A GUIDE TO LEITH & NEWHAVEN

Leith is a vibrant area of Edinburgh and an Ev Ed favourite for pub hopping, good food, independent shops and photography.

Locals come as an eclectic mix of cool creatives, young families and die hard locals who have a lot of love for this neighbourhood.

In terms of comparison, Leith is as East London as Edinburgh gets (not very).

Leith is the edgiest of the city’s districts but also enjoys a European vibe with its cobbled streets, canal and al fresco dining on The Shore.

Excited? Let’s dive into this Leith guide and look at the best places to stay, where to eat, drink and things to do in Leith.

Leith Shore with orange boat

GET YOUR BEARINGS

Leith Walk starts very close to the main shopping street in Edinburgh: Princes Street.

Take the 40-minute stroll down this interesting street, stopping off at the eateries and bars mentioned below.

At the bottom of Leith Walk is The Foot Of The Walk. From here, head down Constitution Street to Bernard Street and onto The Shore.

On warm days, locals sit with lunch by the side of the water.

Leith map_

Walk past The Ship On The Shore to the Malmaison Hotel, which was built in 1883 and once served as a brothel! 

Next, go over the bridge. Turn left and then right to see Teuchters Landing (pub) housed in a former waiting room for the Leith-to-Aberdeen steamboat.

From here, you can either make your way by foot to Ocean Terminal and The Royal Yacht Britannia, cross over the road to the start of The Water of Leith Walkway or head to Ferry Road and the Edinburgh Royal Botanic Gardens (Arboretum Place).

Newhaven is a residential area next to Leith. This is where you will find seafood restaurants, cute boats and a lighthouse. 

Starbank Park is a well-loved community park off Starbank Road in Newhaven. 

There are two beaches very close to Leith.

Cramond Beach is around a 20-30 minute drive from The Shore and Portobello Beach is around 10-20 minutes, traffic depending.

These are both cycle routes I used to do often.

Leith appears to be accessible for wheelchairs and pram users with pavements/sidewalks lining the bumpy roads around The Shore. 

Disagree? Please do tell us. 

GETTING TO LEITH

The Shore can be reached on foot from Princes Street taking around 50 minutes.

Lothian buses number 16 and 22 connect Princes Street with The Shore and 10 and 7 depart from Leith Walk.

Or you can hop on the Edinburgh tram down to Newhaven, with stops in Leith.

Taxis start around £10 and Ubers about £8.

Driving in Leith can be a bit of a stop/start situation.

Expect to get caught in lights along Leith Walk; the lights at the Foot of the Walk can take an age to change. Let’s not talk about Ferry Road!

Parking is mostly controlled by pay and display but there are a few spots where you can find residential spaces. 

PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT LEITH & NEWHAVEN

Select the titles or images below to find out about our favourite restaurants, pubs, things to do in Leith and places to stay.

LEITH RESTAURANTS 

Leith Restaurants_

LEITH HOTELS & APARTMENTS

Where to stay in Leith Edinburgh Hotels_-2

THINGS TO DO IN LEITH & NEWHAVEN

Leith Shore with orange boat

LEITH PUBS

Leith Pubs The Starbank Inn

A GUIDE TO STARBANK PARK

Starbank Park Gardens Roses Nature_

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