This Glasgow visitor guide will help you understand how our visit exceeded my expectations. I knew it was beautiful. I knew it had loads of castles. I knew Sean Connery was from Scotland and that lots of movies have been filmed there, not to mention television productions like the popular Game of Thrones.
I however, did not expect to be fascinated by the history, and especially the greenery, food and the friendliness of the people. We spent an amazing 10 days visiting Glasgow and its neighbour, Edinburgh, including the now decommissioned royal yacht of Queen Elizabeth. Here is a rough Glasgow guide filled with, in my humble opinion, must visit places to make your time in the city memorable.
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Glasgow Visitor Guide:
Why visit Glasgow?
The top reason would be because Glasgow is beautiful. There are loads of things to do, no matter what your tastes are. It is also a very green city with over 90 parks. There are very interesting museums that are free, great architecture and a bustling music scene (UNESCO city of Music).
Have you heard of bands like Simple Minds, Primal Scream, Franz Ferdinand and one of my eternal favourites, The Blue Nile?. Yep! All from Glasgow. If beer is your thing, there are plenty of craft beer pubs. If you’re more into whiskey, you can tour top notch distilleries such as the Auchentoshan Distiller, just a few minutes outside the city center. They make Scotland’s only triple distilled single malt whiskey. Bet that tastes amazing. I daresay you would have plenty to do, see and eat on your trip to Scotland.
Glasgow Visitor Guide: a Rough Guide of where to stay, what to see and what to eat.
Where to Stay in Glasgow:
Glasgow has an international airport which is serviced by many of the larger airlines such as British Airways, Emirates and Delta. Just like on our Poland trip, we took Ryanair, the low budget airline as they have a direct flight from Valencia. I know a lot of people complain about them, but if you read and abide by their guidelines, it really isn’t so bad. It’s about a 20 minute ride from the airport to the center. We used Uber once again because it is so convenient. On arrival, we were met by cold, fog and rain. It was definitely not what one would expect of summer.
The weather in Glasgow is definitely not tropical. Somehow, I was under the impression that it would be muggy, if not particularly warm (thanks to my google translate app 😉 ), so we had brought lots of tee shirts and a light jacket each. Wrong! We were freezing. Since it rains often, I would suggest packing a light raincoat. Trust me, you’ll need it.
We stayed at a really nice boutique hotel close to George Square, smack dab in the center of town. There were loads of places to eat nearby, there was even a setup for an “events in the sky”. You know, the crazy fad of getting hoisted up by some crane so you could have a fancy feast while dangling some 100 feet in the air. I never cease to be amazed at how strong death wish is for people :-). No, thank you. Death can come to me, I am certainly not going to prod and poke at it ;-).
The Z Hotel was perfect for us. It’s set away from the noise and the rooms are smaller but cozy and welcoming. At 5PM daily, there is a wine and cheese reception. Your first glass of wine being complimentary (large selection too). It’s a really nice way to meet fellow travellers. The reception and restaurant are all one big room. I booked it on one of my favorite hotel sites, lastminute.com which l have mentioned before. If you have nerves of steel, you can wait like me and book last minute as we got the room over half off. If you are a planner, you can use our affiliate link.
I highly recommend the Z hotel in Glasgow. The small staff is nice and everyone so friendly which seems to rub off on the guests as well. Right outside of the hotel, there is a huge poster of “People Make Glasgow”. I totally believe it. We had an awesome time and can’t say enough about it. There are of course other lovely hotels in the area, I think anything near George square is a good bet. Click here for the best hotel prices.
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Visitor Guide to Glasgow Sights: Interesting places to visit
Another advantage of staying at the Z hotel was that the Hop-on-hop-off bus stop was right at the square. This is a great way to get an overview of the city. It makes it easier to then decide what to focus your holiday on. Here are some favorite places we visited.
Stirling Castle:
The decision had been made by me to visit just 2 castles. One in Glasgow, and the other in Edinburgh. It’s quite easy to dedicate a whole vacation to “castling” . There are certainly tons of them. The decision to visit Stirling castle was easy. I’d only had good things and most people said it was their favorite overall. The experience was amazing. I loved hearing the history of the castle.
Getting from Glasgow to Stirling Castle: Queen Street Station
It was easy getting from Glasgow to Stirling. The fact that we were so close to the Station made it painless. The Z hotel is a 2 minute walk from the station. Our tickets were £8 pounds each way l think and the journey was about 35 minutes in a comfortable train. The views out the window were incredible. Everything so lush and green. When you get to Stirling, you can either walk up to the castle, which is uphill all the way on cobblestones. We took a taxi from the station at a cost of £3 because it was wet, cold and rainy, not that l would have walked anyway.
The first thing you notice from the top? Stunning views of the town. I knew Scotland was green, but WOW! Really incredible. I kept thinking of movies like Highlander and my favourite Gerald Butler movie called Dear Frankie. I recommend taking one of the free guided tours provided with your entry ticket as it really fills you in on the history of the castle.
A castle as well as a fortress, many Scottish Kings and Queens were crowned at Stirling castle. The guide was so cool and we got to hear many interesting tidbits about royal life like the sad life of Mary, Queen of Scots. Did you know Glasgow is Gaelic for Dear Green Space?. I did not, but it makes perfect sense. So much green space, I think we spent a total of 2 days just hanging out in the parks people watching (when it wasn’t raining of course 🙂 ).
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History came alive in some of the rooms as they had people dressed up who were willing to tell you more about life in the castle. That made it memorable, for example, I had no idea that they played golf way back then. After the tour, we enjoyed walking around by ourselves. Even though it was crowded, it didn’t feel like it because the grounds are huge. I don’t know if any other castle can top this, we had a wonderful day at Stirling Castle.
Stirling Castle entrance fee:
Entry fee to Stirling Castle is £15 for adults. Opening times: 9.30AM-6PM with the last entry at 5.15PM. They close an hour earlier during winter. Find more information here. For other ways to spend a day in Stirling, make sure to check this post for awesome ideas.
University of Glasgow:
I’m not ashamed to confess that l had Uni envy. I went to the smallest pharmacy college in Boston, we had just 2 buildings for the whole school. The college rented dormitories from nearby Simmons College and a few of our classes were held at the Harvard Dental School across from us, that’s how small it was. To see this University, with its gorgeous, stately buildings that looked more like houses of parliament than school was really impressive.
Everywhere in Scotland, you hear stories of J.K Rowling using pretty much every tourist attraction for inspiration in the Harry Potter books. This was also true here. We heard that one of the halls was the basis for Harry’s house. Not sure if it’s true, and l don’t care. Let’s just say l was inspired by it too. We just happened to visit on graduation day, so there was a festive feeling in the air with laughter, bagpipes and smiling students and professors who were only too hapy to pose for us. We certainly would have slipped into the ceremony and had some champagne, but we were woefully under dressed. You should definitely visit the University of Glasgow. I would have attended classes every freaking day just to be in the space.
Tip for visiting the University of Glasgow: Make sure and stop at the front gate to pick up a self guided tour brochure. It’s free. We ended up making a few friends along the way as we pointed out things to other tourists who were wandering aimlessly. They do have paid tours at 2PM from Tuesdays to Sunday at a cost of £10 per adult which gives you more insight about its 550 year old history.
The “Welcome Point” is right in the McIntyre building which is on your left as you enter through the gates. It was really handy having the brochure too as l picked up a few tidbits, such as the architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott designed the iconic red British phone booths as well as the Battersea Power Station (something I’ve seen and liked for so many years and I’m now watching the transformation with curiosity and glee). He also designed the Professors Square, row houses that were originally designated for their use. We also saw the University Chapel, one of the few places where inter faith marriages can take place. Other places we saw included:
The Lion and Unicorn Staircase:
Symbols of the United Kingdom. Lion for England, and Unicorn for Scotland. They were created in 1690 by a stonemason William Riddel, and moved to their current site in 1870, stone by stone.
The Gilbert Scott Building and Bute Hall:
The tower is 278 feet tall. I can definitely see how it could have inspired J.K Rowling. Perhaps it’s time to re-watch Harry Potter movies now that l’ve been to Scotland.
The Cloisters:
This is where the graduations are held and connects the East and West quadrangles.
The Hunterian museum, Scotland’s oldest is also in the University. There is also the Hunterian Art Gallery with featuring works by world class artists like Rembrandt and Peter Paul Rubens. We didn’t get to visit, perhaps next time. You could easily spend the whole day at the University if you have the time.
Kelvingrove Museum:
This was a fun place and one of the highlights of the trip. I’m a big fan of the movie “Night at the Museum” so l enjoyed it a lot. We kept quoting lines from the movie. We split our day between the University and this museum as it is just a stone’s throw away. There are 22 themed galleries inside and l couldn’t have asked for more. Definitely recommended. many wonderful pieces of art and l really enjoyed the human faces floating gallery.
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Kelvingrove Park:
Once done with the Kelvingrove museum, don’t forget the Kelvingrove public park that is right outside. We had a great time people watching and seeing how Scottish people go about their daily lives. It is humongous and so green. The Kelvin river passes through the park as seen in the top picture. A gorgeous setting. There are monuments as well as the Steward memorial fountain which celebrates the establishment of Milngavie Waterworks (water treatment) and the Loch Katrine (fresh water loch).
Style Mile Buchanan Street:
The Style mile is a mile long street that connects Buchanan street to Argyle street and is a very popular destination for tourists and locals alike.
It you like shopping, there’s no better place to do it than in Glasgow. It was also just a short walk from the hotel. Loads of name brand stores, plenty of street performers with bagpipes for the full on Scottish experience, soul music singers. A perfect place for people watching, especially in the pedestrian only streets. I can only imagine what the place must look and feel like come Christmas time and the frenzy. I’m sure l would enjoy it very much.
Glasgow Cathedral:
The oldest cathedral in Scotland as well as its oldest building. The other formal names are High Kirk of Scotland or St. Mungo’s Cathedral, or St. Kentigern. Located near the University of Glasgow (which actually started within the buildings of the Cathedral)
These of course barely skim the surface of things to do. Check out some more awesome Glasgow things to do on the crazy tourist.
Visitor Guide To Glasgow Food: Yummy Eats
One can not go to Glasgow and forget about the food. There is quite a lot of international cuisine in the city. I already mentioned how much we liked haggis in the postcard so needless to say, we had it a few times. We also had really good gyros and pizza. One place we went to, we were served by a Pakistani guy who picked up on Federico’s Italian accent. Turns out he is a naturalized Italian (showed us his papers and all 🙂 ), thrilled to speak in Italian, made and served us Greek food in Scotland. It doesn’t get more international than that, does it?. It was also the longest time l spent in a place..haha..they went on forever! Being part of the U.K, you would expect similar items so we feasted on full English breakfasts, fish and chips, haggis and scotch pie. Everything yummy.
Our most favourite place to eat was at a restaurant called Bothys. Federico’s desire was to go to at least one authentic Scottish restaurant. A little research and l came up with this place. It was a little hard to find, down a tiny street and almost gave up in favor of a second place l had as a backup. Thanks to google maps, we finally did find it. It was completely worth it. The food was delicious, the service fantastic and we timed it right. Since it took a while to find it, there were very few people left as like, no kidding..a huge number of people were leaving as we walked up. For sure we would not have waited had we come earlier and saw the crowd. The waiters are in traditional kilts which added an air of authenticity. Located on the west end, it fit perfectly into our day which was University, walked to Bothys for lunch, walk to Kelvingrove after lunch.
These are just a few of the things to do in Glasgow. We wish we had visited the Glasgow necropolis and the Riverside Museum among others. It just means we have to come back for another visit. We are not into the club scene, but needless to say that there is a happening scene there. Pub crawling. Loch Ness, the list goes on. We look forward to visiting Glasgow again and checking out other areas of Scotland as a whole. Would we live there? You betcha! London without the high prices. Maybe not in winter though :-). I hope you can put this Glasgow rough guide to good use if you get there.
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Have you been to Glasgow or any part of Scotland? If yes, did you enjoy it? Do you have any other suggestions for things to see and do in Glasgow? If not, does Glasgow look like a place you would like to visit?
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Interesting post! Made a note about Sterling castle – it looks promising and I would like to visit it! When we visited Glasgow we tried to see as many of the buildings of Charles Rennie Mackinstosh as we could fit in. It was before the library burned down ……and we enjoyed it very much. They have some very tasty vegetarian/ vegan restaurants as well!
I thought of you as we ate at this amazing little cafe in that George Square. It’s sort of like their version of Chipotle and the food was so fresh and amazing and very vegetarian/vegan friendly. I wish l’d remembered to take a photo but we scarfed it down..plus they had a special..big huge burrito with 2 bottles of Corona or 2 frozen margarita for like 8 pounds or something. It was fantastic.. You would like Stirling castle. Might do a separate post at some point as there is a lot to see there. Will have to look up Charles Mackintosh :-).
My mother was born in Glasgow and I’ve visited a few times over the years with friends or family in the area. It’s a nice place and I’d visit again in the future. I’m not too crazy about the food there. Or the food anywhere in the UK. Unless they’ve gotten a little more health conscious over the years which I somehow doubt. Everything was either too salty or had too much sauce, often a cream based sauce. I wasn’t even crazy over the fish and chips! So much better in my part of the world. I’d have liked to know more about that table that goes up in the air for a meal. Though I imagine it wouldn’t be too pleasant a dining experience if it was raining or windy!
You are finicky eater :-). Loved, loved, loved it all..fish, pie..it was like bring it on! :-). We would definitely love to visit again for sure. Really, it’s like having London without the huge price tag. I could do that. I guess l’ve had so much food from the U.S , I am happy to try other things. I miss Mexican food though, so l was very happy to find the burrito place :-).
This post made me want to pack a suitcase and head to Glasgow with your guide in hand! History and a vibrant, happening city all rolled into one location. How can you not feel like you’re walking in the steps of the past when you visit the amazing Stirling Castle or see the Lion and Unicorn Staircase? I have to confess that I joined you in the Uni envy as my own small College of Pharmacy in Missoula, MT, had none of the grandeur of the University of Glasgow either. I have no love for cooked peas but the rest of the meals pictured looked delish and hey – there’s an English cafe here in Lagos that serves a delish sticky toffee pudding. Come back for a visit anytime! Anita
I would totally head back with you. It was better than l expected :-). The University grounds was insane. So very pretty. I’m serious about never missing class if l went there..haha! I think it was a rule that all pharmacy colleges had to be small. I remember having to take one class at Northeastern University one semester and l almost cried. It was so big and all my schools since l was a kid had like 500 kids tops. I was so lost. Hahah..not too crazy about peas either..the pudding might entice me to come back..after you guys visit here :-).
I loved your pictures and the tips that you snuck in! I’m convinced I have to go to Glasgow now. Great post!
Thanks. It’s a great city and better than l expected. You should go :-).
Not only is Glasgow so filled with rich history, it’s absolutely gorgeous!
It definitely has a lot of history, and yep..insanely green and gorgeous. I totally get why all those movies and shows film there. :-).
great review! scotland is still on my list to see, this makes me want to jet over now!
Haha! That’s good to know. It’s there..waiting for you :-).
YES! As you already know my love for Scotland. The signs are so true…People (do) Make Glasgow, so friendly and quick with a story to make ya laugh and cry. Beautiful pics, thanks for letting me day dream a bit at work. Shhhh!
Dreams are always good. I hope you do spend the year there. I think at some point we might try to do a swap for a bit if we can find dog owners as well. we really liked it..really…shopping, food, shopping.. :-).
This looks like such a great place to visit! I hope to travel more in the years to come. Scotland is on my bucket list 🙂
It deserves to be on the list for sure. Really a cool place. You would have a great time l’m sure :-).
Indeed, really green! 🙂 It looks really good and it seems that you had a great time there. The food is, as always, mouth-watering and I am sure that actually being there and tasting it is even better 🙂 Not really a fan of their weather, but when you think that is what you have to go through for all those amazing views and beautiful green… you’re ready to reconsider 🙂
Very true. If one has to suffer through horrible weather to get the greenery, then it is worth it as it looks incredible. We definitely had a great time. It was surprising to me that you could get just about any ethnic food you desired. In that regard, l thought it would be less than what London has to offer, but glad to be wrong. I am still dreaming of the burrito l had, so fresh and good washed down with a frozen margarita :-).
Glasgow looks incredible! I’ve heard about RyanAir before. It sounds like Spirit airlines here in the US.
Glasgow is incredible :-). You’re right, Ryanair is like Spirit, just a little better. They never cancel their flights except for really bad weather. :-).
You had me at beer and whiskey! Lol. It just tastes so much better in Europe to me. That hotel you stayed in looks fantastic as well. I would be tempted to skip the hostel and head right over.
If you can hold on till the last minute, you can usually get good rates on that website. Sometimes even for shows and l’ve been using it for years. Haha!!! you can’t go wrong with beer and whiskey. Sounds like a country song :-).
All of the food looks incredible! I’ve never tried haggis but it is on my list!
Haggis is really goo, and yep..the food was incredible :-).
This looks like an amazing place to visit! I really enjoy learning the history and those castles and museums would be where I’d spend all my time 🙂
You would have a great time then. It’s awesome that the museums are free. I enjoy them very much as l like to know the history of a place as well. I would love to do more castle tours. I find them fascinating.
Glasgow for sure a place we’ll visit one day, maybe when it gets to hot here in Split. Have always wanted to see Scotland’s castles.
Frank (bbqboy)
There are certainly tons of castles to enjoy there. Sure you guys would love it!
Great write-up KemKem! I love the way that you described the weather – “On arrival, we were met by cold, fog and rain. It was definitely not what one would expect of summer.” Ha! Ha! That WAS summer. You should see winter hence, whisky in your porridge for breakfast. It helps!
Sure I’ve been to Glasgow and many other parts of Scotland. Mind you, Glasgow has changed and really cleaned up. It used to be quite rough in the 90’s. ‘Remember “Trainspotting?” It was filmed in Glasgow, but it was supposed to be Edinburgh! Having said that, you’re absolutely spot on. The university of Glasgow is amazing! And when we were last in Glasgow, we literally stayed next door!
It’s hardly likely that I will ever live in the UK again, but if for any reason I had to return home, it would be Scotland I would go to!
Glad to know our impression of Glasgow was spot on as we both felt we could definitely live there. A wonderful mix of all things Londonish but not as expensive..what could be better..except for the weather of course :-). Yeah.. I was really astonished at the weather when we got there. It is so like San Francisco where summer is often cold and foggish. I did know it used to be a rough area from the tour guide. Glad l never visited then.. I much prefer seeing it this way. I wouldn’t blame you for living there if you ever moved back. It’s a really nice and cool place and Edinburgh being so close is just icing on the cake :-).
Ha! Ha! Oops!
Even though Glasgow has changed enormously, It would be Edinburgh or any of the Highlands regions that I would move to, not Glasgow….!
Haha! Edinburgh was pretty cool and can understand that! They are so close anyway :-). Best of both worlds in my book.
Kemkem, I am so glad you loved Glasgow, I don’t know it as well as Edinburgh, but last time I visited it was to spend time with my nephews who are studying at Glasgow University. It is such a fun city and often not talked about as much as Edinburgh, your photos look gorgeous. Stirling Castle is also so beautiful, I first visited back in 1988 and totally fell in love with it 🙂 Kemkem, I had already commented on this post, but for some reason it disappeared…so fingers crossed it will go through now 🙂
Sorry your comment disappeared. I didn’t see it, not even in the spam folder :-(. I hate it when that happens. I really was surprised that l liked the city so much. I think it doesn’t get as much love because Edinburgh seems to be more compact while Glasgow is more spread out but they are both wonderful in their own way. I would have a hard time choosing if l had to live in one, but it’s good that they are just a short trip from each other so l wouldn’t feel too bad. That Uni is just stunning!! Boy..would l have loved to go to school there :-).
Hi Kemkem, I’ve been reading a number of your post today, they’re very well done ☺️ I’ll be in Scotland in Sept/Oct, I’ve been castle hopping around Wales, so super excited to explore the ones there, especially Sterling.
Marrakech is at the top of my list, I’m just waiting for the wind to blow me there lol. Do you think it’s best to hire a guide or is it easy to figure out on your own? I usually travel solo and have no problems figuring things out….eventually.
Hi Paula! Thanks so much for the compliment :-). My head swells..hahah! Sterling was magnificent. I really enjoyed it, and the price gets you into the smaller castle not too far from there, but we were tired and nothing could match that anyway.
I hope the wind blows you toward Marrakech too. I think you will be fine on your own, if you stay in the souk area of the Old Medina. It’s easy to get around, but you have to be really aggressive with the vendors, you are accosted at every turn which really annoyed Fede. I am used to it from home (this is a higher level still). You could then hire a guide for 1 day to take you to the far places like the Agdal gardens, palace etc. Thanks for your lovely comment.