Making the most of Portree Scotland
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Ships up to a maximum length of 63mtrs and maximum draught of 4mtrs can berth alongside. Most cruise ships anchor and use their tenders, with a sheltered anchorage approximately 1 mile from the pier. A pontoon is available for tender services.
The city centre is 0.5km away, reached by a slightly uphill walk with some stairs en route.
A printable map is available to take with you.
Portree is Skye's main town. Its name derives from the Gaelic Port-an-Righ, meaning "King's Port", and dates from King James V's 1540 visit with a fleet of warships to persuade the island clans to support him. It was previously known as Kiltraglen.
Bank Street runs parallel to the back of the harbour and is perhaps best known for the Royal Hotel. When it was MacNab's Inn, Bonnie Prince Charlie bade Flora MacDonald farewell there for the last time in 1746; she had famously conveyed him "Over the Sea to Skye".
Portree's harbour is its centre of life, set in superb natural surroundings of high ground and cliffs. The peninsula to the south, unflatteringly known as "The Lump", once provided a spectacular setting for public hangings on the island. Today, the harbour remains in use by fishing boats and accommodates other vessels, from pleasure craft to the lifeboat.
A range of buildings around the harbour at harbourside level has appeared in more than one calendar photograph over the years. The brightly painted row on the south-west side is especially striking, though the natural stone and whitewashed buildings on the north-west side are, for us, even more attractive.
Portree's main town sits above and behind the harbour. Its principal focus is Somerled Square, which contains the war memorial, some car parking and most of the town's bus stops.
Through a multi-media exhibition, the Aros Experience tells the Isle of Skye's story and that of its people from the 18th Century through to the present day, providing an excellent introduction to the island.
Getting around
Portree is a small town, and almost everything is only a 5-minute walk away.
Ask at the tourist office about pleasant hiking trails.
Public transport options are limited.
Nearby places
Dunvegan Castle is a fortress stronghold in an idyllic lochside setting. Home to the MacLeods since the 13th century, it is believed to be Britain's oldest inhabited castle.
Talisker Distillery, Skye's only distillery, produces a highly distinctive 10 year old single malt whisky.
Typical of a 19th century crafting community, several "black houses" (thatched cottages) are preserved at the open-air Skye Museum of Island Life.
The Trotternish Peninsula has outstanding mountain scenery. The Storr is an impressive rock mass rising to 2,358ft, with the extraordinary 165ft-high basalt pinnacle known as `The Old Man of Storr' directly in front of it.
Food and shopping
Much of the shopping lies along the roads from Somerled Square towards the harbour, while Wentworth Street has a selection of "interesting but not essential" shops that make any visit worthwhile.
Money
The pound (£) is used throughout the UK, and pounds may also be called quid. Scottish bank notes are frowned upon elsewhere in the UK, so exchange them before leaving Scotland.
Cash machines (ATM), more informally called 'holes in the wall', are widely available and usually dispense £10 and £20 notes.
Most shops and restaurants accept Visa, Mastercard and Maestro.
Staying connected
Throughout the country, English is spoken, sometimes in a heavy accent!
Most cafes and restaurants provide free WiFi.
The local emergency telephone number is 999; the EU-wide 112 can also be used.
Opening Hours and
Shopping hours generally are:
Small stores open 6 or 7 days a week (10am - 6pm); larger stores generally stay open til' 9PM, while hyper marts are often 24/7.