Portsmouth is a major naval base in the south of England. Henry VII established the world's first dry dock here in the late 15th century, but much of what we see today has been rebuilt after aerial bombing raids during World War II.
Fitting its sights, including the historic dockyard, into a day trip is a bit tight, especially if you like shopping, since there is a huge outlet mall in the city centre. But getting here is quite easy, as there are direct trains from London that can take as little as 1.5 hours.
