Best beach closest to Portsmouth according to Condé Nast Traveller’s top 49 list

Condé Nast Traveller has released its 49 best beaches throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and while Portsmouth is home to several seashores none sadly made the publications list. However, there is a named location not too far away.

While the city has many beaches spread across the south coast, the likes of Portsmouth’s Southsea and Eastney sadly did not make the list of top seashores in the UK. Even Beachlands on Hayling Island, which is the only shore in the Hampshire area to have been awarded a coveted Blue Flag, was also missed off the luxury travel magazine’s round-up.

However, the nearby English channel island of Isle of Wight did make the cut. While it is renowned for its beaches, only one of its shores on its southeast coast is featured on the list.

Read on to discover which of the island’s shores did make the grade and how Portsmouth locals can get to the esteemed beach.

Isle of Wight’s Ventnor makes Condé Nast Traveller best beaches list

The luxury travel magazine spotlighted Isle of Wight’s southeast shore of the seaside town Ventnor. Condé Nast Traveller described Ventnor’s beaches to be "clean, mainly sandy, easily accessible" and also noted its rockpools which are located at either end of the shore.

This is not the first time Ventnor’s beach has been honoured. In 2021, a Safest Shores study ranked it as the UK’s top kid-friendly beach.

How to get to Ventnor from Portsmouth

Portsmouth locals can get to Ventnor in less than an hour and a half by either driving or via public transport.

Those driving can head to the Isle of Wight via the Fishbourne - Portsmouth ferry at the Wightlink Gunwharf Terminal. After arriving, drive across the isle to Ventnor. According to Google Maps, the journey is estimated to be 1 hour and 28 minutes.

If you plan to travel by public transport, you can get a hovercraft to the Isle of Wight from Southsea Hoverport. Once on the island, you can take a train from Esplanade to the town of Ventnor. The trip is said to be a total of 1 hour and 24 minutes, according to Google Maps.

UK’s best beaches according to Condé Nast Traveller

England’s best beaches

• Blackpool Sands, Devon 
• Seven Sisters, Sussex
• Sennen Cove, Cornwall
• Walberswick Beach, Suffolk
• Pentle Bay, Scilly Isles
• Holkham Beach, Norfolk
• Durdle Door, Jurassic Coast, Dorset
• Dunwich Beach, Suffolk
• Pedn Vounder Beach, Cornwall
• Hunstanton, Norfolk
• Shell Bay, Studland, Dorset
• Southwold, Suffolk
• Mudeford Sandbank, Dorset
• Cuckmere Haven, Seaford, East Sussex
• Whitstable beach, Kent
• Aldeburgh, Suffolk
• Branchester Beach, Norfolk
• Dungeness, Romney Marsh, Kent
• Polzeath, Cornwall
• Bantham Beach, South Devon
• Filey Brigg, North Yorkshire
• West Wittering, West Sussex
• Sandbanks, Dorset
• St. Bees, Cumbria
• Woolacombe Sands, Devon
• Cromer Beach, North Norfolk
• Whitley Bay, Tyneside
• Sheringham beach, North Norfolk
• South Bay, Scarborough, Yorkshire
• Ventnor, Isle of Wight

Scotland’s best beaches

• Scarista Beach, Lewis & Harris
• Achmelvich Beach, North-west 
• Machir Bay, Islay
• Uig beach, Isle of Lewis
• St Cyrus, Aberdeenshire
• Luskentyre, Outer Hebrides

Wales’ best beaches

• Three Cliffs Bay
• Aberfforest Beach
• Llanddwyn, Anglesey
• Barafundle Bay, Pembrokeshire
• Rhossili Bay, Gower Coast
• Harlech Gwynedd
• Penbryn Ceredigion
• Whitesands Beach, Pembrokeshire

• Benone, Ulster
• Mill Bay, Rathlin Island
• Magilligan Point, Ulster
• Whiterocks, Portrush
• Whitepark Bay, Antrim