Portsmouth Guided Walk: A Journey Through 800 Years of British History

Embark on a guided walk through 800 years of British history in Old Portsmouth. Delve into the lives and stories of its people, with options to explore World War 2, industrial archaeology, and more. Suitable for all ages and accessible for wheelchairs and dogs.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • HMS Warrior 1860 - Our starting point of this unique part of British naval history.\n\nPlease note: We do not enter the dockyard or visit any ships.\n- Spinnaker Tower - Spinnaker Tower a world-famous tower\n- The Round Tower - The Round Tower is our defensive history. Admire the architecture\n- Portsmouth Cathedral - Admire one of our…
What's Included
  • Guidance from a knowledgeable guide
Additional Information

Please be advised that the tour does not include the Historic Dockyard or its onboard visits.
Old Portsmouth embodies over eight centuries of history, playing a pivotal role in Britain’s global involvement.
The tour emphasizes on the narratives of its inhabitants, their life, love, and losses, rather than mundane timelines or simplistic buildings.
The…

Location
The Hard Interchange
Next to Mudlarks Statue 30m outside the Historic Dockyard in front of Warrior 1860. 75m from The Hard bus interchange or 100m from Portsmouth Harbour Station & Gosport Ferry. Car park is in Wickham Street PO1 3EF. The Portsmouth Clean Air Zone doesn't apply to private cars, vans or motor cycles.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(127 Ratings)
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Thollis199
Jul 17, 2025
- An excellent afternoon. Steve provided information and stories in an easy going and often humorous style. My knowledge of Portsmouth and wartime history increased exponentially. Thank you Steve, keep up the good work!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Elsie1507
Jul 6, 2025
Relaxed, informative walking tour of Old Portsmouth - We came across Steve as we queued beside Historical Old Naval Yard, and we are really glad we went back and joined his tour. It was very relaxed, pitched at the people in our small group and was a great way to get our bearings from a local, knowledgeable guide. He kept us amused with human interest stories, as well as historical facts, as we explored Old Portsmouth and knowledgeablely answered all our questions along the way. The tour lasted just over an hour, and we finished early to explore the pop up craft Mmarket, which Steve was happy to let us do. Recommended!
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Jonny
Jul 5, 2025
Fantastic. - Absolutely loved this tour. Steve was very knowledgeable and entertaining. Learned so much about the history of Portsmouth and the origins of many "sayings". Would highly recommend for everyone, including those with kids.
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Ronaldbx7103cs
Jun 27, 2025
Great history lessons filled with anecdotes - We had an absolutely fantastic experience with Steve from Portsmouth of the Past. His knowledge of the city’s history is nothing short of impressive—every street, building, and landmark came alive through his vivid storytelling. Steve struck the perfect balance between depth and accessibility, offering fascinating insights without ever overwhelming us. His passion for Portsmouth’s heritage is infectious, and his warmth and humor made the whole tour feel like a walk with a knowledgeable friend. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to truly connect with the soul of the city. Thank you, Steve!
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Susanwx433ef
Jun 24, 2025
A fascinating insight into Portsmouth history - A fascinating tour, taking in parts of old Portsmouth that we hadn't seen before and pointing out things we hadn't noticed. Steve, our host, was both entertaining and informative. The walking tour was easily accessible and lasted about an hour and a half. Would definitely recommend.
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487clives
Jun 15, 2025
Glorious sunny guided walk around old Portsmouth - Met out guide Steve at the designated spot,noticed we were the only two on the walk, was very happy as wouldn’t have to fight to listen what he was saying😊 Steve introduced us to Portsmouth by. Showing us photos/ pictures of what we were going to see along our walk. Was such an interesting walk with lots of little stops to point out little Gems of information. I would highly recommend this walk to anyone who loves s bit of history. Another bonus was the weather 🌞 Thank you once again Steve ( I hope it was Steve! )🤣 Dawn and Clive Down for the day from london
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Dave
Jun 14, 2025
Fab - Fab tour, really nice guy who was interesting and enthusiastic. Great insights into Pompey and able to answer all our questions.
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Stevewa3081rd
Jun 9, 2025
The best experience of Portsmouth - Steve was extremely knowledge and we learned so much more about the history of Portsmouth, than we could have found ourselves. Well worth the time, the highlight of our visit. Highly recommend.
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Trevor
Jun 9, 2025
Old Portsmouth with Steve - Joined Steve the guide for a lovely little tour of Portsmouth , Steve’s a long standing local guy who’s passionate about his city with a great knowledge and incite into his home town . Visited parts of the old city that you’d be hard pressed to find as a visitor, What better than to spend a thoroughly enjoyable hour or two exploring the streets with your own guide . Certainly worth the money of which some Steve generously donates to ‘ cancer research ! A MUST DO !
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558veronica195
Jun 6, 2025
Excellent walking tour! - We really enjoyed the tour around Portsmouth of the past with Steve. There were plenty of interesting facts and stories, all delivered with a good sense of humour.
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From $13
up to 12 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).