#VisitPortsmouth

Seaside fun for all the family

The UK’s only island city boasts a magnificent promenade running from Eastney to Old Portsmouth. Along the length of the beach are a plethora of attractions for all ages – many evoke memories of traditional seaside holidays of the past with swan-shaped pedalos on Canoe Lake and the nearby pitch and putt.The Tenth Hole, a popular café, sitting alongside the course, is well known for its eye-poppingly large cakes and is a great place for breakfast too. Southsea Castle is the place where Henry VIII watched the Mary Rose sink. Now it’s a great place to visit and the kids will have hours of fun exploring the passages below ground.Pack a picnic and enjoy great music at the Band Stand weekly throughout the summer, a party atmosphere and one of the best backdrops in the world. There is a fascinating walk from Clarence Pier to Old Portsmouth. You can follow the route along the raised section with the harbour to one side and the old town to the other.

Shop until you drop

There’s no doubting the attraction of Gunwharf Quays when it comes to shopping. Once the former home of HMS Vernon, the Royal Navy’s Torpedo Branch, the site now boasts 90 designer outlets at this great location with easy parking – and after you’ve finished with the shops, there are wonderful bars and restaurants to revive you.Nearby is Commercial Road which houses all the major high street names and the Cascades Shopping Centre. While in Southsea you will find Knight and Lee (John Lewis) in the Palmerston Road precinct along with a large Debenhams department store.
If you prefer to shop in independent boutiques, head for Marmion Road and Albert Road where you will find everything from antiques, artworks and artisan chocolates. Take the time to wander and enjoy the laid-back atmosphere.At the end of a shopping spree, make your way to the Belle Isle in Osborne Road for great food, a buzzing atmosphere and a pitcher of Sangria.

Discover the creative side of Portsmouth

With its long association with great authors Portsmouth’s literary heritage is well known and you will find blue and brown plaques around the city. Charles Dickens was born in the city in 1812 and his birthplace, a small house on Old Commercial Road, is now a museum, which celebrates the author’s life and his many novels.Sir Arthur Conan Doyle worked in Portsmouth as a doctor and it was at No. 1 Bush Villas on Elm Grove that he wrote the first two Sherlock Holmes novels.
Rudyard Kipling also lived for a time in the city and you will find his house in Campbell Road which bears a blue plaque to mark his time in the city from 1871-77.Portsmouth is still a creative city, with a thriving contemporary art scene. Turner Prize winning artist Grayson Perry studied for a BA in fine art at Portsmouth Polytechnic and it is home now to a thriving creative scene.There are always exhibitions of fine and decorative art at the free Portsmouth Museum, contemporary art and upcoming artists at Aspex Gallery in Gunwharf Quays, and regular exhibitions at Art Space’s Gasp Gallery.

Victorious Festival- the UK’s biggest metropolitan festivalwill return to Southsea Seafront on the 24th-27th August- Bank Holiday weekend.

Having been shortlisted for ‘Best Major Festival’ at the UK Festival Awards for several years running and with it’s best line up to date brimming with incredible artists including The Libertines, Kaiser Chiefs, Paul Weller, Paloma Faith, Brian Wilson, The Prodigy, Years & Years, Friendly Fires and loads more, the festival continues to grow bigger than ever making it an unmissable event. Victorious isn’t just about the music! Held in the picturesque seaside location of Southsea, overlooking The Solent, Victorious Festival is the ultimate family friendly experience. Family is at the heart of the festival with its own dedicated 30,000 square metre Kids Arena where all activities and attractions are FREE. Here you’ll find the fantastic Kids Arena Stage with it’s own line up of kids book and tv favourites. Plus there’s tonnes of free activities to keep young ones entertained from taster sports sessions, face painting, arts & crafts and much more! The festival also plays host to a Champagne Bar in Henry III’s Castle, a Victorian Bandstand, views of the Spinnaker tower, a Real Ale Arena, market stalls aplenty, and food from all over the world. Secure yourself an August Bank Holiday weekend to remember now!

Tickets start from £30 a day. To find out more please visit www.victoriousfestival.co.uk

Location: Southsea seafront www.victoriousfestival.co.ukHashtag #victoriousfestival VictoriousFestival @victoriousfest

HOME OF THE BIG GUNS

Britain’s national collection of arms and armour, the Royal Armouries, has sites in Leeds, The White Tower (Tower of London) and Fort Nelson just outside Portsmouth.This world-renowned collection contains over 75,000 objects, including arms, armour and artillery from the early medieval period to the present day, from Europe, Asia and the Americas.Fort Nelson houses the Royal Armouries’ collection of artillery and historic cannon – the Big Guns – with over 350 on display, tracing the development of artillery from pre-gunpowder siege machines to the modern day.This vast Victorian fortification, high on the chalk ridge of Portsdown Hill, was built in the 1860s as part of a defensive chain around Portsmouth and its vital Royal Dockyard. It is probably the best surviving example of a Victorian fortress and has been restored to its original 19th-century state, together with parts of its Second World War history.Visitors can explore the vast 19-acre site to discover secret tunnels and underground chambers, and some of the best panoramic views of Portsmouth Harbour, the Meon Valley and South Downs National Park from the ramparts.

Take a guided tour to unearth the intriguing history of Fort Nelson and imagine the tough life of the Victorian garrison soldiers in the refurbished barracks, kitchen and hospital.The magnificent Voice of the Guns gallery, showcases 14 of the most iconic weapons from the national collection, key pieces include sections of the infamous Iraqi Super Gun, antiaircraft guns used to defend the South Coast and the city of Portsmouth during the Second World War, and a medieval wall-smasher, the Great Turkish Bombard, dating to 1464.The newly configured Artillery Hall displays an extensive range of 20th-century guns. The largest on display being the enormous 200-tonne First World War Railway Howitzer.Fort Nelson is one of a few places where you can experience live black-powder firings of historic artillery pieces. One of the big guns is fired every day at 1pm and there are special gunfiring events throughout the year.Cafe 1871 is open daily, serving a wide selection of delicious cakes, snacks and light meals. Relax and enjoy the views from the terrace with a pot of freshly brewed tea or a barista-made coffee. Enjoy Fort Nelson whatever the weather – there’s stuff to do, things to see, inside, outside and entry’s free.

Location: Portsdown Hill Rd, Fareham, PO17 6AN www.royalarmouries.org01329 848 532 Open daily, 10am-5pm (Apr-Oct) 10am-4pm (Nov-Mar) Closed 24, 25 & 26 Dec.

The Kings Theatre is an Edwardian Playhouse that has been a focal entertainment venue of the South Coast since 1907. Offering a wide variety of shows it is a hidden gem in Portsmouth. Designed by the legendary theatre architect Frank Matcham. You enter this fabulous theatre from Albert Road into a beautiful foyer and follow the staircase up to the excitement and splendour of a “theatre of national importance” with elegant bars and a beautiful auditorium.

The Kings Theatre always offers a very varied programme and 2018/19 is no different it includes the musical giant MAMMAMIA! heading to the South Coast for 20 performances of ABBATASTIC madness. Evita is also coming presenting the fabulous musical in all its glory. With magic shows & circus shows to delight and entertain all the family as well as a brandnew stage adaptation from DreamWorks film - Madagascara Musical Adventure! Straight out of the zoo and onto the Kings Theatre stage! It’s a fun packed Summer ahead. The season is completed with The Play that Goes Wrong and theComedy about a Bank Robbery. The Kings Theatre is famous for it’s Christmas pantomime with visitors travelling from farand wide to hear “oh no you didn’t” and the infamous toilet

There is something for everyone at the Kings Theatre

- Always Entertaining.

Location: 20-24 Albert Road, Southsea, PO5 2QJ www.kingsportsmouth.co.ukBox Office 023 9282 8282 kingstheatre @KingsSouthsea