Portsmouth Hotels

Portsmouth combines a raft of fabulous naval history with a disappointing post-WWII cityscape. The bombing scars, postwar architecture and surprisingly deserted waterfront promenades can leave a melancholy impression, but adjoining Southsea has good beaches, bars and restaurants.

Anyone who spends any extended period of time in England will sympathise with the locals' obsession with the weather, although in relative terms the climate is mild and the rainfall is not spectacular. The least hospitable months for visitors are November to February - it's cold and the days are short. March and October are marginal - there's more daylight but it can still be pretty chilly. April to September are undoubtedly the best months, and this is, unsurprisingly, when most sights are open, and when most people visit. However, July and August are the busiest months, and best avoided if at all possible. The crowds on the coast, at the national parks, in London and popular towns like Oxford, Bath and York have to be seen to be believed.