Spectacular Views from Portsmouth's Spinnaker Tower

Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, England is a spectacular destination. The tower soars 558 feet (170 metres) above sea level and the viewing platform offers breathtaking views of the historic naval city of Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight.

Some called Spinnaker Tower an expensive white elephant but today it has become an icon for the City of Portsmouth and the heart of the redeveloped and lively Gunwharf Quays area. The views are panoramic - you can take in the historic naval dockyard (which even today usually has an aircraft carrier or similar vessel moored up), the cobbled streets and forts of historic Old Portsmouth and the famous pleasure pier and beach of Southsea. HMS Victory, HMS Warrior and of course Henry VIII's flagship the Mary Rose - raised from the sea bed in the 1980s - are the star attractions at the nearby historic naval dockyard.

Julius Caesar famously reported you could walk to the Isle of Wight at low tide but with rising sea levels the River Solent is now a large strait of open water plied by ferries, catamarans and boats. There is still no bridge to the Island, even though it lies only 3 to 5 miles off the Hampshire coast. This insularity has helped it remain a charming and historic tourist destination.

2009-10 admission prices for Spinnaker Tower are £7.00 (adult), £5.50 for a child (3-15 years) and £6.20 for a senior citizen or student. The tower is free to children under three years of age. I have visited similar towers around the world, from the Lookout in Vancouver to the SkyTower in Auckland, New Zealand, and am pleased to report that Spinnaker Tower ranks up there with the best of them. It is a thoroughly enjoyable tourist destination and a great starting point to explore the historic city of Old Portsmouth.