About Portsmouth

Portsmouth is perhaps best known for its naval history, even today it hosts such glorious sights as the HMS Victory - the immaculately restored flagship of national naval hero Lord Horatio Nelson - and the remains of Henry VIII's iconic Mary Rose which was rescued from the seabed a quarter of a century ago.

Much of the port area has undergone massive regeneration in the modern era, with a variety of quality restaurants and cafes replacing more traditional quayside activities. One particularly striking example of this modernisation is the Spinnaker Tower, a stunning piece of cutting-edge architecture that dominates the city's skyline.

Although primarily focussed around its historic port, the city also offers a number of other attractions, not least of which are its extensive shopping and leisure areas. A number of large shopping centres are dotted around the central part of the city that lies on Portsea Island, the busiest and most varied of which is The Cascades.

With a thriving local economy, most major high-street chains are represented in the retail quarter of the city and more specialist goods can be found within the tourist areas around the docks at one of Portsmouth's popular European or seasonal markets.

The city also offers several popular theatres with eclectic programmes - from classical drama to avant garde productions - and many museums chronicling Portsmouth's seafaring past.

The city's sporting links are perhaps best embodied in its successful Premiership football team Portsmouth FC, who are based at Fratton Park stadium.