If you are after a free family day out that actually gives you something to do for a few hours, the Pride of Portsmouth Lion Trail is an easy one to slot in. It is a city-wide art trail that has been running since 13 July and does not pack up until 13 September, so there is no rush to do it all in one go. The premise is simple: 45 decorated lion sculptures are scattered across Portsmouth, each one uniquely designed by a different artist, with one roaming unicorn statue thrown in for good measure.
Every week we pick 🏆 the 5 best 🏆 things to do in Portsmouth and send them to your inbox. Just one weekly email, no spam.
By submitting your email, you accept our Privacy Policy
The trail is part of the wider Pride of Portsmouth festival, which celebrates the city's culture, history and community spirit. This year it carries a bit of extra weight, marking 100 years since Portsmouth was officially granted city status on 21 April 1926. The trail itself is developed in association with Wild in Art, and the artists involved include the likes of Or Misgav, November Tan, Amy Palmer, Anjana Gadgil and Hannah Walsh, so no two lions look the same.
How you track them down is the practical part. There is a free Pride of Portsmouth app that lets you keep tabs on the 45 lions and the roaming unicorn as you go, which is the easiest way to make sure you have not missed any. If you would rather have something in your hand, printed maps are available from Portsmouth Libraries for free with a library card, or for £2 if you are not a member. The route is not a straight line, so it works as much as a slow wander as a proper hunt.
On the ground, the lions are spread across the city, with a good cluster in the city centre and over at Gunwharf Quays, so you can easily pair a bit of the trail with a bit of shopping or lunch. There is some disagreement on where the whole thing officially begins and ends — one source puts the start in Paulsgrove and the finish in Southsea, while another says it runs from Cosham to Fratton — but because the lions are scattered rather than strung along a single path, it does not really matter where you start. You can pick a neighbourhood and find a few, or try to string together a longer walk across town.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time the city has done something like this. Previous editions ran over a weekend in June — 2025, 2024 and 2023 — so the 2026 version, which stretches over nine weeks, is a fair bit more relaxed than its predecessors. Instead of a frantic weekend, you have the whole summer to chip away at it, which is exactly what makes it a good family plan: you can do a few lions here and there rather than committing a whole day to it.
Whether you go for the art, the walk or just to keep the kids busy, it is a low-effort way to see a bit more of the city than you usually would. With 45 lions and a unicorn to find, and the whole thing free apart from the optional map, it is hard to argue with as a summer afternoon plan. Just remember to download the app before you set off, and you can let the kids lead the way from one lion to the next.
Published Date
14 August 2026
