Overview

Glasgow is a very compact city and is very easy to navigate. There is a wealth of stunning Victorian architecture to enjoy as well as a number of churches, museums and galleries. It was voted the European City of Culture in 1990 and has improved greatly even since then. Next to the city centre is Merchant City, a lively neighbourhood brimming with bars and restaurants.

The Burrell Collection

This is Glasgow's most famous art museum and boasts an enormous range of works of European art dating back to the 15th century. There is also a wide range of tapestries, sculptures, stained glass and paintings. There is also an excellent selection from East Asia and the Middle East. On the same site as the gallery is the 18th century Pollok House, run by the National Trust for Scotland and boasting original Victorian features.

City Chambers

The City Chambers was opened in 1888 by Queen Victoria and is an imposing Renaissance building dominating half of George Square. The interior of the building is stunning with Venetian mosaics, marble staircases and a vaulted ceiling.

Hunterian Art Gallery

There are a number of art galleries in Glasgow and the Hunterian is one of the best. It is home to an extensive selection of Charles Rennie Mackintosh furniture as well as many 17th and 18th century paintings including works by Rembrandt and Rubens. Local artwork dates back to the 19th century.

Glasgow Cathedral

This is the only medieval cathedral in the country, having been built in the 13th century. It was at one time the most important religious building in Scotland. There is a fascinating vaulted crypt which is home to St Mungo's tomb and a number of historic murals on the walls.

Glasgow Green

Glasgow Green is the oldest park in the city, dating back to the 15th century. It is a prime spot for walking, jogging, dog walking and general relaxing. It is located along the banks of the Clyde River and is home to beautiful gardens, the People's Palace, Nelson's Monument and the Doulton Fountain.

SV Glenlee at Glasgow Harbour

Glasgow harbour is home to one of the last remaining Clyde-built sailing ships in the world. SV Glenlee was built in 1896 and circled Cape Horn 15 times. It was restored to its former glory in 1999 and is now open to the public. There is also information on the ship's trading history as well as the nearby Scottish Maritime Museum.

Fishing

The River Clyde runs through Glasgow and is regarded as being one of the best places for salmon and trout fishing in the country. Permits are required for fishing, but they are available on a daily or seasonal basis and can be obtained by visiting local angling clubs located on the banks of the river.

Overview

Glasgow is home to the two most popular football clubs in Scotland: Rangers and Celtic. Football is the main sport in the city with home and away matches taking precedence over everything else. However, there are also a number of golf courses as well as footpaths, cycle tracks and fishing to enjoy.

Biking

Glasgow's surrounding countryside is fairly hilly and offers perfect opportunities for mountain bike riding. There are good paths in the city itself leading out to the suburbs and beyond. The actual network of trails is enormous and leads up to Loch Lomond and eventually even on up to Inverness, although this trail would take days. The trails surrounding the city are both dirt paths and paved lanes and the tourist office in the city centre has detailed maps for keen cyclists. Bikes can be rented at a number of shops throughout the city.

Golf

Scotland is famous for its golf courses and Glasgow alone boasts five municipal courses, all of which are of good quality. The best public courses are Linn Park (which can be found in the south of the city) and Littlehill (to the north). There is also a selection of 9-hole courses in town. There is no dress code for the public courses, which ensures a relaxed atmosphere. There are private clubs which are open to new memberships although these are only worth joining if you intend to play there fairly regularly throughout the year. Ayrshire, south of Glasgow, has the largest concentration of golf courses in the country.

Football

The locals in Glasgow are fanatical about football, which is mainly due to the city being home to two of the best teams in the country: Celtic and Rangers. Many people visit Glasgow to watch the teams play, especially when they are playing against each other. Tickets are available for all games, but they are booked up fast so it is worth keeping an eye out in advance for tickets.

Hiking

The surrounding countryside boasts stunning footpaths which offer tranquil nature walks. For keen hikers, there is also the chance to enjoy more challenging hikes up and down hills. The Scottish countryside is stunning and there is no better way to enjoy it than walking through the heart of it. There are also a number of parks and gardens throughout the city which have footpaths and nature trails.

Dining and shopping

Restaurants in Glasgow go from strength to strength every year with an abundance of choice and a number of Michelin star establishments. Whether it is fine dining, a hearty Scottish meal or just a snack, you will be spoilt for choice. While Scottish food is of course unique to Scotland, it is the international cuisine which really stands out in Glasgow. There are many Italian, Indian, Chinese and Greek restaurants as well as good old fashioned Scottish pubs.

The city centre has the largest concentration of restaurants, all serving up cuisine from around the world at a range of prices. If you are on a tight budget, you will still be able to find affordable food in stylish venues and if money is not really an object, the choice will be even greater. Merchant City is regarded as the best place for nightlife and alongside the bars and clubs, you will also find a range of cafés all night bistros and late night snack stops.

Scottish food is very similar to both English and Irish with hearty stews, staples such as potatoes and bread, home made broths and meaty pies at the core. However, it also boasts haggis (sheep stomach and oats), Cock-a-leekie soup (leeks, potatoes and chicken stock), Forfar bridies (mead pastry), Scotch pies, square sausage, stovies (potatoes onions and meat cooked together and served with oat cakes) and tattie scones (potato).

Glasgow is the largest and best place to shop, outside London, in the whole of the UK. While there are many different areas in which to shop, the heart of the shopping district is centred on the pedestrianised areas of Buchanan Street, Argyle Street, and Sauchiehall Street.

Argyll Arcade is one of Britain's oldest covered shopping arcades, dating back to 1827. It is home to over 30 jewellery shops, as well as many traditional souvenir and gift shops. The Buchanan Galleries close by is one of the largest shopping centres in the UK and boasts a wide selection of shops ranging from fashion and electronic stores, gadget shops, jewellers, bookstores, department stores and children's stores. Other must-sees include the St Enoch Centre, Designer Exchange and Princes Square. The former two boast a wide range of designer shops. The Merchant City area and the West End also boast a number of shops although many of these are far less main stream. You will find second hand clothes stores, rare bookshops, antique houses, markets and Celtic jewellers.

The Barras is an open-air street market between Gallowgate and London Road, located in the in the East End and is open every weekend. Shoppers will find a wide range of second hand items, clothing and furniture as well as a number of food stalls and tartan clothing.

As well as all of this, there is also the Italian Centre, which mixes Italian designer style with fine dining and trendy cafés. It is a very upmarket part of the city and not really for those on a limited budget.

Glasgow is home to an abundance of restaurants serving cuisine from all over the world. The centre of town is brimming with Indian, Chinese and European restaurants, all offering deals to entice customers in. There is as much choice for fine dining as there is for casual dining and all tastes and budgets are catered to.

Overview

Glasgow boasts a fully equipped international airport offering services across Europe and other international destinations. While this is the main gateway to the city for international visitors, it is also possible to arrive by train, bus or car. Transport options within the city centre are very varied and include the metro, trains, buses and taxis.

Airports

Glasgow International Airport is one of the busiest in Scotland, offering international flights to destinations across Europe and further afield as well as major cities throughout the UK. It is very close to the city centre and is the major gateway to the city for international passengers.

Many budget airlines such as EasyJet and Ryanair offer cheap flights while international airlines include British Airways, Emirates, KLM, Lufthansa and Virgin. Facilities at the airport are extensive with a number of restaurants, bars and coffee shops as well as duty-free shopping, gift shops, lounges, banking and ATMs, WiFi areas and information desks.

There are a number of ground transportation options for getting to and from the airport with a bus terminal and a taxi stand outside of Arrivals and car hire desks inside. Express buses leave very 15 minutes and taxis work on a fixed fare tariff. The airport is on a major road leading into the city, making self-drive a good option, especially if you are considering visiting areas outside of the city.

While most flights arrive and depart from the main international airport, the small Prestwick Airport also services flights. It is slightly further out of the city than the main airport, 30kms away, but there is a good selection of ground transfer options which include buses, taxis and trains. Most destinations served are within Europe and are reached by budget airlines.

Public transportation

Glasgow is also connected to much of Scotland and the rest of the UK by rail and road. The main bus and train stations can be found in the centre of the city and offer connections to most major cities. It is also easy to arrive in Glasgow by car as the city lies on the major motorway network in Scotland, which is connected to the English network.

Public transport options within the city itself are plentiful. Glasgow is the only city in Scotland which has a metro service. It is a simple network, but efficient, with two routes running in opposite directions. It covers the city centre, the West End and Southside with trains running every five to eight minutes. There are single and return fares available as well as daily and weekly passes offering unlimited travel. There is a limited service on Sundays.

The rail network in Glasgow is excellent, with Glasgow having the second largest network after London. There is a daily service to London and many local routes. During the day, trains run every 10 minutes to the Southside and also the West End. The daytripper ticket allows unlimited travel for one day on trains, buses and the metro. The bus network is very efficient with numerous routes throughout the city. Buses run frequently from 05:00 until 23:00 and there are limited night services for all other times.

Metered taxis can be found at taxi ranks all over the city centre as well as being flagged down in the street or called in advance. They offer good value for short trips, but can be slightly more expensive for longer journeys.