Victorious Festival 2018 - Stay longer, discover more

August in Portsmouth brings with it warm summer days (that's the plan, anyway!), packed beaches and a whole host of family-friendly events taking place at attractions all around the city. That's not all, of course, as August wouldn't be August without the Victorious Festival. The huge event takes over Southsea Common every year, bringing people in from miles around to see the best in live music - as well as the myriad other festivities taking place across the weekend (including children's entertainment, fairground rides, entry to certain attractions and more).

If you're making a bit of a journey to Portsmouth for the festival this year, why not extend the trip and see what else Portsmouth has to offer? Whether you stay a few more days before or after the big event, you'll be able to take in the other great things to see and do on this island city.

So if you're thinking of staying longer in Portsmouth to discover more, here's what you need to know.

Festival dates and details

As ever, Victorious Festival takes place over the August Bank Holiday weekend, meaning this year (2018) it will run from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th. Friday is the festival's opening party, so the gates will open from 1pm, with music starting shortly afterwards. Saturday and Sunday are full days, with the site opening at 10am. The site closes on all three days at 11pm, with last entry at 9pm on Friday and at 8pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Headliners at this year's festival are The Libertines, Paul Weller and The Prodigy. Elsewhere on the line up are Years & Years, Paloma Faith, Brian Wilson (of The Beach Boys), Happy Mondays, Kaiser Chiefs, The Cribs, Gomez and Embrace. Of course, there are scores more acts playing across the numerous stages throughout the weekend, taking in everything from acoustic to world music.

This year will also see the return of the festival's offsite camping facilities, which take over Farlington Playing Fields just off Portsea Island. Campers won't have to worry about getting to and from the festival site, though, as there are free shuttle buses laid on that can be used as many times as needed.

Where else is there to stay?

Portsmouth's hotels, guest houses and B&Bs get famously busy during the festival weekend, with many of them getting booked right up some months in advance. If you're staying longer, though, finding somewhere with vacancies outside of the main weekend should be relatively straightforward. Whether you want the authenticity of an independent place, the luxury of a boutique hotel or the easy familiarity of a nationwide chain, there will be places to suit. What's more, with demand falling in the weekdays leading up to and after the festival, prices may become more affordable too.

Check out the Visit Portsmouth accommodation listings for a comprehensive list of places to stay, as well as photographs, descriptions and links through to all the relevant websites.

What else can you do?

Though the Victorious Festival has recently become a 3-day extravaganza, the day-by-day ticket setup means people can pick and choose when they want to attend. Also, with no music taking place on the bank holiday Monday, you may have a bit of spare time to see what else Portsmouth has to offer.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

At Portsmouth Historic Dockyard you can see a wealth of historic ships charting naval history through the generations. A whole host of internationally renowned vessels can be explored with just one ticket. What's more, this Bank Holiday Weekend you can get even more for your money, as it's all aboard the Amerigo Vespucci!

'The most beautiful ship in the world' arrives at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard for a limited time only. See Amerigo Vespucci in stunning detail from 24 - 27 August. Plus, visitors on Sunday 26 August will be able to get right up close to the ship and even take a walk onboard between 1pm and 4pm.

Measuring a total of 82.4 metres, the hull has three full-rigged masts and is painted in glorious black and white stripes. Its racing prowess stems from entering tall ship races across the globe - helped recently by an updated engine that was installed in 2016. The ship can reach speeds of up to 10 knots with a range of 5450 nautical miles.

You can see the Amerigo Vespucci for free with a valid ticket.

The Mary Rose

The Mary Rose Museum offers a fascinating glimpse into Tudor life. Alongside the magisterial remains of Henry VIII's Flagship, it's also home to thousands of Tudor artefacts - the largest collection of its kind in the world, in fact. You can learn all about how sailors lived during that time, whether they were archers, cooks or something else altogether.

As for the ship, once you've discovered how she was built, sank and eventually raised, you can travel through the air lock to breathe in the same air for the very first time since she was raised, now that the most immediately pressing conservation work has been completed.

This Bank Holiday, you can get involved with the museum's Lego extravaganza, adding a section to the huge replica of the Cowdray Embroidery currently being put together on site. Participants will also get to build a small Lego model to take home as a memento of the day.

Gunwharf Quays

If you're after a bit of retail therapy, there are few better places to splurge than Gunwharf Quays. Not only are there scores of designer outlets (offering up to 60% off RRP), there are numerous bars, restaurants and coffee shops on site, meaning there can be just as much to do in the evenings as during the day.

What's more, the enviable waterfront location means Gunwharf Quays is blessed with seafront views and walks - for when you want a spot of fresh air away from the shops.

If all that wasn't enough, there's also a cinema, art gallery and bowling alley on site, as well as…

The Spinnaker Tower

The views from the Spinnaker Tower have to be seen to be believed. As well as the cityscape of Portsmouth, you can see out to the Isle of Wight, across the Solent and northwards to rural Hampshire. It truly is the best of all worlds, with a varied view across city, coast and country.

A trip up the tower isn't all about the view, however. There's the glass floor to test your nerve, as well as The Clouds Café - where you can enjoy a very High Tea. If you're feeling brave, you could abseil the tower, take on The Drop freefall, or use the latest in virtual reality technology to experience what it would be like to walk along the outside of this iconic structure.

These are, of course, just some of the countless attractions there are to enjoy in Portsmouth Find out more (as well as information on all the events going on) using our listings pages.