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A world class welcome

Portsmouth is Britain's premier waterfront destination. Portsmouth offers centuries of maritime history for passengers to explore in one of the world's most famous harbours. Fine restaurants and bars offer the chance to relax on-shore and with some of the South's finest shops, there's plenty to browse and buy. Your passengers can take advantage of the many sightseeing opportunities on offer, but there's so much to do one excursion won't be enough.

Just 70 miles south west of London, Portsmouth is also the perfect base for longer stopovers with excellent road, rail, air and sea connections to the rest of the UK and mainland Europe.

≈Bustling Waterfront

Nestling on the waterfront, Gunwharf Quays offers a unique blend of outlet shopping, leisure and entertainment. It features over 90 designer outlets plus a fantastic choice of cosmopolitan restaurants, bars, cafés and a traditional English pub. Alongside these sits Portsmouth's latest attraction - the unique 170 metre high "Spinnaker Tower", which provides stunning views accross the city, the harbour, into the surrounding area and beyond.

:: Its Historic Dockyard

Take time out and visit Portsmouth's Historic Dockyard , a world class centre for maritime heritage. A visit to the Royal Naval Dockyard will take passengers on a voyage of discovery through Portsmouth's maritime history and offers the chance to see some of the world's greatest historic ships. The Mary Rose - Henry VIII's famous battleship which tragically sunk off the Solent in 1545. 436 years later this great ship was raised from the sea bed together with thousands of objects belonging to the crew. Both the ship and the treasures that remained on board can be viewed in the Ship Hall and Mary Rose exhibition - you'll be amazed. HMS Victory - Admiral Lord Nelson's Flagship and the world's most famous warship. Passengers can see where Britain's greatest naval hero died and go below deck to discover what life was like on board for the 850 men and boys who lived, worked, fought and died on board. (Transcripts of the ships tour are available in 20 languages). HMS Warrior 1860 - the pride of Queen Victoria's fleet was bigger and faster than any other ship afloat in its day. This ,the world's first iron-hulled warship, has been magnificently restored and is filled with Victorian naval artefacts which capture the essence of life on board. Action Stations - If you have ever wondered what it would be like to go into battle with today's Marines, command a warship or fly a helicopter then the all-new Actions Stations is for you. This thrilling high tech experience uses the latest film and interactive exhibition technology to allow you the opportunity to test your own skills on a range of simulators, this is your chance to See the Navy - Be the Navy. The Royal Naval Museum - Discover 800 years of naval history through exciting displays, films, models and dioramas. The Dockyard Apprentice Exhibition - Discover the skills and crafts that built the world's finest warships, from laying a keel to stitching a flag.

:: Centuries of History

Portsmouth is a city steeped in history. From maritime heroes to literary giants the city has an impressive cast of characters. From its humble beginnings as a Saxon fishing village, Portsmouth developed into a military garrison town and then into the home of one of the most powerful sea-borne fighting forces in history. Portsmouth boasts no less than 11 museums each one with a fascinating story to tell. ≈Old Portsmouth Walk along the centuries old fortifications and the narrow streets of Old Portsmouth. This area was once a place of dread and danger but is now a far cry from those days of old, with its cobbled streets and charming pubs. Visit the Camber dock with its daily fish market or sit and enjoy a drink at a waterside pub. ≈Literary connections - Explore the city's literary connections, Charles Dickens, Portsmouth's most famous son was born here in 1812 and the house in which he was born is now a museum dedicated to his memory. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle created his well known detective Sherlock Holmes whilst living in the city and other connections include Rudyard Kipling, HG Wells and Jane Austen. ≈Portsmouth for lovers of culture Portsmouth is a lively city with plenty to entertain all the year round! From emerging artists and live music to world cinema and comedy, Portsmouth will suprise you. Aspex Gallery is a contemporary gallery for new and emeging artists based in its new home of the Vulcan Building in Gunwharf Quays. Nearby Artists Harbour (in the Historic Dockyard), displays regular exhibitions of contemporary, marine and old naval fine work from British and local artists. For live open air music, the Bandstand on Southsea seafront is the place to spend a relaxing summer weekend afternoon. Unusually, Portsmouth is also a two cathedral city with the Anglican St Thomas' cathedral in Old Portsmouth and the St John's Roman Catholic cathedral in the city centre. Portsmouth has so much to offer, your cruise passengers will be amazed and are sure to want to return.

:: Stylish Southsea

Don't miss stylish Southsea offering 4 miles of promenade and sweeping views across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. Relax and take in music from the bandstand and explore the award- winning gardens and parks which line the seafront. Relax in the tropical poolside paradise of The Pyramids Centre's fun pools or visit the all-new Blue Reef Aquarium, the ultimate undersea safari where visitors can view the rich variety of British marine life, through to the colour and wonder of the coral reef with its shoals of exotic Fish and black tip reef sharks. No trip to Southsea would be complete without a visit to Southsea Castle, built in 1544 by Henry VIII and today offering panoramic view and, amongst other attractions, the exciting time tunnel experience. Other attractions not to be missed include, the D-Day Museum, featuring the "Overlord Embroidery" and the Royal Marines Museum telling the story of over 300 years of this elite naval fighting Service through dramatic and interactive displays.

:: Shopping

Whatever you are looking for Portsmouth has it all - an excellent selection of shops from High Street names to independent stores. Explore some of our waterfront shopping locations from the brand new Gunwharf Quays featuring 65 retail outlets to Port Solent which features clothes shops, craft shops and much more. Portsmouth's city centre is home to Commercial Road with its big name stores as well as Cascades, an indoor shopping mall with a further selection of High Street retailers and a food hall catering for every taste. Southsea Shopping Centre in Palmerston Road has a fascinating mix of leading High Street names and a good choice of independent shops. A further selection of boutiques and specialist retailers can be discovered in Marmion Road. Antique bargain hunters will be amazed with the choice available in many of Southsea's streets with prices much lower than London! Gunwharf Quays boasts 85 shops and 20 bars and restaurants offering an unrivalled waterfront experience and truly establishing Portsmouth as one of the UK's must-see leisure destinations.

Creation date : 02/04/2006 - 11:14
Last update : 24/01/2007 - 12:19
Category : Portsmouth
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