Portsmouth – a great place to live and work

Portsmouth is centrally located on the south coast of England, in Hampshire. It is a great base to explore England’s south coast – with South Downs National Park and New Forest National Park on the doorstep.

By road

Portsmouth enjoys excellent road connections to London and Britain’s motorway network, especially via the M27, M3 and A3/M25.

National Express coaches operate a regular service to and from Portsmouth. The coaches terminate at Portsmouth Harbour where local bus services run to and from the heart of the city.

Portsmouth’s Park and Ride service is open daily and offers commuters and visitors quick and easy transport into the centre of Portsmouth, the Historic Dockyard, and Gunwharf Quays shopping area.

By train

Portsmouth is well connected by train. There are regular services all along the south coast and to London, with a fastest journey time of one hour 26 minutes.

By air

There are four airports within an hour’s travelling distance of Portsmouth. Southampton International Airport is 20 miles away; Bournemouth Airport is 50 miles way; London’s Gatwick and Heathrow Airports are roughly 60 miles away.

By sea

Portsmouth International Port offers more ferry routes, from Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries, than any other UK ferry port, serving popular destinations in France, Spain, and the Channel Islands. There is also ferry and hovercraft travel from Portsmouth to the Isle of Wight.

Small to medium sized cruise ship operators include Ponant, Phoenix Reisen and Saga offering journeys to sun-kissed lands, wild isles, castles and vineyards, Norwegian fjords, Hamlet’s Elsinore, or magnificent St Petersburg. Beautiful, world-class luxury liners sail from Portsmouth.

Nearby is the Port of Southampton, which operates cruises from companies such as P&O, Cunard, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruise Lines & Azamara.

Southsea seafront, along Portsmouth’s coast, enjoys one of the mildest winters in the UK and is perfect for walks, exercise, and fresh sea air.

Its four miles of beach stretch from Old Portsmouth to Eastney and is flanked by the vast green expanse of Southsea Common, dotted with beautiful flower gardens. Canoe Lake is a popular spot for family picnics with its swan nursery, boating, adventure playground and café. There’s also a nearby model village, rose garden and the Blue Reef Aquarium.

For a traditional seaside experience, visit Pier of the Year winner (2018), the much-loved South Parade Pier for its amusement arcade, fish and chips, licensed restaurant, ice-cream parlour, entertainment venue, fishing, rides, and uninterrupted views out across the Solent and Isle of Wight.

Further along the seafront, kids will love Clarence Pier, one of the largest amusement parks on the south coast.

Across Portsmouth sporty types can enjoy adventure playgrounds, swimming pools, BMX and skate parks, mini golf, pitch and putt, beach volleyball, rowing, tennis, and running and cycling opportunities. Many sports events are hosted here, including the Great South Run, and there are sports and leisure centres across the city.

At Portsmouth Harbour, Spinnaker Tower offers panoramic views of the city and its surrounding coastline. Standing 170 metres tall, it has a viewing platform, a glass floor, and interactive screens. And for the ultimate experience, take the drop, an exhilarating abseil down the side with trained instructors.

Music lovers will enjoy the award-winning music festival Victorious which takes place on Southsea Common every August bank holiday weekend, with headline acts and family friendly entertainment. Over 250 bands and artists perform across three stages all weekend, alongside markets, and real ale and world music villages.

And a short hovercraft or ferry ride away is the Isle of Wight, host to June’s famous Isle of Wight Music Festival with international artists, local bands, and entertainment from across the UK.

In the city centre, Portsmouth Guildhall, built in1890, hosts gigs and concerts designed for all the family. And Grade II listed Kings Theatre, which opened in 1907, is described as one of the UK’s best examples of Edwardian playhouses. Retaining most of it is original, highly ornate, and richly decorated plaster work and cornices, it hosts a packed programme of musicals, plays, comedy, opera, dance, talks and films.

Portsmouth Historic Dockyard is a must-see attraction with ships including HMS Victory and HMS Warrior. And the Mary Rose ship retells the Tudor story through ship’s artefacts and interactive displays inside a purpose-built museum. You can also explore the dockyard from the water on a harbour tour to see modern Royal Navy ships including HMS Queen Elizabeth, when alongside at Portsmouth Naval Base.

On Southsea seafront the D-Day Story is the only museum in the UK dedicated to the Allied Invasion in June 1944. It tells unique personal stories and gives insight into the lives of those who took part in D-Day, whether they were individuals on the shore in Portsmouth, or those who went over to Normandy.

Built in 1544, Southsea Castle was part of a series of fortifications constructed by King Henry VIII around England’s coasts to protect the country from invaders. Over the centuries, Southsea Castle’s defences were strengthened so that it could continue to protect Portsmouth. Visitors can still enter the tunnel and see how the castle would have been defended. Artillery, gun platforms and panoramic views from the top of the keep overlook the Isle of Wight and the Solent.

Literary legend Charles Dickens called Portsmouth his home. Known for classics including Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol and A Tale of Two Cities, the Charles Dickens Museum houses furniture, ceramics, and decorations faithfully recreated in the Regency style of the time.

Gunwharf Quays, alongside Portsmouth Harbour, is the South Coast’s leading designer shopping outlet, home to over 90 big brand names at outlet prices. And after a busy day shopping you can visit its many bars and restaurants, 14 screen Vue cinema, night club or bowling alley.

For a more relaxing day out, Southsea offers independent shops, cafés, and restaurants. Palmerston Road has regular weekend markets with artisanal gifts, crafts, food, and homewares. Albert Road in the heart of central Southsea is described as bohemian, contemporary, diverse, and unique to Portsmouth. It is a bustling hub of eclectic and independent shops, restaurants and pubs which give the area a unique atmosphere and feel.

For high street stores like Boots, Waterstones, Primark and more, head to Commercial Road and the Cascades Shopping Centre in the heart of Portsmouth city centre.

The average sold price for a property in Portsmouth in the last 12 months was just over £278K (Zoopla, February 2023) two-thirds cheaper than the average sold price for a property in London in the last 12 months at over £750K (Zoopla, February 2023).

Across Portsmouth and Southsea you will find grand Edwardian villas, red bricked Victorian houses, three-storey town houses and the ever-popular terraced house. In fact, the terraced house is one of the most familiar styles of home in Portsmouth.

Just over 42% of Portsmouth people live in a terraced house, compared to the national average of 22.7%. They are typically well built, cheaper to maintain (especially the older terraced houses), comparatively spacious, and in good locations. Many terraced houses have been improved and extended through the inventive use of rear gardens/yards and converted roof spaces.

The cost of living is good too, it’s 39% cheaper to live in Portsmouth than in London.

There are over 80 schools to choose from across the mix of pre-school, primary, secondary, private, and special needs. And ninety-three percent are rated good or outstanding by Ofsted (February 2022).

The University of Portsmouth is highly regarded and investing £400 million into its Portsmouth’s city centre campus over the coming years.

It’s one of only four universities in the southeast of England rated as Gold in the Government’s Teaching Excellence Framework

The QS World University Rankings gave it five stars for teaching, employability, internationalisation, facilities, arts and culture, and inclusiveness.

The Times Higher Education Young University Rankings recognised it as one of the UK’s best universities established over the last 50 years.

And a range of independent student surveys show that Portsmouth University students have high levels of satisfaction – top 40 university for student satisfaction (National Student Survey 2022) and top 15 post graduate satisfaction (Postgraduate Taught Experience Survey 2022).