Portobello
Get to know Portobello and learn the best things to do in Portobello from the best Portobello travel agency.
If you'd like us to help you plan your trip to Portobello, please contact us on WhatsApp at -
What To See In Portobello
Edinburgh's seaside area. Perfect for a stroll on a warm day.
Portobello Beach
Portobello Promenade
Portobello High Street
Turkish Baths
Arcade
Figgate Park
Community Garden
Portobello Local Market
Where To Eat & Drink
Shrimp Wreck
The Beach House
Oscar's Gelato
Esplanade
Where To Stay
Seabreeze B&B
Georgian Guest House Portobello
Best Western Kings Manor Hotel
Straven Guest House
Getting to Portobello from Edinburgh city centre is quick and easy.
By bus (best option)
The bus takes around 20–25 minutes, depending on traffic.
From Princes Street, North Bridge, or Waterloo Place, you can catch several frequent services, including:
-
12
-
19
-
26
-
X26 (limited stops, slightly quicker)
-
East Coast Buses 124
If you're heading straight for the beach, get off at Portobello Town Hall or King's Road—both are just a short walk from the promenade
For route planning and live departure times, use the Lothian Buses bus and tram app.
By taxi
-
Around 10–15 minutes from the city centre.
-
Typically costs £15–20, depending on traffic.
Walking
If you enjoy walking, it's about 3.5–4 miles (6–6.5 km) from the Royal Mile to Portobello. The route via Holyrood Park and Duddingston is particularly scenic and takes around 1¼–1½ hours.
If you're planning a day out, a nice itinerary is to take the bus to Portobello, spend the day on the beach and promenade, then walk back through Duddingston Village and Holyrood Park, finishing at the Royal Mile. It's one of the best walks in Edinburgh.
Portobello is Edinburgh's seaside suburb, located on the southern shore of the Firth of Forth. Today it is known for its long sandy beach, Victorian promenade and relaxed coastal atmosphere, but its story stretches back more than 300 years.
The area takes its name from the capture of Portobelo in present-day Panama by the British Navy in 1739, during the War of Jenkins' Ear. A cottage built nearby by a returning sailor was named "Portobello House," and over time the surrounding settlement adopted the same name.
In the late 18th century, Portobello began to grow as a fashionable seaside resort. Wealthy Edinburgh residents were drawn by the fresh sea air, believed at the time to have health-giving qualities, and the area's wide sandy beach became a popular destination for bathing, walking and recreation.
The Victorian era marked Portobello's golden age. Improved transport links, including the arrival of the railway in the 1840s and later electric trams, made the resort easily accessible to visitors from across Edinburgh and beyond.
Grand hotels, elegant villas, pleasure gardens, bathing pools and entertainment venues lined the waterfront, earning Portobello a reputation as "Edinburgh's Seaside."
Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, families flocked to the beach during the summer months to enjoy donkey rides, amusement arcades, boating and ice cream along the promenade. The famous Portobello Open Air Pool, opened in 1936, became one of Scotland's most celebrated outdoor swimming venues before closing in the 1970s.
Although changing holiday habits led to a decline in traditional British seaside resorts during the second half of the 20th century, Portobello retained its strong local identity. In recent decades, the area has experienced a revival, with independent cafés, artisan food businesses, restored Victorian buildings and community events bringing new life to the neighbourhood.
Today, Portobello combines its rich seaside heritage with a vibrant local culture. Visitors can enjoy the historic promenade, the restored Victorian Turkish Baths, independent shops and cafés, and one of Scotland's finest urban beaches, all just a short journey from Edinburgh city centre.