Glasgow Hotels and City Guide

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Glasgow is one of the largest cities in the UK and thus, it has a lot for you to explore. It is a city once famous for its shipbuilding industry, but today the River Clyde serves as a beautiful backdrop for the many attractions you can visit. Glasgow is also filled with culture. The ballet, orchestra, sites, restaurants and friendly locals help make this a fantastic place to visit.

The City Centre is Glasgow’s gateway to some of the city’s best shopping, restaurants and sites. In the heart of it all you will find George Square. It is here you will find the city council building, the Queen Street Station and the impressive Millennium Hotel. This square is home to great activities throughout the year, but even if you miss one of its events, it is worth exploring. Also, it seems to have a lot of tourist information available, making it a great starting point.

Nearby George Square will find a wealth of great shops and boutiques as well as two of the three Glasgow Universities. Although visiting a school may not be your first choice while on vacation, the University of Glasgow is one of the oldest in Scotland. Inside you will find the Hunterian Museum. Before we continue, it should be noted that Glasgow is quickly gaining a reputation for being a great place to shop in Scotland. Those who have lots to spend will want to head over to Buchanan Street. Be forewarned that it is famous for being one of the top ten most expensive places to go shopping. Cha-Ching. Princess Square, just off of Buchanan Street, is another designer row. Then there are the more affordable options such as the St. Enoch Centre, which is a huge mall housed inside a very cool glass building. Of course, no shopping experience could be considered complete without a trip to Barras. Here you will find a huge selection of stores selling almost everything you could ever need. Please note, that it is open on the weekends, except around Christmas when it extends its hours to the weekdays.

Glasgow is home to more than twenty museums. The Burrell Collection is located in Pollok Country Park. Included in this collection are tapestries and stained glass, mediaeval and Islamic art, European paintings and modern art. As you explore the sites around George Square you may come across a statue with an orange traffic cone on its head. This statue is of the Duke of Wellington and although the reasons for this unique accessory are varied, it marks the location of the impressive Gallery of Modern Art. There are four floors that display contemporary sculptures and paintings from around the world. Glasgow is also proud to offer the unique Museum of Transport. Inside, you will find an amazing array of displays on the history for both land and sea transportation. The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is the largest of its kind in the UK. The building itself is a beautiful structure that beckons visitors to come inside. Once you have passed through its doors you will find an art collection that impresses any art connoisseur. The nearby park is also worth visiting. The Glasgow Cathedral is another ‘must see’. Its gothic style is one of the few remaining Scottish medieval churches. The Bothwell Castle is the largest and finest 13th Century stone castle in Scotland. Although it has had a turbulent history, there are still original parts that you can explore.

After you have indulged in a little, or a lot of, shopping and seen the sites, you can explore the number of parks Glasgow has to offer. One of the more popular parks is the Glasgow Green. The Peoples Palace Museum, the Nelsons memorial and the Doulton fountain are some of the highlights for you to see. The Pollok County Park is another local favorite, especially with its Burrell artwork collection and viewing these creations is a definite highlight. A short day-trip away lies the Isle of Arran. This miniature version of Scotland has a fantastic castle and beautiful gardens for you to explore. Keep your eye on the time though as you do need to take the ferry to get back onto to mainland. For those who need a bit more action, enjoy a visit to any of the three Glasgow soccer stadiums. Each can seat over 50,000 fans, which attests to the fact that Glasgow loves this sport. Just make sure you cheer for the right team… those 50,000 seats can get a wee offended if you happen to yell at a favorite player. If you have the need to feel like a kid again, make your way to M and D’s Family Theme Park. It is home to the largest roller coaster in Scotland, aptly named the Tornado. There is also a huge indoor complex filled with restaurants and a bowling ally.

Glasgow is a great place to enjoy a great event. Some of the favorites include Celtic Connections, the Jazz Festival, the West End Festival, the Merchant City Festival and the Glasgow Comedy Festival. Nothing goes better with a festival than music and the numerous pubs and clubs have a lot to offer. One of the best places to catch a concert is at the King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut. Another is Barfly, who helped put Coldplay and Franz Ferdinand on the music scene. Merchant City and the West End areas of Glasgow house a number of pubs and cultural venues as well but are also known for their dining establishments. Interestingly enough, Glasgow is affectionately known as being the Curry Capital of Britain, but there are a number of other dining options that showcase a fantastic array of ethnic dishes.

It seems wherever you go in Glasgow, you will find something to do. Shoppers can find the latest fashion trends, history buffs can study the well-preserved structures and artists can learn from past legends. To top it all off, your evenings can be filled with listening to the up and coming musicians of the day and feasting on delicious meals. Small wonder Glasgow is becoming one of Europe’s most popular places to visit.