I love Edinburgh. I adore the history, the architecture, the excitement. But sometimes the central part of the city gets a bit crowded, and heading a little further afield makes for a nice getaway, even if only for a few hours. And when that getaway has some good food and drinks, an interesting history, and salty sea air, it might just make for a perfect day.

Leith is Edinburgh’s port, sitting on the Firth of Forth just northeast of central Edinburgh. It is connected to the center by bus routes or a tram line, or a nice stroll down the Leith Walk. But while today it is a fully integrated part of the city, that wasn’t always the case.

First mentioned in 1128 as Inverleith, literally “mouth of the Leith,” Leith was a port separate from, but completely owing its existence to, Edinburgh. Sitting where the Water of Leith (the Leith River) flows into the Firth of Forth, it was the perfect place for a shipping hub, providing the easiest route in and out of the Scottish capital by water. In 1833, its independence from Edinburgh was made official as it became a distinct city, only to have it merge with Edinburgh in 1920, and it remains part of the city today.

Visitors to Leith typically come for all things maritime. There is a long history of shipping, shipbuilding, and whaling here, and some rather interesting monuments to those industries exist all over the area.

But the top attraction, by a large margin, is the Royal Yacht Britannia. In service from 1954 to 1997, Britannia was the official yacht (more like a small cruise ship) of the British royal family, the dwelling Queen Elizabeth II referred to as her most favorite. While the second yacht to bear the name Britannia, this was actually the 83rd official royal yacht since 1660. Now a museum, the 412 foot ship was once capable of taking more than 250 guests (along with a crew of about the same) all over the world. During its lifespan, Britannia called at more than 600 ports in 135 countries.

As with Edinburgh’s Holyroodhouse Palace, I choose not to pay money to enter, not really needing to see that unelected royalty lives well. I do, however, get a spectacular view over the Britannia from the top floor bar of the next-door Port of Leith Distillery. That’s enough for me.

The Port of Leith Distillery occupies prime real estate, sitting just next to Britannia along the commercial port. It opened just recently, in October of 2023, part of a multi-phase plan to redevelop the Leith waterfront. It advertises as Scotland’s first vertical distillery, but the whisky that will be produced here needs a couple more years. For now, it offers tours, and a terrific bar up top.

I opt for a flight of Scotch whiskies in the cool space, going with their “young bloods” array of not super smoky drams. I like three of four, which for me is quite a feat. Combine that with the views, and it’s a lovely way to spend an afternoon.

Of course, drinking only accentuates good food, and here in Leith, you’ll want fresh seafood. There are a lot of options, ranging from takeaway fish and chips (although most fish and chips shacks don’t open until afternoon, sadly) to expensive sit down fare. I find a happy medium at Fisher’s, dining on prawns and a huge bowl of steamed mussels.

After eating and drinking, a walk along the Water of Leith is a nice way to digest. This small river is actually 22 miles long, and the city has put pedestrianized walkways alongside a lot of it.

I enjoy the architecture (one building has cannons as adornments), the people watching, the boats (like one that is now a boutique hotel), and the slow moving water full of ducks and seabirds. It’s a nice stroll.

Is there anything truly special about Leith? Not unless you like big royal yachts. But it’s a nice escape from the crowds of central Edinburgh, with a pretty port area, and has some awesome food and drinks. That’s an okay day in my books.

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