✈️ Travel Information ✈️
Our wedding will take place in Southsea, a beautiful seaside area of Portsmouth on England’s south coast. Located on Portsea Island, Portsmouth is the UK’s only island city. In fact, you might be able to see the island from your plane as you approach the UK (see below).
Portsmouth is a vibrant historic port, known for its naval heritage. Southsea, at the southern tip of the island, has a more relaxed coastal feel, with its long pebble beach, seafront promenade, independent shops, and cosy cafés.
Together, they offer the perfect mix of history, culture, and seaside charm — an ideal setting for a spring weekend.
Portsmouth and Southsea do not have an airport, but there are two main airports you could consider as your best options for travel from abroad.
(1) London Gatwick Airport (LGW) is the one we predominantly use for travel, as it is well-connected with many airports. Transport from the airport to Portsmouth is easy, as there is a direct train (~1h30) every half an hour until 10 pm.
(2) The nearest airport is Southampton Airport (SOU) (about 25 25-minute drive), but connections with other airports are limited. Only from October 2025 will they start flights between Southampton and Barcelona. It is a small airport, so it is often more expensive. Transport by train is a bit trickier as you will need to travel to Southampton Central and change there for a train to Portsmouth (total journey ~1h).
Alternatives to consider, although it might make your trip longer and more expensive, as you will need to get extra transport links (such as trains, tube, or even a rental car):
(3) London City Airport (LCY). This is an airport embedded within the city of London. You will need to travel from the airport to London Waterloo train station and take a direct train to Portsmouth (~1h30). A return ticket to London can range between £30-£100, depending on the time and how far in advance you purchase it.
(4) London Heathrow Airport (LHR), (5) London Stansted Airport (STN) and (6) London Luton Airport (LTN) are located east and north of London. They do not have a good train link with Portsmouth, so you would need to rent a car or travel (as above) to London by train/tube. Heathrow has a good link by bus. For example, STN operates a direct train to the London Liverpool Street train station, get the London Tube to London Waterloo and then another train to Portsmouth (Total journey ~3h if every link is on time)
(7) Brighton Airport is also on the south coast, over 1-hour drive away from Portsmouth. It does not have a good train link. We have never travelled here; the journey looks possible on Google Maps (1h35), although I personally would not do it.
A good place to compare: Skyscanner
ℹ️ Important travel information for EU citizens ℹ️
If you’re coming from the EU, you’ll need to apply for a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before your trip. It costs £16, do not get fooled by false advertising found online that charges you £100+.
The application can be completed online via the official government website or through the UK ETA app on your smartphone:
Once approved, the ETA is digitally linked to your passport and allows multiple visits of up to six months each, valid for two years or until your passport expires. Most people get a decision within 1–3 days. More information can be found here:
Needless to say, after the United Kingdom exited the EU, you will need a passport to travel.
More travel information
🚈Arriving by train🚈
Portsmouth is accessible by train with three stations that can get you to the centre of the island, which are a short distance from the wedding venue. From right to left, the stops are:
- Fratton (32min walk, 7 min drive);
- Portsmouth and Southsea (26min walk, 7 min drive); and
- Portsmouth Harbour (28 min walk, 5 min drive).
* Note for those travelling by train from London Gatwick Airport: The train is usually made up of 8 coaches and splits along the way. Don’t worry, you will see and hear an announcement at the station, but make sure to be in the front 4 coaches. If you make a mistake, you can always move coaches while you travel.
* Note on getting Train tickets 🎟️
Trains in the UK are fairly expensive, so it is worth getting travel tickets in advance. Return tickets are often the cheaper option. However, if purchased in advance, getting two single trips might be cheaper. Here are some useful websites to plan your train journey:
- National Rail (Train service main website to check status and plan, it redirects you to the appropriate website to buy your train ticket)
- SWR (Train operator for the South West, likely the train you will be booking if you travel from Gatwick Airport)
- TrainPal (Search engine to find the cheapest option, overly gamified, be warned!)
- Trainline (Search engine, usually charges a fee)
🚗Arriving by car🚗
The hotel has parking spaces available to guests (on a first-come, first-served basis). You just need to input your plate number at the hotel’s reception.
In the unlucky chance there is no space, there are several public carparks you can use nearby (managed by the City Council).
[A] Southsea Common Car Park (1 min walk): 74 Clarence Parade, Southsea, Portsmouth PO5 3NW
[B] Seafront The Esplanade Car Park (5 min walk): Southsea, Portsmouth, Southsea PO5 3SB
⛴️* If you are feeling like it’s Adventure Time ⛴️
If you feel brave enough to travel by car, you can cross the English Channel by ferry or through the Eurotunnel.
Calais – Dover offers you options to travel by Ferry or on the Eurotunnel. We usually travel with Irish Ferries (as it tends to be cheaper than other companies like P&O or DFDS).
A good place to compare is Direct Ferries:
Portsmouth is also connected with France and Spain via Ferry, so you could travel with Brittany Ferries from/to Caen, Cherbourg, Le Havre, and even Santander (if you fancy travelling for 33 hours!). These are usually more expensive as they take twice as long as the Calais-Dover crossing.
Moving Around Portsmouth
Portsmouth and Southsea are fairly walkable. It could take you 1h20 to walk side to side of the island on its widest part, meaning that if you are in the centre, it will only take you over 30 minutes to get anywhere.
If you don’t fancy walking, there are many alternatives, such as getting the bus network (operated by FirstBus).
If you want to drive, you might need to consider that many two-way streets operate on a give-way basis with only space for one car. It is a shock for those who have not had to drive much in England.
Additionally, Portsmouth and Southsea have access to the VOI network. A pay-as-you-go rental of eScoters and eBikes, which we usually use for fast travel on nice days. It is very simple to use, you will need a smartphone, install the app, be 18+ and have a driving license. Once you have an account, you can simply scan the QR code on one of the scooters/bikes and get going!
Alternatively, you can always rely on taxis. For example, we have a good Uber service. However, they get very busy at night (when people go out or come back from a night out), which means that prices might increase.
🌿 Things to do – Getting to know Portsmouth and Southsea
To help you plan your trip, it might be helpful to know a bit more about Portsmouth and Southsea, so you can know the area better and discover some of our favourite places.
Portsea Island nests Portsmouth and Southsea, which creates three distinct areas that work as hubs where things are, including:
- In Portsmouth City Centre / Commercial Road, you will find a wide array of shops.
- Gunwharf Quays is a luxury-brand outlet shopping centre located in the historic dockyard. Do not forget to visit the Aspex Portsmouth Art Gallery if you’re there!
- Southsea centre and Albert road, where many cafes, bars and restaurants are, including the wedding venue.
Some places of interest:
[1] Historic Dockyard – A world-famous naval heritage site where you can explore historic ships like The Mary Rose, or HMS Victory. This is where Gunwharf Quays is, where you will be able to see many figureheads and the Spinaker Tower.
[2] Old Portsmouth – A charming historic quarter with cobbled streets, traditional pubs, and views across the harbour. It is close to the Portsmouth Cathedral, King’s Bastion and the City Museum and Art Gallery.
[3] Clarence Pier – A classic seaside funfair and arcade with rides, games, and plenty of seaside snacks.
[4] Southsea Centre and Castle – A Tudor castle built by Henry VIII with exhibitions, seafront views, and nearby cafés. The seaside walk from there has been recently renewed, and it’s one of the nicest views of the beach!
[5] Albert Road – Southsea’s lively street for bars, pubs, live music, and nightlife.
[6] Southsea Pier – A traditional pier with amusements, food stalls, and lovely views along the coast. You can see the forts in the middle of the Solent from there
[7] Canoe Lake – A family-friendly park with a boating lake, pedalos, and the chance to spot wild swans. Easy access to the Rose Garden and Cumberland House Natural History Museum, as well as the beach.
