Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
history of underwater warfare and life from the earliest days to the present. Alongside
the refurbished historical galleries, the highlight is the 45-minute tour of HMS
Alli-
ance
itself; after a brief audiovisual presentation, visitors are guided through the boat
by ex-submariners.
To reach Gosport, take one of the ferries that depart from behind Portsmouth
Harbour rail station; between four and eight depart every hour, taking 4 minutes, with
a round-trip price of £2.50 adults, £1.60 children.
Haslar Jetty Rd., Gosport.
&
023/9251-0354.
www.submarine-museum.co.uk. Admission £10 adults,
£7 children 5-15 and students, £8 seniors, £28 family ticket. Apr-Oct daily 10am-5:30pm; Nov-Mar daily
10am-4:30pm. Last tour 1 hr. before closing. Closed Dec 24-27 and Dec 31-Jan 1. Bus: 29, 30.
Spinnaker Tower
OBSERVATION POINT Towering over Portsmouth Har-
bour, this 170-m (558-ft.) sail-shaped edifice has become (quite literally) one of the
biggest attractions along the south coast. On a clear day, you can see for up to 23 miles
in all directions—including across the Solent to the Isle of Wight. Glide to the top in
a panoramic lift (90 sec.), take a high-speed internal lift (30 sec.), or attempt the 570
steps from the base to the crow's-nest. From up there, you can experience the thrill of
“walking on air,” by daring to traverse the largest glass floor in Europe. At the top-floor
Tower Café & Bar, order and enjoy sandwiches or afternoon tea (weekdays only) while
drinking in the panorama.
Gunwharf Quays.
&
023/9285-7520.
www.spinnakertower.co.uk. Admission £7.55 adults, £6.75 stu-
dents and seniors, £5.95 children 3-15, free for children 2 and under. Children 15 and under must be
accompanied by an adult. Daily 10am-6pm (Aug Sun-Thurs until 7:30pm).
Exploring the Rest of Portsmouth & Southsea
Ask in Portsmouth's visitor center (see above) about the
Millennium Promenade
Walk,
a marked waterfront walking route linking The Hard, by Portsmouth Harbour,
with atmospheric
Old Portsmouth,
where you'll find the few remaining streets of
the original maritime city. The walk should take under 1 hour at a leisurely pace.
Finish with a pint of real ale at the
Still & West
, Bath Square (
&
023/9282-
1567
), Portsmouth's best quay-side pub, and admire the harbor views.
Charles Dickens' Birthplace
HISTORIC HOME This 1804 small terrace
house, in which the Victorian novelist was born in 1812, has been restored and fur-
nished to illustrate the middle-class tastes of the early 19th century. The first Sunday
of the month sees readings of the author's work at 11am and 3pm. A series of special
events are planned to celebrate the bicentenary of Dickens's birth in 2012.
393 Old Commercial Rd. (off Mile End Rd./M275 and off Kingston Rd.), Portsmouth.
&
023/9282-
7261.
www.charlesdickensbirthplace.co.uk. Admission £3.50 adults, £3 seniors, £2.50 children 6-17,
£9.50 family ticket, free for accompanied children 13 and under. Daily 10am-5pm. Closed Oct-Mar.
D-Day Museum
MUSEUM The highlight of this museum, devoted to the
Normandy landings, is the Overlord Embroidery, is a modern-day Bayeux Tapestry
that creatively illustrates the background to and story of Operation Overlord, the
D-Day landings of June 6, 1944. The giant appliquéd embroidery, believed to be the
largest of its kind (82m/272 ft. long and 1m/3 ft. high), was commissioned in 1968,
designed by Sandra Lawrence, and took 20 women of the Royal School of Needle-
work 5 years to complete. An audiovisual program includes displays such as recon-
structions of various stages of the mission, and there's a comprehensive collection of
memorabilia about the landings.
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