More to explore in '24!

If Portsmouth was the place to be in '23 then there's even more to explore in '24 - with a host of top activities, huge commemoration events and our world-class attractions open all year round. It's time to book your next trip to the coast and discover what awaits at the UK's only island city.

Explore world-renowned history

There are other museums that let you see items from history - at a distance and often behind glass. At Portsmouth Historic Dockyard you actually go on board.

Immerse yourself in centuries of naval heritage and climb aboard some of the world's most famous warships. HMS Victory - still technically in service and therefore the world's oldest naval vessel in commission - is on display in a specially designed dry dock. As well as going onto the ship (and standing in the exact spot where Admiral Lord Nelson was fatally shot), you can see the fascinating work that goes into keeping her shipshape. Victory Live is putting the ship's enormous restoration project front and centre, so visitors can see the advanced science, hard-won expertise and good old fashioned hard graft that is going into ensuring Victory can tell her story for generations to come.

Or how about visiting HMS Warrior, the world's first iron hulled warship that was so fast, so well-armed and so fearsome that it was said to have made all other warships obsolete on the day it launched.

Of course, let's not forget the Mary Rose - flagship of Henry VIII's fleet that sunk during the Battle of the Solent and was raised some 436 years later. Today you can see the remains of the ship alongside an awe-inspiring cache of Tudor artefacts that tell the fascinating life stories of those aboard.

One ticket gets you into all these attractions (and more, as well as a Harbour Tour), and even lets you come back as much as you like for a whole year.

Find out more on the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard website.

D-Day 80 commemorations

This year will mark the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the largest amphibious invasion in military history. The operation that was said to have brought about the beginning of the end of World War 2 saw thousands of soldiers cross into occupied France - many of them setting off from Portsmouth.

The anniversary will be marked with a host of events and commemorations throughout the year, though the largest of these will take place on 5 June, as Portsmouth hosts the UK's official national commemoration event. Details are still to be revealed on that, so be sure to check back regularly for all the details.

As well as the national event, the 80th anniversary year will be marked with a host of goings on at The D-Day Story on Southsea Seafront, which is the UK's only museum dedicated entirely to the Normandy Campaign. Take a look through D-Day in 80 Objects, which includes items from a host of national and international museums, or head to various city libraries where pop-up museums tell of the impact D-Day had on communities across Portsmouth.

See The D-Day Story website for full details.

Victorious Festival - the most beautifully located in the UK

Get your glad rags on for this August Bank Holiday weekend as Victorious Festival returns to Southsea Common. Where else can you see some of the biggest names in music and comedy, with coastal vistas as ferries float by?

This year's line up has already been released, with headliners Fatboy Slim, Snow Patrol, Jamie T and Biffy Clyro being joined on the line-up by (among many, many others) Becky Hill, Pixies, Wet Leg, Courteeners, The Kooks, Natasha Bedingfield, James Bay, Sugababes, Idles, Jess Glynne, Razorlight and Tom Walker. Comedy fans can also enjoy a packed line up of top acts, among them Russell Howard, Frankie Boyle and Al Murray.

If all that wasn't enough, the Kids Arena will also be open to families of all ages - with live performances, interactive activities, fairground rides and plenty more besides. It's no surprise that Victorious has been nominated previously for Best Family Festival in the UK Festival Awards (not to mention having been named Large Festival of the Year by the National Outdoor Events Association, Gold award for Accessibility by Attitude is Everything, and Outstanding Contribution in The News Business Excellence Awards).

Tickets and the full line up are available on the Victorious Festival website.

Travel by train for an easy, comfortable journey

Portsmouth may be on an island but that doesn't mean it's inaccessible. In fact, as well as having a motorway come right into the city centre, Portsmouth is served by direct rail routes to London, Brighton, Cardiff, Southampton, Winchester, Bristol and beyond.

With South Western Railway you can get into Portsmouth from central London in just an hour and a half. It's not only the easy way to travel but also one of the greenest - a growing consideration for many people now trying to keep their carbon footprint down when organising trips away.

If that wasn't reason enough, how about getting some extra discounts whilst you're here? Travel with South Western Railway to access its SWR Rewards platform, giving you discounted entry to a host of attractions not just in Portsmouth but around the country (the aforementioned D-Day Story museum is just one attraction signed up to the scheme).

Book your ticket direct on the South Western Railway website.

Plan your trip to the Great Waterfront City

If all this has got you hankering for a trip to the coast then you're in the right place. Take a look at our accommodation listings to see what options are available, then plan your itinerary with more attractions and events than you could ever fit into just one weekend.