Glasgow steht touristisch etwas im Schatten von Edinburgh. Aber die größte Stadt Schottlands hat Reisenden tatsächlich sehr viel zu bieten…
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Intro and travel report
We have already been to Scotland several times and are just about to embark on another trip to Scotland. A tour lasting several weeks in a motorhome – we’re leaving in a few days from Ireland, where we are at the moment and have our second home.
We’ve already been to Glasgow a few years ago, on a round trip by car. It was during Advent, not exactly a typical time for travelling in Scotland. That doesn’t bother us, we are travelling to the Atlantic islands at any time of year.
We had booked an overnight stay on the outskirts of Glasgow. We wanted to spend the evening in the city, but had already had a lot of travelling time that day and didn’t fancy the traffic of a big city. However, the landlady at our B&B had a good tip: a few minutes’ walk away was a regional train station that took us to the city centre quickly and completely relaxed – no stress, no searching for a parking space.
The large main railway station is located right in the centre, which is great for exploring on foot. Unlike historic Edinburgh, Glasgow is a modern city. We therefore had no expectations of Glasgow’s cityscape – and were pleasantly surprised. There are many beautiful old facades in the city and a clean and tidy cityscape.
In addition to the usual large department stores on the main streets, there are also many smaller streets with pretty squares, nice shops and plenty of restaurants. Dusk soon set in as we strolled leisurely through the streets and beautiful Christmas lights soon lit up the streets and alleyways in bright colours. Wow – we hadn’t expected that!
Unfortunately, I had only taken a few photos with my mobile phone and I’ll have to look around to see if I can find them again…
We found a wonderful restaurant and spent a little more time in the city centre, which we had to leave all too soon to catch our train to our overnight stay.
We had enjoyed Glasgow surprisingly well and we will certainly come back again to explore the city more extensively.
What can you explore in Glasgow? We’ll go into this in more detail now, in colourful order. Just choose what you like and put together your own itinerary, but this much can be revealed: Glasgow is a very culturally active city!
Things to see and do in Glasgow
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is certainly one of the city’s cultural highlights. This very imposing Victorian building houses a diverse collection – from Rembrandt to dinosaurs and Scottish history. See: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/venues/kelvingrove-art-gallery-and-museum.
Just a few steps away is Kelvingrove Park, a beautiful city park with river paths, bridges, squirrels and views of the famous, historic and honorable University of Glasgow See: https://www.glasgowunisrc.org/services/historical-tours/.
Also impressive is the Riverside Museum, Glasgow’s modern transport museum right on the River Clyde. The interactive exhibitions show everything from old trams to classic cars. See: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/venues/riverside-museum.
Outside, directly in front of the museum, you can explore the historic sailing ship Glenlee, known as ‘The Tall Ship’. See: https://www.thetallship.com/.
A little further east is Glasgow Cathedral, a magnificent Gothic building dating back to the 12th century. See: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/visit-a-place/places/glasgow-cathedral/.
Just behind it is the famous Necropolis, a Victorian cemetery on a hill with a fascinating atmosphere and great views over the city. See: https://www.glasgownecropolis.org/.
If you want to immerse yourself in everyday life in the past, visit the People’s Palace, where Glasgow’s social history is told in entertaining exhibitions, complemented by the tropical Winter Gardens next door. See: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/museums/venues/peoples-palace.
In the beautiful Bellahouston Park you will find the House for an Art Lover, a cultural centre with exhibitions of all kinds. There is also a good restaurant here! See: https://www.houseforanartlover.co.uk/.
The City Chambers on George Square is the city’s magnificent town hall and can also be admired from the inside on guided tours – full of marble, columns and Victorian grandeur. See: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/1066/City-Chambers-Tour.
The Lighthouse, the centre for design and architecture with changing exhibitions and a viewing platform with a fantastic view of the city, offers a creative contrast. See: https://www.thelighthouse.co.uk/.
Those who love fresh air will find a green oasis of palm trees, ferns and glass in the marvellous Botanic Gardens with the Victorian Kibble Palace. See: https://glasgowbotanicgardens.com/.
Even bigger is the beautiful Pollok Country Park (https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/pollokcountrypark), Glasgow’s largest park, where not only Highland cattle graze, but also the elegant Pollok House invites you to visit. See: https://www.nts.org.uk/stories/pollok-house-explore-one-of-the-hidden-wonders-of-scotland.
Further east, Queens Park offers wide meadows, a small hill with a view and cosy picnic areas. See: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/article/4189/Queen-s-Park.
For music fans, King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut is a must – Oasis were discovered in this small club and up-and-coming bands still perform here today. See: https://www.kingtuts.co.uk/.
For bigger acts, head to the Barrowland Ballroom, a cult venue with retro neon lettering and a legendary atmosphere. See: https://barrowland.co.uk/.
For a classical music experience, an evening at the Royal Concert Hall, right in the city centre, is worthwhile. See: https://www.glasgowlife.org.uk/arts-music-and-culture/venues/glasgow-royal-concert-hall.
If you prefer the bizarre, visit the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre, where moving sculptures tell stories – absurd or fascinating – you decide. See: https://sharmanka.com/.
Buchanan Street forms the centrepiece of the ‘Style Mile’, Glasgow’s shopping paradise with many major brands in an elegant setting.
In the trendy West End around Byres Road and the charming Ashton Lane, small boutiques, bars and a bit of boho flair await you.
Barras Market in the east offers a completely different vibe – rough, loud, quirky, but full of character. See: https://market.barrowland.co.uk/blogs/the-barras/visit-us.
If you’re thirsty after so much sightseeing and shopping, you can join a whisky tour and tasting at the Clydeside Distillery and learn more about Glasgow’s role in the Scottish whisky trade. See: https://www.theclydeside.com/book-a-tour/.
Beer lovers will also get their money’s worth, for example at the WEST Brewery on Glasgow Green, where German brewing art meets Scottish pub culture. See: https://westbeer.com/.
And then there’s the Drygate Brewery, a hip craft beer address with an urban flair. See: https://www.drygate.com/about.
A stylish afternoon tea at the historic Willow Tearooms makes for an elegant finale See: https://www.willowtearooms.co.uk/about-the-willow-tea-rooms-glasgow.
Mackintosh at the Willow, the original Art Nouveau teahouse – lovingly restored, with a great café and exhibitions – also offers a special experience. See: https://www.mackintoshatthewillow.com/.
Conclusion
So now we’ve done some (virtual) cultural sightseeing, been shopping, eating and drinking, listened to a concert and are completely exhausted.
As you can see, Glasgow is a culturally vibrant city!
What’s next? Flying or driving there and experiencing it live, of course! Scotland is definitely worth a trip – or several – and Glasgow is a super interesting stop for your round trip!
I hope you have lots of fun in Glasgow and Scotland!
More interesting articles for you
Edinburgh
Stirling
Magical Scottish Highlands – travel thoughts
FROM NORTHERN IRELAND TO SCOTLAND BY MOTORBIKE – HIGHLANDS AND HIGHLIGHTS
Photo credits cover image: Glasgow City Council (photo: Ulrich Knüppel-Gertberg)
