The Portsmouth Student Guide: Portsmouth City Centre

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.

Portsmouth is a lively, dense coastal city that perfectly combines relaxing seaside charm with the exciting buzz of a city. Its bustling city centre is packed with things to do, tasty food spots and affordable rent prices, making it an ideal city for students.

Train station

At the heart of the city centre is Portsmouth & Southsea station. Here, you’ll find a variety of Portsmouth student accommodation options, from private halls for first years new to the city to stylish apartments for second and third year students. Being so close to the station also makes for spontaneous weekend trips to nearby cities such as Southampton or Brighton.

Shopping

If you’re like me and have left sorting your pres or Varsity Wednesday costume to the very last minute, Cascades Shopping Centre is your lifesaver. Venture out onto the high street, and you can grab a new pair of pyjamas from Primark (to add to your excessive pyjama draw) or your skincare favourites from Boots on Commercial Road.

Gyms

For those who like to balance library days with leg days, PureGym on Commercial Road is the fitness hub to be at in the city centre. With affordable, flexible student memberships, you and your gym buddies will be booking those spin classes ASAP.

Nightlife

For your next night out, you’ll probably find yourself in the queue for the Astoria, wristband on and a red basket in hand. Their £1.50 drink deals on Dirty Disco Tuesday nights mean you can have a shimmy on the dance floor without blowing your student budget.

If you’re up for something more chilled out, head no further than to the Dockyard for a pint and some darts or even the popular Indie night on Thursday. Make sure to capture the chaos in their photobooth with your friends to remember the next day when you’re in bed for the morning debrief.

If you’re in a society or just love cheesy pop anthems (big ABBA fan here), Sugar Shack (rebranded from Popworld) is the place to be on Varsity Wednesdays. Gather your teammates and plan your funniest theme for the week – I’m talking minions, lifeguards, or Toy Story characters.

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Food Spots

The best spot for a morning iced latte must be Nosh Box, especially with their homemade coffee syrups that make every drink feel that extra bit special. Their garlic and cheese loaded tater tots are my go to afternoon pick me up, best enjoyed with a chat from their lovely and accommodating host. On your way to the library, swing by Chatime for a bubble tea to keep you company in the silent study area (just try not to slurp your boba too loudly!).

For an underrated find, head to the Chimes Café on the ground floor of the University Learning Centre at the University of Portsmouth. The last time I went, I had a freshly-made omelette with salad and chips, exactly what I needed on a rainy Wednesday.

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Sweet treats

Part of being a student means getting pretty good at budgeting, but that doesn’t mean you can’t indulge in sweet treats along the way (how could I ever survive without a cinnamon roll?). A Starbucks study date on a Tuesday is always a good idea; with your UNiDAYS app you can grab a tall drink for just £2. This means you can get cozy on a corner sofa with your laptop and let that caffeine high carry you through to your next deadline. That's right, Moodle, you are not haunting me this time!

Supermarkets

Within the city centre, you’ve got your main convenience store being a Tesco Express, as well as two Sainsbury’s Local shops, perfect for grabbing that tin of baked beans for your dinner eaten in your uni kitchen. Don’t forget, it’s always worth keeping an eye on Clubcard prices and Nectar offers!

Accommodation

During the 2026/27 letting season, the city centre was the second most popular student area in Portsmouth, just behind Southsea (check out Claire’s blog post on the student’s guide to Southsea to find out more!).

Portsmouth’s city centre is home to a range of both PBSA options and private student houses, each offering different rent prices and facilities. That said, the average rent for student accommodation in Portsmouth city centre is around £216.67 per person per week (January 2026), with all properties on the UniHomes website having bills included in the rent – so if you still need to find somewhere to live in Portsmouth next year, check out the UniHomes website for a wide range of student housing in Portsmouth city centre.

Portsmouth city centre is constantly popping up with new restaurants and fun experiences to try so grab your friends and get exploring!

Our UniHomes Content Ambassadors are current students across the UK who share tips about student life in their city to help you make the most of your time at uni. If you're interested in writing for our programme, click here for more details.

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.