical way to travel around Portsmouth and the region. There are several pick up areas around the city with discounts on offer for rentals of three days and over. Car Hire in Portsmouth comes as a ‘fully inclusive’ package which includes unlimited mileage, collision damage waiver, passenger indemnity insurance and cover for third party, fire and theft - and usually insurance excess. To rent a car anywhere in the United Kingdom, you must show a full driver's licence and a credit card in the driver’s name. Cars are usually rented to customers between the ages of 21 to 70 years. Hiring a car is a great idea if you want to use Portsmouth as your base for a three day minimum travel experience around the region. |