The top things to do in Glasgow offer a chance to discover the city’s rich past. From a redeveloped port area with some of Britain’s most modern buildings to streets decorated in murals, you can expect to find something exciting around every corner you turn. This is before we’ve even mentioned the food scene (it has some of the best restaurants in Scotland) and its gregarious people.
Things to do in Glasgow
Glasgow will appear at the top of any Scotland travel guide and for good reason. The people are incredibly friendly, eager to fill you in with local information and have an incredible sense of humour. You only have to see the traffic cone ever present on the Duke of Wellington’s statue in front of the Gallery of Modern Art or the rather brazen bronze sculpture of As Proud As; they’re both located by Buchanan Street. These are just a few of the things to do in Glasgow.
Kelvin Grove Art Gallery and Museum
If you find yourself in the West End of Glasgow and are in search of some culture, there really is one place to go. A short walk from Kelvin Grove Underground Station brings you to Kelvin Grove Park, within which lies a magnificent building housing the Kelvin Grove Art Gallery and Museum. This is one of the most popular and best free things to do in Edinburgh.
For a free museum, it has a vast array of collections that can be found in over 22 themed galleries. First opened as the Palace of Fine Arts in 1900, part of the Glasgow International Exhibition, there’s a room with prehistoric mammals and dinosaurs and various other animals. Sir Roger, an Asian elephant, is bound to be a hit with the kids, not to mention the Spitfire plane hanging from the ceiling in the west court. One of the most famous paintings here is Christ of St John on the Cross, one of Salvador Dali’s masterpieces.
Address: Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8AG
Kelvin Grove Park
And once you’re done with the museum, Kelvin Grove Park is one the best green places to spend time in Glasgow. Straddling the River Clyde, it is roughly a whopping 85 acres with plenty to occupy young or old. Why not take an orienteering course to find your way around the vast grounds and pit yourself against other family members? It’s one of the best things to do in the Glasgow city centre as you emerge triumphant. Meanwhile, the riverside walk is stunning and perfect for a stroll any time of day.
This fine example of a Victorian park has three children’s areas to pick from, and when looking for something to eat, the An Clachan cafe (by the Eldon Street entrance) will see you right. A visit to the park in the spring is as colourful as you will get, when the azalea and rhododendron borders burst with colour.
Address: Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8AG
The Hidden Lane
Not too far away, on a lane behind Argyle Street, is The Hidden Lane. It’s a place to go for anything creative and one of Glasgow’s hidden UK gems. In a burst of rainbow colours, there are over 100 studios belonging to a multitude of craftspeople, from musicians to jewellers to guitar makers and much more. What better place to do your yoga or to touch up your hair whilst on holiday?
If that wasn’t enough, at Unit 8, you’ll find The Hidden Lane Tearoom, where you can indulge in a luxurious afternoon tea. This charming tearoom with kitsch wallpaper fits in perfectly with the rest of the area and has become an institution on the street, with its mismatched crockery, friendly staff and homely atmosphere punctuated by vintage memorabilia.
Address: 1103 Argyle Street, Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8ND
The Riverside Museum
Keeping with culture, head to the Glasgow Harbour area; at the place where the Rivers Clyde and Kelvin meet is the Riverside Museum. This is one of the best places to learn about transport through the years. In a rather futuristic building by famed architect Dame Zaha Hadid, you’ll find some of the world’s largest collections of modes of transport through the ages; there are over 3,000 of them. And with around 90 touchscreen panels, you can whizz through or linger on what you want to know more about.
This is a museum with a difference and one of the best activities in Glasgow. It encourages interaction, where you could help put out a fire using an old fire engine or board an old train, tram or bus to see what it might have felt like in the old days. There is a replica cobbled street that dates between 1895 and the 1980s, with different transport vehicles taking you through the years; it’s such a fun way to interact and learn. Lovers of vintage cars are covered too, and moored just outside the building is the restored Tall Ship Glenlee; it’s free to enter, with various entertainment for children of all ages.
Address: 100 Pointhouse Road, Patrick, Glasgow G3 8RS
Clyde Auditorium
To catch a show, there’s no better place than Clyde Auditorium, also on the banks of the River Clyde, at the place which was formerly the Queen’s Dock. In an area steeped in history, the auditorium, fondly known as the ‘Armadillo’ because of its shape, is where to catch a live concert or comedy show. The building itself is as intriguing as they come if you love your architecture and was designed by another of England’s well-known architects, Sir Norman Forster. He took inspiration from the history of the area as a shipyard to construct the fascinating building. It also has a great bar and restaurant to catch up with friends before or after a concert or tour of the fascinating area.
Address: SEC Armadillo Exhibition Way, Glasgow G3 8YW
The Finnieston Crane
Whilst here, gawp at the wonder that is the Finnieston Crane, a gigantic reminder and symbol of Glasgow’s past industrial might, one of the major contributors to the city’s growth. You will not miss it anyway, it dominates the sky by the waters. Though not operational, it’s one of four such cranes that remain in the city and has become a major tourist attraction in itself. In its hay day, it would have been used to load steam locomotives, a major export trade, or repair and fit ship engines.
Address: Finnieston Quay, Glasgow G3 8HN
The Waverley
For an experience that is as unique to Glasgow as you’ll find, and one that celebrates its shipping past, take a ride on the Waverley, the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer. Inside it are a restaurant, bar and tearoom. Should you love engines and are fascinated by how this impressive vessel operates, then the steam engine room is where to head. Tours start in the morning from the Science Centre, heading up the River Clyde past the River Museum, Glenlee and Erskine Bridge (another impressive Glasgow landmark), before hitting the open waters and heading back in the late afternoon.
Address: 36 Lancefield Quay, Glasgow G3 8HA
Palais de Danse
With the uptake for all things vintage and a resurgence of vinyl, Glasgow’s Palais de Danse is just the place to increase your collection. In a fourth-floor room resembling a DJ’s attic, with music blaring from speakers, you’ll find a vast collection of vintage and second-hand vinyl records of pop, funk, techno and reggae from the 80s. It’s a haven for nostalgic music and a truly special thing to do in Glasgow, especially if you love old music.
Address: 118 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G2 3DH
Buchanan Street Shopping
It goes without saying that shopping and travel go hand in hand. In Glasgow, Buchanan Street is just the place to head for some retail therapy. This is the main stretch of road in Glasgow’s shopping district and is packed with trendy upmarket stores and galleries to pick from. One of the main draws is Princes Square, where you’ll find over 25 shops and a few restaurants for a bite to eat.
The street also has some interesting architecture along it. The shop housing Urban Outfitters, for example, is a good depiction of Gothic-revival architecture, with arched windows; look up to fully appreciate it. On the left, by the exit from Princes Square, is a perfect display of the great Scottish sense of humour in the form of a statue. The appropriately named ‘As Proud As’ is a bronze statue of a man completely naked with his hands clasped at his chest and a peacock behind him.
Address: Buchanan St, Glasgow G1 2BB
The Lighthouse
Once done with your shopping, just off Buchanan Street, on Mitchell Lane, is The Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Design and Architecture. Formerly housing a newspaper building, it was one of the first completed works by Scotland’s most-loved, born-and-bred architect, Charles Rennie Mackintosh. When open, this is one of the best places to learn more about him and his works.
To get the scope of Glasgow’s cityscape, head to the Mackintosh Tower, accessed by the most fascinating spiral staircase from the third floor. Otherwise, take a lift to the viewing point on the sixth floor.
Address: 11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow G1 3NU
Gilmorehill
Talking of views, none come better than at Gilmorehill, the bell tower at Glasgow University; it was designed by Sir Gilbert Scot, in the West End of the city. Built in 1887, the tower stands at a whopping 278 feet and is the second largest Gothic-revival building in the UK, after the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, London. Its position on a hill, behind Kelvingrove, offers some of the most stunning views of the city spread out below and the River Kelvin nearby.
Don’t miss the model of the university at the entrance hall, to gain a perspective of the university’s magnitude. Highlighted on it are some of the most historic buildings on the campus.
Address: 9 University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8QQ
Pollokshaws Road
If the hustle and bustle of Buchanan Street doesn’t appeal to you, then head southside to Pollokshaws Road. Flanking wide paved streets, trendy bars and cafes jostle for space alongside independent boutiques with creative window displays and elegant townhouses. It gives off a Bohemian village vibe and is one of the best places to while away in Glasgow. Walk off your brunch in Queen’s Park or grab an ice cream for a sweet treat.
Address: Pollokshaws Rd, Glasgow G43 1AU
Mural Trail
To experience a more edgy side to the city whilst appreciating art, book yourself on a Mural Trail; it’s what to see in Glasgow. In a bid to revitalise some of the tired-looking and vacant spaces in the city centre, several artists have been commissioned to use their talent to revive them. As a result, you will find an array of breathtaking murals dotted around the city, with official tours on offer. They include Smug’s originally untitled work, now called ‘St Mungo’ after it trended on social media and was named. They also include a portrait of one of Scotland’s funniest men, Bill Connolly.
Address: City Centre, Glasgow G3 6RQ
Glasgow Cathedral
With the demise of many of the UK’s medieval cathedrals, Glasgow Cathedral is a chance to see one that still stands intact. The Blackadder Aisle has some of the most extraordinary post-war collections of stained-glass windows in the UK, all depicting various scenes from the bible. When you look at the ceiling, you’ll find some impressively carved sculptures.
Castle Street, on which it’s located, has some of the oldest buildings in the city. The cathedral would have once been the beating heart of the city, and it’s where the city is thought to have grown from. If you don’t find graves spooky, make a stop at the nearby cemetery modelled on the Pere Lachaise of Paris: the Necropolis. It’s what to do in Glasgow during the summer months, when it looks like a beautiful meadow with flowers and bees.
Address: Castle Street, Glasgow G4 0QZ
Glasgow City Chambers
Overlooking George Square is a building so grand it’s hard to miss, and it’s easily one of the best places to visit in Scotland: the Glasgow City Chambers. Home to the Glasgow City Council, its full grandeur can only be witnessed once you get inside; there are free tours available twice a day, in the morning and afternoon. It’s so grand that it was used in films to stand for the Vatican in Heavenly Pursuits and the Kremlin in An Englishman Abroad.
Address: George Square, Glasgow G2 1DU
The Clydeside Distillery
Scotland is known for its whisky, so there’s no better place to enjoy a tipple or two than in its largest city. Within the old pumphouse building, once the gateway into Queen’s Dock, you’ll find The Clydeside Distillery. This is Glasgow’s first distillery dedicated to single malt. Along with the history of Glasgow and the dockyard area, it offers different tasting tours. It’s not only an opportunity to learn and taste whiskey, of course, but it’s also the chance to witness distilling first-hand in the rather humongous copper stills.
Included in the tours is a Clydeside tour, which comes with a taste of two whiskies. But for lovers of all things chocolatey, the chocolate and whiskey tour is a must. It comes with five different whiskies, each paired with an artisan chocolate to bring out the flavour. All whiskies are single malt, of course.
Address: 100 Stobcross Road, Glasgow G3 8QQ
Restaurants in Glasgow
Glasgow has an epic dining scene, with two Michelin-star restaurants, including Unalome. There are also a good 16 mentioned in the Michelin Guide, but there are many more besides, of course. From a competitive lineup, below are some that should top the list for places to dine in Glasgow.
Celentano’s
A short walk from Glasgow Cathedral is Cathedral Square, where you will find Celentano’s. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a snack or bowl of pasta with a negroni after trawling the streets of central Glasgow. With rustic charm, a seasonal menu that changes almost weekly and a creative chef who cut his teeth in London, the food is incredibly good and explains its Michelin Bib Gourmand, achieved within six months of opening.
Address: 28032 Cathedral Square, Glasgow G4 0XA
Ox and Finch
Another restaurant worth a mention, especially if you’re into sharing plates, is
Ox and Finch. This trendy bistro with high-backed chairs and an open kitchen is a stone’s throw away from Kelvin Park. It’s known for its international menu served as small plates, allowing you to try as many dishes as possible.
Address: 920 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow G3 7TF
Cail Bruich
You’ve come to Glasgow for a special weekend, so there’s only one place you’re going to take that special someone: Cail Bruich. At the helm is chef Lorna McNee, winner of The Great British Menu UK in 2019, who attained her Michelin star within six months of opening. One of the two Michelin-star restaurants in Glasgow, she uses the finest British seasonal ingredients to create dishes that live up to the meaning of the name of the restaurant in Gaelic: ‘eat well’.
Address: 725 Great Western Road, Glasgow G12 8QX
Tabac
Finally, if you’re after a classy joint to drink the night away, you don’t have to stray too far from The Lighthouse and Tabac. With quirky decor, dim lighting and projects from reclaimed Parisian streetlamps, cocktails are lethal with plenty to pick from and a choice of craft beer. When hunger pangs strike, sustenance comes in the form of Asian-fusion sharing plates.
Address: 10 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow G1 3NU
With an incredible food scene and plenty to see and do, Glasgow is the perfect place for a weekend city break. The best place to base yourself is the West End, where most of the attractions are located, from the University of Glasgow to the cathedral to Kelvingrove Park.
