Already in July 2023, I introduced yo to the picturesque Gunwharf Quays, a shopping and relaxation district in Portsmouth on the Southern English coast. In this posting, I am taking you back there and take you to the most iconic building of the area, the Spinnaker Tower. Formed like a sail, the observation deck offers you a view of Portsmouth and the naval traffic in that area.

 

Spinnaker Tower – Location & Admission

Spinnaker Tower is located within the Gunwharf Quays. This means that apart from the facilities offered by the observation tower itself, there are numerous options to hang out or having some lunch or dinner. The easiest way to get there is by train – the Portsmouth Harbour rail station is just a short walk away. If you are in the area already, local and national bus services depart from The Hard Interchange. The key reason for that excellent connection is that ferries are leaving to the Island of Wight. This does, however, not include the hoovercraft services, which depart South of this place.

At the time of writing, Spinnaker Tower is opening daily, 10:30 to 18:00, from Monday to Thursday and 10:00 to 18:00 Friday to Sunday. The Spinnaker Kitchen & Bar on the ground is generally open from 9:00 to 18:00. The ticket price for an adult is 14.75 GBP. There are also special services like having Afternoon Tea on top of the tower.

 

Spinnaker Tower – The Visit

Spinnaker Tower comes with an overall height of 170 meters. However, due to the long needle on top, the three observation decks are significantly lower and are 100, 105 and 110 meter above the ground. The observation tower is rather new and has been opened in 2005. You may see an introduction film before you head up to the observation area. I gave you a few pictures without color correction. The glass is strongly tinted against the sun, which unfortunately leads to a blue-ish light.

The three levels are used for different kinds of attractions. The lower floor, for example, features a glass floor. The view from the tower is a bit of of obstructed as the windows learn towards the inside on the top of each floor. This means that there are not too large, but noticeable obstructions to view the ground below you. On the positive sides, documentation touch screens help you a lot to understand the area around Portsmouth, especially if you are not a local.

The key view from Spinnaker Tower is the harbor area anyway. Especially in summer when the traffic is higher, this is very enjoyable. The top deck is significantly smaller – therefore, the roof is open, which leads to a nicer feeling. Overall, the views from all three levels are rather equivalent, though.

 

Spinnaker Tower – Services

Spinnaker Tower features two places which allow you to enjoy a bite. First of all, there is a restaurant on ground level. Additionally, the The Clouds Cafe offers you some snacks on 105 meters above the ground as well. This place is also used to serve High Tea and Brunch High Tea. Both are charged with 40 GBP per person and include the general admission to the tower.

Of course, there is also sufficient opportunity to bring some memorables home. The gift shop is quite nice and features a comparably wide range of items.

 

Spinnaker Tower – My View

Spinnaker Tower is a really nicely driven place. Unfortunately, the view is a bit of limited, so that your stay might not take that long. I would, however, at least plan for 40 minutes. The iconic architecture and the nice service lead to good reflections about this place.

 

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