Located on the South-East coastline of the UK is Portsmouth, a historic naval city with bags full of warships, forts and architecture. This history accounts for 90% of its tourism but beneath the surface of this historical hub is a vibrant nightlife and fantastic dining experiences.  

The dockyard is home to HMS Warrior 1860 – the most intimidating and fastest warship in the world when she was launched, HMS Victory- the Royal Navy’s most famous warship, this Georgian treasure was involved in the Battle of Trafalgar; and the Mary Rose, this English tutorship was launched in 1511 and was Henry VIII’s warship. The dockyard offers an insight into the UK’s rich naval history as well as the architectural aspects of these historical eras. Dotted around Portsmouth’s coastline are the Palmerston forts which date back to 1859. Built-in the ocean these famous forts are being transformed into striking and remote hotel accommodation. Finally, Portsmouth is littered with castles and Victorian theatres so offer a real treat for any budding historians.

In more recent years Portsmouth has developed a varied shopping and nightlife scene to suit every taste. Albert Road located in Southsea offers fantastic alternative cafes such as the Garage Lounge which offers decadent wedges of cake, a fresh twist on artisan pizzas, unique salads and chunky sandwiches as well as a huge range of teas. Along the road you can find Porters or the Wine Vaults, both offering huge selections of locally produced obscure British beers and international wine, good live music and the former, a fantastic menu of typical British food – steaks, burgers and salads.

Other great and popular haunts include Sakura, the incredibly popular Japanese restaurant offering a full range of sushi and cooked dishes, Huis Belgium Bar offering typical quirky Belgium dishes, and more recently Scoops gelato offering belly-busting waffles, crepes and sundaes stacked with ice cream and other treats – open until 11 pm too! To add to the hipster vibe of this area of Portsmouth are the numerous spit-and-sawdust British pubs, vintage clothes shops and trinket stores.

If you are in the area and want to check it out, grab some dinner and see some live music the dress code is basically what you rolled out of bed wearing, you cannot be too casual! Enjoy.