I’m sat in Caffe Nero waiting for a slightly delayed flight home and reflecting on a wonderful weekend in Edinburgh. You’ll start to see Edinburgh pop up more here the friend I’ve known the longest has just moved to the City. The joy of her being new to Edinburgh is I got to explore some places with her and find some new haunts. Portobello (or PortyB) was one of those.
Portobello ended up on our radar thanks to Park Run and Instagram. The bookshop had ended up on my friends feed and we were keen to ensure we had a good leg stretch to start the weekend.
Contents
Why is Portobello worth visiting?
Portobello is an eighteenth century town which found its prosperity in Clay. These helped fuel the potteries and brickworks which sprung up in the town. This means that the town is pretty, brimming with culture and quality food outlets. Oh and it has a beach. Really do you need to read any more?
How do you get to Portobello?
Portobello is best accessed by car or by local bus. It also features on a number of tours aimed at readers or cyclists. Note, I have not done these tours myself. For example:
What there is to do in Portobello
Stretch your legs at Portobello Park Run
If you are visiting Portobello on a Saturday then the Park Run is a must. It’s 3 loops of Figgate Park. The crowd there is also really friendly. For us, this was a great way to start the day. It was a 9.30 start (30 mins later than in England) which was appreciated and just got everything moving. Which was much needed!
If you are visiting any other day, the park is still worth a visit. It has a wonderful view of some Munro’s, some wonderful steel sculptures and a nice area of water. I want to call it a lake, but its probably a pond or stream.
Stop for Coffee at the Beach House
And cake. As you might expect, there are a lot of delis and coffee shops in Portobello. I nearly dragged us into the first shop we found. This would have been a mistake. Instead we kept pottering and were a little more discerning. The Beach House was totally worth waiting another 30 minutes for the caffeine hit. Oh and THIS woopie pie. Yes that is a peanut brittle cookie sandwich.
According to Amy it was the best cinnamon roll she has ever eaten in her life. There was also a great selection of bread, quality food and magnificent coffee. In short, the Beach House is one of the places in Portobello that just has really good food.
Find your next read at one of Portobello’s Independent Bookshops
Portobello has a great selection of new and second hand book shops. We took time to explore the Portobello Bookshop which was clearly much more than just a book shop. The Portobello Bookshop is a community hub. It hosts crafting events, talks and runs a book club. It also is just wonderfully laid out and has beautiful stationery.
At the other end of the high street is Tills Bookshop and Cafe. This second hand bookshop can only be described as an introverts dream. By the window there are a series of chairs where you can read and watch the world go by. It also has cushioned areas in windows. These give you space to escape the world with a cup of coffee and a book.
Stock your cupboard at an artisan deli
Portobello does not just have brilliant coffee. It is also home to several specialty delicatessens. For example we stumbled into a shop which only makes fresh, stuffed pasta. The pasta shop is only open Thursday to Sunday.
Then there was the Mouse Hole. Which pretty much just sold different cheese sandwiches, made to order of course.*
Go for a wander along the beach
The beach at Portobello is sandy, serene and cold. It does go into the North Sea after all.
It is also adorned with food shacks and has one of the tackiest looking arcades I have seen in a long time. Seriously, the arcade is in a castle that the Excalibur hotel in Vegas would be jealous of. Or gave birth to, I’m still not 100% sure.
The beach at Portobello is good for dog walkers or just anyone looking to sit and take in the natural beauty of the area. The hills in the background give an imposing skyline and the sea is bright blue.
Find somewhere to stay near Edinburgh
*Denotes an affiliate link. This means if you make a purchase, I get a little commission at no cost to you.
Save Portobello near Edinburgh for later
Leave a Reply