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Beach
Portobello Beach
Wide sandy beach on the Firth of Forth, backed by a promenade. Hosts an annual summer beach race and a New Year’s Day run.
A mini guide to
Portobello & the Coast
A sandy beach and Victorian promenade on the Firth of Forth, about 3.1 miles (5 km) east of the center
Photos
1 / 2Welcome to the area
A sandy beach and Victorian promenade on the Firth of Forth, about 3.1 miles (5 km) east of the center
Portobello is a coastal suburb of Edinburgh that was a bathing resort and an independent burgh before the city absorbed it in 1896. A wide sandy beach runs along the Firth of Forth, backed by a promenade of about two miles.
Behind the seafront, Portobello High Street has cafés, bars and independent shops, with the Victorian Swim Centre and the restored Town Hall nearby. Joppa, to the east, is quieter and residential.
Highlights
Start here
If you only have a few hours, these are good places to begin.
Promenade
Portobello Promenade
Seafront promenade begun by the town council in the 1860s to secure public access to the beach.
Baths
Portobello Swim Centre
Category A listed Victorian baths of 1898 to 1901, with one of three surviving Victorian Turkish baths in Scotland.
Directions Website Report a problem with Portobello Swim Centre
Civic building
Portobello Town Hall
Edwardian town hall on the High Street, opened in 1914 and reopened in 2023 under community management.
Directions Website Report a problem with Portobello Town Hall
Community hub
Bellfield
Former Portobello parish church of 1810, now a community center in Bellfield Street.
Landmark
The Tower
Tower in Tower Street where the geologist Hugh Miller lived.
Find your way
On the map
The map shows Portobello & the Coast and the streets around it. The Getting there page lists nearby stops and stations.
Insider tips
Before you go
1
Check the Swim Centre first
Portobello Swim Centre houses a Victorian Turkish bath, but Edinburgh Leisure reported the pools and baths closed for repairs on Oct 25, 2026. Check before you go.
2
Walk the promenade
The promenade follows the sands for about two miles in Wikipedia’s description; the beach is wide and sandy.
3
Wrap up
The beach faces the open Firth of Forth, so allow for wind even on bright days.
4
Check opening hours
Many High Street cafés and bars keep their own hours, so look at the venue’s site before a special trip.
Tips from the Britlens editors
Explore this guide
Everything for Portobello & the Coast
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Open the mini guide →Photo credits
- Portobello & the Coast (area photo): M J Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Portobello Beach: Richard Webb, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Portobello Promenade: M J Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Portobello Swim Centre: M J Richardson, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Portobello Town Hall: Gweduni, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Bellfield: Richard Webb, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- The Tower: Richard Webb, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Figgate Park: Richard Webb, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- St John the Evangelist Church: thejackrustles, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Old Town & Royal Mile: Anthony O'Neil, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- New Town: Chris Morgan, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Holyrood, Arthur's Seat & Calton Hill: Peulle, CC BY 4.0, source
- Stockbridge & Dean Village: Mike Shaw, CC BY-SA 4.0, source
- Leith & the Waterfront: Alan Murray-Rust, CC BY-SA 2.0, source
- Grassmarket & Southside: rboed*, CC BY 2.0, source
- Haymarket & Murrayfield: Kim Traynor, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Bruntsfield & Morningside: Macumba, Public domain, source
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, used under the licences shown. All photo credits
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