11 Unmissable Things to Do in Portree, Scotland

Ready to fall in love with Scotland all over again? Then hop on and let’s get started on this guide with the best things to do in Portree, Scotland.

I’ve recently visited Portree, the capital of the Isle of Skye and stayed there for a couple of days while I explored the island and had the best time ever! I also came back with lots of tips on how to make the most out of your trip!

I’ve included them all in this post, along with some information on how to get to Portree and where to stay.

Portree is one of the most popular destinations in Scotland, as is the rest of the Isle of Skye, so I recommend booking your hotels and activities here in advance.

Quick Picks for Your Stay

See quickly which are the top things that you should book in advance when visiting Portree, Scotland:

And here are the best hotels: Cuillin Hills Hotel (luxury), Bosville Hotel (mid-range), Rockview (budget)

1. Admire the views on the Scorrybreac Trail

Exploring the Scorrybreac Trail (map) is the best way to kick-off your holiday in Portree!

This trail is pretty easy (with just some parts where you need to take extra care) so you don’t need to worry about the difficulty. Although I’d definitely wear some sort of comfortable shoes, preferably sneakers or hiking shoes.

Set on the coast, the trail offers some incredible waterfront views and on some good days, when it’s not too foggy you can also see the Isle of Raasay.

The Scorrybreac Trail is a loop, so you’ll be returning to the same spot from where the trail starts, which is this car park (map). It usually takes around 45 min to complete the trail or more, especially if you’ll stop to take some pics which is inevitable since everything looks so amazing!

While on the trail make sure you stop and admire the stunning views! You’ll definitely meet up with the famous Scottish sheep. But don’t worry they’re harmless and usually get scared pretty easily, so try not to startle them.

2. Explore the Harbour area

Portree is known for its Harbour (map) which is a super nice area, filled with restaurants and the famous colorful houses which you might’ve heard of or seen in photos (they are sort of the town’s emblem).

You can go on a walk to explore the Harbour area and admire all the boats docked there or those that are out at sea (I’ll tell you in section #5 how you can on a boat trip from there, so make sure to check that out).

Although you can see the colorful houses from up-close while you’re there, there is this viewpoint (map) just a 4 min walk away from Harbor, where you can take some really nice pictures of the houses, in their full glory!

Right near the Harbour, there’s a short walking trail that you can do, called the Portree Walkaway (map). It takes around 20 to 30 min to do this trail and it’s even easier than the Scorrybreac Trail.

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3. Try some Scottish gin & whisky at a bar

Since Portree is the capital of the Isle of Skye, it has the biggest concentration of restaurants, bars and shops. So you’ll have plenty of places where you can end the day with a glass of Scottish gin or whisky!

When I went to the Isle of Skye, I really wanted to try Scottish whisky, gin and beer since all are such a big thing and one of my favorite places to do that in Portree was the Merchant Bar (map).

They had so many local brands of whisky, gin and beer and also some from other parts of the country. The atmosphere was super cozy and it gave off that Scottish pub vibe that I just loved!

4. Have breakfast at Birch Cafe

Get ready to eat in one of the cutest cafes that you’ve ever seen!

Since Portree is pretty small, there aren’t a lot of places where you can enjoy breakfast or lunch. Luckily Birch cafe (map) appeared on the scene and since it was opened, everyone goes there, especially tourists, which also means that sometimes it’s super crowded, especially in the morning.

But definitely go at least once there! Not only is the cafe super stylish but it also serves delicious food, cakes and the best coffee that you’ll find in Portree.

I loved all my mornings at Birch cafe, and it’s so fun to meet up with so many tourists who are exploring Scotland just like you!

5. See some wildlife on a boat trip

As I mentioned earlier, you can go on some fun boat trips from Portree Harbour!

I found this amazing company called Stardust Boat Trips that offers a couple of different boat trips! I’ll list them below so you can pick whichever one calls to you:

• Sea Eagle Wildlife boat trip (2h for US$40)
• Catamaran Sea Eagle & Wildlife boat trip (2h for US$42)
• Sea Eagle & Wildlife Rib Experience (2h for US$39)
• Kilt Rock/ Isle of Rona Whale Trail (4h for US$97)

I’d definitely go on one of these tours as it’s a great way to see all the incredible wildlife, like dolphins, whales, puffins and seals!

6. Shop for souvenirs

As I mentioned, Portree is the capital of the island and undoubtedly one of the best places to stay on Skye if you don’t have a car.

The city is also filled with tons of souvenir shops from where you can get some amazing souvenirs!

Some of my favorite ones were:

• Carmina Gadelica (map) from where you can get some amazing books
• Isle of Skye Soap Company (map) which sells candles, soaps and other cute things
• Isle of Skye Distillers (map) from where you can buy some local gin, whisky and beer
• ÒR (map), a lovely gift shop that has all sorts of things from cute wool mittens to books and tea cups

These are just a few though, definitely explore the streets and see what else catches your eye, as there are plenty of other cool shops.

7. Take a full-day tour of Skye

My guess is that you’ll probably want to explore the rest of Skye while you’re in Portree.

Now, how you explore the island depends a lot on whether you have a car or not. If you do then it’s easy peasy as you can organize your schedule as you want. If you don’t then the best option is to take a full-day tour of the Isle of Skye.

I stayed in Skye for a couple of days, and I had my hotel in Portree. I was able to visit some of the main attractions by bus (since I didn’t have a car) but this full-day tour allowed me to see most of the main sites in just 1 day.

The tour included the Fairy Pools, Talisker Distillery, Dunvegan Castle, Neist Point Lighthouse, the Fairy Glen, Quiraing and Old Man of Storr! The tour costs US$107 and it lasts 9h.

I really liked it, not only because it included many attractions but also because our guide was super fun and although it rained the whole day (be prepared for that as Scottish weather is so unpredictable) we all had such a great time visiting all those iconic places.

PRICE: US$107

8. Hike up to the Old Man of Storr

Luckily, Portree has some bus connections with other parts of the island and attractions! One of them is the Old Man Storr, a 55-meter-high peak of basalt rock located at the West end of the Trotternish Ridge.

If you are taking that full-day tour that I recommended above, you will pass by the Old Man of Storr, but just for some pictures, not to do the whole hike! So take that into consideration when booking the tour.

To reach the attraction you can take the 57A bus from Somerled Square (map) in Portree, or get there by car, if you’re renting one. It takes around 15 to 20 min to get there from Portree, so it’s pretty close.

PRO TIP: Make sure you wear hiking shoes and waterproof clothes!

The hike up starts right from the bus station and car park, and don’t worry, it’s not too hard! If it’s windy then you’ll need to take a bit of extra care as the winds can get strong, but besides that you’re good!

It takes around 45 min to 1h from the car park to reach the point from where you can admire the stunning views and also the rock itself.

Once I got up I did not want to leave! The views are incredible so make sure you stay there for a bit to admire them and to take some pics of course!

9. Take the bus to Kilt Rock

Another great place that you can quickly take the bus to from Portree, is Kilt Rock, which is by far, one my favorite places to see on the island!

In order to reach Kilt Rock you will have to take the 57A bus from Somerled Square (map) in Portree and then to get back to Portree (if you are staying there) you can take the 57C bus from this stop (map).

However, you should know that the bus runs every 2h, so you’ll have to wait for a while to get back to the town. But since the views are so incredible in those highlands I’m sure the wait time won’t be too bad!

Named after the Scottish kilt because it actually resembles the traditional garment, the rock looks absolutely incredible, as does the Mealt Falls cascade! I felt as if I could stay there to enjoy those views forever!

PRO TIP: If you want to kill some of the time you have there, head to the Staffin Dinosaur Museum, which has a small collection of dinosaur fossils found on the island. The entry fee is only US$5.

10. Enjoy dinner at one of Portree’s restaurants

After all the walking and hiking you’ll probably be famished! Lucky for us tourists, Portree has tons of amazing restaurants where you can indulge in Scottish cuisine.

If you like and eat fish, definitely try it out as some of the restaurants serve the catch of the day.

Here are some of my favorite restaurants in the town:

• Rosedale (map)
• Scorrybreac Restaurant (map)
• The Lower Deck Seafood Restaurant (map)
• Cuchullin Restaurant (map)
• The View Restaurant (map)

11. Catch a movie at Las Port Righ

If you’re spending a couple of days in Portree, then you might want to check out the not-so-touristy activities and even mingle with some of the locals, they’re all so friendly!

One place where you can go to do this is the Las Port Righ movie theater!

Not only do they showcase a lot of cool, and new movies but they also have a pizza place inside the building! I mean, pizza and movies? I’m definitely in!

Besides the movies, Las Port Righ also organizes live music events and stand-up comedy events. The best thing to do is to check their website and see what they have on when you’re visiting.

I’m sure you’ll find something that you’ll like.

How to get to Portree

Wondering how to get to Portree? Don’t worry, I’ve got you!

I know finding ways to get a destination that’s a bit more remote isn’t easy, so I’ve included below some of the main ones and the one I used to get to Portree:

• By bus: I used the Scottish CityLink service and took a bus from Glasgow to Portree. The journey takes around 8h and you’ll stop at Fort William for a short break while they change drivers. If you are planning to use the bus, buy your tickets in advance from their website. A return ticket usually costs around US$93.
• By car: If you are renting a car from Glasgow, Edinburgh or another city then you should definitely plan your route in advance as you can definitely stop along the way to see some really amazing attractions

Where to stay in Portree

Now that we’ve seen how to get to Portree and all the fun activities, let’s check out some of the best hotels in the town, which I listed from most to least expensive:

• Luxury: Cuillin Hills Hotel – a stunning hotel that overlooks Portree Bay and Cuillin Mountains, and that has stylish rooms and an award-winning restaurant.
• Mid-range: Bosville Hotel – cozy rooms in a nice hotel that offers a restaurant, a bar and room service.
• Budget: Rockview – this affordable hotel offers waterfront views and rooms with a coffee machine and a fridge.

 FAQs about things to do in Portree, Scotland

Final thoughts on things to do in Portree, Scotland

I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to go back to Scotland! I’m sure you’ll feel the same after your visit!

I hope that this post on the best things to do in Portree, Scotland gave you an idea of what you want to do there. Remember that this town is the island’s capital and where most tourists will stay so I recommend booking your hotels in advance.

If anyone has questions on visiting Portree, just drop me a comment below and I’ll make sure to answer as soon as I can.

Happy exploring,

Victoria

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