A Day Ashore in Edinburgh
Wherever your ship comes in, at Leith, Newhaven, South Queensferry or Rosyth: how to get into Edinburgh, and what is worth the day near each landing.
Words by Hidden Scotland
Edinburgh’s cruise season runs from April to October, and ships come in at four different places. At Leith they tie up alongside, beside the Royal Yacht Britannia. Off Newhaven and off South Queensferry, in the shadow of the Forth Bridge, they anchor and bring passengers ashore by tender. Across the firth at Rosyth they berth alongside again.
Check which one is yours before you plan the day, because the way into the city is different from each, and the places worth seeing nearest the ship are different too.
01 · Leith
The Royal Yacht Britannia
Ships at Leith berth beside the Royal Yacht Britannia, so it is the obvious first stop. The tour goes down through her decks and through two very different worlds, the royal drawing room and state dining room above, and the crew’s quarters below. From Leith the tram, and the 10 and 16 buses, run into the city centre.
Stay near The Royal Yacht Britannia
Our places to stay, nearest first
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02 · Leith
The Shore, Leith
Where the Water of Leith makes its last slow bend before the docks, the old tenements and warehouses of the Shore line both banks, with houseboats moored along the quay. It was once the working quay of a port town, and today it is where Leith comes to eat and drink, with seafood restaurants and old bars along the cobbles.
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Stay near The Shore, Leith
Our places to stay, nearest first
03 · Edinburgh
Newhaven
Ships anchored off Newhaven tender into its old stone harbour, a fishing village since the 1480s, where King James IV built a royal dockyard and launched the Great Michael in 1511. The tenders take about fifteen minutes. The tram stop is about 500 metres from the harbour, with trams every few minutes into the city, and the 11 bus runs there too.
Stay near Newhaven
Our places to stay, nearest firstOld Town Chambers
EdinburghMoment George IV Bridge
EdinburghWest End Muse
The Scott Hotel
EdinburghClermount Cottage
Penicuik
The Byre
Penicuik
Wash House
Penicuik
Woodshed
Penicuik
04 · Edinburgh’s Old Town
Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile
Wherever you land, the Old Town is the heart of a day in Edinburgh. The castle stands on its rock at the top of the Royal Mile. A steep, cobbled way climbs from the gatehouse to Crown Square, where the Royal Palace and the Half Moon Battery look out over the city to the Firth of Forth.
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Stay near Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile
Our places to stay, nearest first
05 · Edinburgh’s Old Town
The Palace of Holyroodhouse
At the other end of the Royal Mile, the King’s official residence in Scotland is open to visitors through the year. The ticket takes you through the State Apartments, and the ruined abbey beside the palace sits at the foot of Arthur’s Seat.
Stay near The Palace of Holyroodhouse
Our places to stay, nearest first06 · South Queensferry
The Forth Bridge
Ships anchored off South Queensferry tender passengers to Hawes Pier, right below the Forth Bridge, its three great red cantilevers striding across the firth. It opened in 1890, still carries only trains, and has been a World Heritage Site since 2015. The X99 bus runs non-stop from the pier into the city centre, and Dalmeny station is about 800 metres away, up a steep stair.
07 · Firth of Forth
Inchcolm
From South Queensferry, boats cross to Inchcolm, a small island with the best-preserved group of monastic buildings in Scotland, and seals and seabirds all round. The abbey ticket is bought with the boat, so book ahead, and the island is open daily from April to October.
Stay near Inchcolm
Our places to stay, nearest firstWest End Muse
Old Town Chambers
EdinburghMoment George IV Bridge
EdinburghThe Scott Hotel
EdinburghThe Byre
PenicuikWash House
PenicuikWoodshed
Penicuik
Cartshed
Penicuik
08 · Dunfermline, from Rosyth
Dunfermline Abbey and Palace
There is no public transport at Rosyth, but on most calls volunteers run a free courtesy bus to Dunfermline, about fifteen minutes away. Its abbey became a royal burial place, where St Margaret and Robert the Bruce lie, and its old nave, with massive round pillars, is the finest Romanesque building in Scotland. The nearest railway station is Inverkeithing, a short taxi ride from the port.
Stay near Dunfermline Abbey and Palace
Our places to stay, nearest first
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