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United Kingdom

Edinburgh, UK

Edinburgh from Leith: The Capital by Its Old Port

Ships for Edinburgh land at several points on the Firth of Forth: at Leith and Newhaven on the city's own waterfront, and at South Queensferry and Rosyth. Leith and Newhaven are close to each other and share a tram line into the center, so check which landing your ship uses before you plan the day.

Good to know

Arriving at Leith or Newhaven

Ships that dock at Leith pass through lock gates into the harbor and tie up beside the Royal Yacht Britannia, with a small terminal building on the quay. Ships calling at Newhaven anchor offshore and bring passengers into the little harbor by tender, a ride of about 15 minutes.

  • At Leith, the Ocean Terminal shopping center, with shops, restaurants and a cinema, is beside the berth.
  • Volunteer greeters meet ships in the Leith terminal building and on the Newhaven quayside, and can help with directions.
  • Taxis usually wait beside the Leith terminal and near the Newhaven quayside, and fares are shown on the meter.
  • The center of Leith, with pubs and the old port's historic buildings, is about 15 minutes' walk east of the Leith berth.
  • There is no railway station in Leith; the nearest is Edinburgh Waverley.

Edinburgh on Your Own

From Leith or Newhaven you can walk to Britannia and ride the tram into the city for the castle and the Royal Mile. A simple plan is Britannia first, then the Old Town, coming back with a good margin before all-aboard.

  • The Royal Yacht Britannia: You reach the yacht through the Ocean Terminal shopping center, and the visit takes about two hours. Adults paid £25 at the door from April to October 2026, less if booked online, and the ticket desk takes cards only; check before you go.
  • Into the city: Trams run from Newhaven and Ocean Terminal along The Shore and up Leith Walk to St Andrew Square and Princes Street. At Newhaven the stop is about five minutes' walk from the tender landing.
  • By bus: Bus 11 is the most direct route into town from Newhaven, and buses 10 and 16 run frequently from Leith. Lothian buses take contactless cards or the exact fare in cash.
  • The Shore: The old harbor front along the Water of Leith, called The Shore, has restaurants and pubs, and nearby Bernard Street, Commercial Street and Henderson Street have cheaper places for fish and chips, pizza and curry.
  • The castle and the Royal Mile: The Royal Mile runs downhill from the castle to the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
  • Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own.

Tipping in the United Kingdom

Tipping is not expected in Britain the way it is in some countries. A tip for good service in a restaurant is welcome but never mandatory, and where a service charge is added to the bill, it is described as optional.

  • Read the bill before adding anything, so you do not tip twice.
  • Tipping is not a tradition in most pubs.
  • In a taxi it is usual to round up to a convenient amount.
  • The currency is the pound sterling (GBP).

Leith and Newhaven

Leith grew up as Edinburgh's port and governed itself as a separate burgh from 1833 to 1920. Newhaven, next door, was a fishing village.

  • Newhaven's fishermen's houses have an outside stair to the first floor, where the family lived, while the ground floor held their nets.
  • Leith Links, the park to the east, was among the world's first golf courses, but golf has been banned there since 1905.
  • Six Times, a series of figures by Antony Gormley, stands along the Water of Leith.
  • Hibernian, the Hibs, play football at Easter Road, east of Leith Walk.

A Brief History

Leith has served as Edinburgh's harbor since the Middle Ages, and the queens, armies and cargoes that came through it shaped Scottish history. Its docks later grew rich on wine and whisky.

  • 1128: Leith first appears, as Inverlet, in the royal charter for the building of Holyrood Abbey.
  • 1504: Newhaven harbor was built to construct a warship too big for Leith's harbor.
  • 1560: Mary of Guise ruled Scotland from Leith as regent. French troops held the town against Scottish Protestant lords and an English army until the siege ended with the Treaty of Leith.
  • 19 August 1561: Mary, Queen of Scots landed at Leith to begin her reign.
  • 1833: Leith became a separate burgh with its own provost and council.
  • 1880s to 1960s: As the European grape harvest collapsed in the late 1880s, most of Leith's wine vaults were turned over to whisky blending and bottling. About 85 bonded warehouses stood here in the 1960s.
  • 1920: Leith was merged into Edinburgh, although its voters had rejected the merger by 26,810 to 4,340.
  • 1954 to 1997: Britannia served the royal family, sailing more than a million nautical miles to over 600 ports in 135 countries.
  • 2001: The Ocean Terminal complex was completed, and Britannia was moored here for good.
  • 2023: The tram line was extended from the city center down Leith Walk to Newhaven.
  • To learn more ashore: The National Museum of Scotland on Chambers Street, open daily with free entry, covers Scottish antiquities, history and culture, alongside collections from around the world.

Edinburgh with Children

Britannia, beside the Leith berth, is the easiest family outing, and the tram makes the city center simple to reach. The National Museum of Scotland in the center is free for everyone.

  • Younger children: Children up to 6 visit Britannia free, the commentary comes in many versions, and there is a tearoom on board.
  • School age: On Britannia, stand on the bridge, see the crew's quarters and the engine room, and compare them with the State Apartments.
  • Science fans: The National Museum of Scotland, free to enter, holds Dolly the sheep, the first mammal cloned from an adult cell.
  • Teenagers: Walk part of the Water of Leith Walkway, a path that follows the river from Leith's harbor up through the city.

Accessibility

Britannia is rated Category 1 for wheelchair access without assistance, with lifts and ramps throughout, though wheelchairs wider than 670 mm cannot complete the whole tour. Newhaven calls involve a tender, so ask your ship whether it suits your mobility aid.

  • Britannia's entrance is on the second floor of Ocean Terminal. The shopping center's car park has lifts, but its ground floor cannot be reached by lift.
  • Carers receive a free ticket, and assistance dogs are welcome.
  • The Royal Mile slopes down from the castle, so starting at the top keeps the walk downhill.
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