Seaside And The City
Dip a toe into quirky, chilled Portobello - the best of both worlds
PORTOBELLO is where Edinburgh goes to let its hair down. If the capital's image leans a little to the staid side - a city of finance and governance and buttoned-up propriety - Portobello is its carefree little cousin, greeting each day with a breeze at her back and a lopsided smile.
The seaside suburb is just a short bus ride from the city centre, but it has a character all its own.
There's an award-winning sandy beach that seems to stretch on forever. There are amusement arcades, ice-cream parlours and side streets alive with independent traders.
But there's also a relaxed, laid-back attitude that makes it the perfect place for sunbathers, beachcombers, day-trippers, dog walkers or anyone who fancies kicking back and soaking up some good old-fashioned Scottish seaside escapism.
Portobello was a town in its own right until 1896 and it still retains much of that free spirit.
A former brick-making centre, it became popular as a seaside resort in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Visitors used to flock in their droves from Glasgow and Edinburgh to take the sea air along the promenade and the now-demolished pleasure pier with its concert pavilion at the end.
Sir Sean Connery was a lifeguard at the old lido before Hollywood came calling. And while it, too, has been bulldozed, "Porty" has held on to that ever-so-slightly faded charm that all the best seaside towns boast.
The Victorian swimming pool is still there, featuring an original Aerotone - the forerunner to the modern hot tub - and Turkish baths.
There's a conservation area, plenty of parks and green spaces, and a bustling high street.
And, of course, there's that beach. Two miles of sands with views across to the north side of the Firth of Forth and out towards Inchkeith Island.
This story is from the August 2023 edition of The Scots Magazine.
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This story is from the August 2023 edition of The Scots Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
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