Victorian architecture lines the modern avenues of this port city, which has a thriving shopping boulevard and concert venues in historic buildings.
The Portsmouth City Centre offers a fresher alternative to the historic treasures of Old Portsmouth. Here, you’ll find some of the city’s principal attractions, from vast parks and government buildings to shopping avenues and theaters. Spend several days visiting Portsmouth City Centre to get insight into the culture of modern-day Portsmouth.
On a fine summer day, lay down a blanket for a picnic with your family in Victoria Park. Bring your kids to the children’s playground and relax in the café. On the eastern side of the park is the city’s main commercial avenue, packed with stores, banks and cafés. Enter the Cascades Shopping Centre and browse the upscale retailers and boutique shops.
Several historic treasures adorn the streets of the city center. Admire the twin towers and redbrick façade of St. John’s Cathedral. Dating back to the 19th century, it is a more modern alternative to the Portsmouth Cathedral in the Old Town area.
Admire the thick columns and imposing pediment of the nearby Portsmouth Guildhall, which was built in 1890 as a town hall. Today, it hosts a range of musical concerts, art exhibitions and festivals.
A little south is the New Theatre Royal, a fine example of Victorian architecture. Walk beneath its elegant colonnade and purchase tickets from the box office for a play or musical. Next door, take a self-guided tour of the University of Portsmouth.
Portsmouth City Centre is located a little inland from the Gunwharf Quays and Old Portsmouth districts. Get a train from a neighboring city to the Portsmouth & Southsea railway station, which is an attraction in its own right, having first opened in 1847. Travel around the area by bus or on foot. Make sure to check out the highlights of nearby districts, including Portsea, Buckland and Fratton.
A short walk from the Old Portsmouth district, the Portsmouth City Centre shows what happened next in the continually unfolding history of this maritime city.
