The 10 Most Instagrammable Places in Portsmouth

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About the author: Hi, I’m Karishma Taank! I’m in my final year studying Pharmacy at the University of Portsmouth. I love getting lost in a good book, binge watching movies with my housemates, and taking seaside walks with a coffee in hand.

This seaside city is full of aesthetic spots for you and your friends to visit. Whether you're after skyline views, colourful cafés, seaside sunsets or charming spots, Portsmouth has loads of Instagrammable places ready to be snapped for your feed.

The 10 most Instagrammable places in Portsmouth

1. Spinnaker Tower 🌆

Spinnaker Tower is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks and is easily one of the most impressive places in Portsmouth to photograph. Standing at 170 meters tall, it offers breathtaking panoramic views across Portsmouth and the south coast, making it perfect for wide skyline shots.

At nighttime, the tower lights up in different colours – my camera roll is full of pictures of Spinnaker in different colours from my evening strolls. It's so iconic that people use it for gender reveals, which says everything about how memorable and visually striking it is. In fact, it was my first Instagram post when I first moved to Portsmouth!

📍 Address: Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth, PO1 3TT

2. Old Portsmouth 🏰

Old Portsmouth is one of the prettiest and most charming areas in the city, with cobbled streets, historic buildings and a timeless feel that captures Portsmouth’s classic character. It's ideal for slower, more atmospheric photos.

On the quieter end of the beach, you can even grab a coffee from The Canteen and look out to sea through one of their sea-view windows, which makes the whole area feel peaceful and scenic.

📍 Address: Old Portsmouth, Portsmouth

3. Southsea's seafront 🌊

There is something especially beautiful about the open water at sunset, when the evening light softens everything and the whole scene feels calm and golden. Southsea’s seafront is the perfect backdrop for photos in front of the water, whether you’re after a casual seaside picture or a more polished sunset shot.

If you manage to get up early enough, a sunrise can be just as rewarding, with the quieter atmosphere making it feel even more special.

Interested in what else Southsea has to offer? Read Content Ambassador Claire's guide to Southsea here.

📍 Address: Southsea, Portsmouth

4. Southsea Rose Garden 🌹

In spring, Southsea Rose Garden becomes one of the prettiest spots to visit. It’s the kind of place that's ideal for a Sunday afternoon walk, especially when the flowers are in bloom and the whole area is filled with bright, colourful backgrounds.

📍 Address: Southsea, Portsmouth, PO4 9RU

5. Gunwharf Quays ⛵

The harbour at Gunwharf Quays (which is located just off the city centre) comes alive at night, and seeing it all lit up is incredibly peaceful. The docked boats and reflections on the water create a calm, pretty backdrop that feels especially delicate in the evenings.

I talk a little more about Gunwharf Quays in my blog post on the best student nights out in Portsmouth – click here to give it a read.

📍 Address: Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth

6. Portsdown Hill 🌄

For the best panoramic view of the city, Portsdown Hill is the place to go. It gives you a full view of the Portsmouth skyline, which makes it ideal for sweeping landscape shots and photos that showcase the city from above. It’s gorgeous at golden hour or sunset.

If you want to capture Portsmouth in its entirety, this is definitely one of the strongest spots.

📍 Address: Portsdown Hill Road, Cosham, Portsmouth, PO6 3LZ

7. Hideout Coffee Company ☕

Hideout Coffee Company offers two very different but equally-photogenic vibes.

Upstairs, the space feels edgy and urban, with skull designs, sarcastic sassy light up signs and lots of plants giving it a cool contemporary character. Downstairs, the mood changes completely, with pink sofas and a photo booth that's essential for getting photo strips (perfect for an Instagram story).

It's the kind of place where you can grab a dirty chai latte and snap several photos of the latte art.

📍 Address: Lord Montgomery Way, Unit 8 Charter House, Portsmouth, PO1 2SB

8. Spice Island Inn 🍹

A more hidden but lovely option is Spice Island pub, especially when the weather gets warmer. Sitting outside with a Hugo Spritz and looking out over the harbour gives it a relaxed holiday-like feel, perfect for weekend catch ups with friends.

It's one of those spots that feels laid back and social, and the combination of the water view, drinks and open air make it a summer favourite.

📍 Address: 1 Bath Square, Old Portsmouth, Portsmouth, PO1 2JL

9. Maddie's 🌸

Maddie’s in Gunwharf Quays is the perfect spot for a girly catch up, especially if you're heading out for a matcha trip with the girls between lectures. Its bright, modern interior and soft pink aesthetic make it stand out immediately, giving you the kind of backdrop that looks effortlessly cute on a feed.

Portsmouth is home to loads of great cafés, and you can read more about them here.

📍 Address: Gunwharf Road, Portsmouth, PO1 3TZ

10. MADE BRISK 🍵

Carrying on with the matcha hype, we come to my personal favourite: MADE BRISK. This coffee and matcha pop-up does the best matcha I've had in Portsmouth. Not only that but it’s run by two lovely women, one being a final year student and the other a Portsmouth Uni alumni!

In May alone, I managed to catch them at the Palmerston Road market (which is a very aesthetic, slow Sunday activity) and on their Instagram I saw that they were at the Lakeside street food pop-up. From cookie butter lattes to cherry vanilla cream matcha, their drinks are always Insta story worthy!

📍 Address: Various locations

Overall, Portsmouth is a city that allows for a balance of seaside charm, historic character and modern photo ops in a way that makes it the right place to fill your camera roll. Whether you’re chasing a sunset, an aesthetic caffeine hit or a skyline view that captures the whole city, there is something for everyone.

From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, these spots show that Portsmouth is just as wonderful in real life as it is on your feed.

Find Instagram-worthy student accommodation in Portsmouth

Still looking for next year's student home? Here at UniHomes, we work with letting agents and PBSA providers to showcase a wide variety of student accommodation options in Portsmouth, from private halls to houses. Click here to find bills-inclusive student accommodation in Portsmouth.

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Whilst you’re out having fun in your new uni city, remember that UniHomes promotes responsible drinking, and any alcohol products featured within this article are for ages 18+.

The views and opinions expressed in these blogs are those of the UniHomes Content Ambassadors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of UniHomes. UniHomes accepts no liability for the content of these Student Blogs.