Glasgow Attractions

Glasgow, with around 600,000 inhabitants, is the largest city in Scotland. The transformation from a gray industrial city to an urban "trend metropolis" has taken place over the last 20 years.

More than 709 parks and green spaces, countless theaters, museums, and other cultural venues give this working-class city a new shine. Alongside beautiful Victorian buildings, there are also dreary concrete blocks. Glasgow has its rough edges and isn't beautiful everywhere, and that's what we love about it.

"People make Glasgow" - the people are what make Glasgow special. So says the city's slogan. Here, the friendliest people in Scotland supposedly live. For a city trip in Europe, many forget about the Scottish metropolis, where there's truly much to discover. Why Glasgow is worth a trip (even in winter), and how you can explore the city in combination with Edinburgh, you can read here.

Are you visiting Glasgow for the first time? Then I'll tell you which places you absolutely must visit and what the must-sees are.

The following top attractions in Glasgow are not to be missed. Here are our highlights:

In Glasgow, you'll encounter old Victorian buildings designed in the style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, alongside new modern structures next to dreary concrete blocks. You either love or hate Glasgow. We found the city exciting because there's something to discover everywhere.

Victorian legacy with City Chambers and Merchant City.

George Square is centrally located right by the train station (Central Station) on Queen Street in the heart of Glasgow.

From several columns, Scottish celebrities like the poet Robert Burns, scientist Thomas Graham, Lord Clyde, or poet Thomas Campbell look down. Their names will repeatedly appear during your visit to Scotland.

The large monument with the many flowers commemorates the victims of Nagasaki and Hiroshima.

The City Chambers, built in 1888, are among the most beautiful buildings in Glasgow. You must visit the Town Hall if you have time. Unfortunately, we didn't make it inside. But Tom from Photo Walk Scotland highly recommended it to us. The magnificent marble staircases and the grand hall are said to be very impressive.

Merchant City impressively showcases the beauty of Glasgow's Victorian buildings. This area and its streets are often filming locations for national and international productions. Recently, scenes for a new Netflix series starring Benedict Cumberbatch were shot here.

Did you know that Glasgow is full of color? There is truly fantastic street art to explore along the City Centre Mural Trail. We booked a local guide with Tom from Photo Walk Scotland. During the city tour with him, we discovered the most beautiful pieces, as well as learned a lot about Glasgow's history, its sights, and tips for great cafes and restaurants.

My absolute favorite piece: Officially, this artwork by Smug has no title and has been dubbed "St. Mungo" on social media. This motif captivates everyone. The emotion and clarity are simply beautiful.

Read more about the street art tour in Glasgow here.

When traveling to cities, I rarely visit museums, especially when it is my first time in a city. But I wanted to see this museum. Completely different from the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, the building seems much more beautiful, and the exhibits are somewhat packed close together. You can find more than 8,000 exhibits closely packed, from stuffed animals to weapons, an airplane hanging from the ceiling (Spitfire LA 198), sculptures, and historical inventions.

Kelvingrove is especially known for the "Floating Heads" by Sophie Cave. Due to this installation of hanging heads, we wanted to visit the museum.

The University of Glasgow is the second oldest university in Scotland. The Neo-Gothic architecture of this university in Glasgow's West End reminds many of Hogwarts from Harry Potter. However, no scenes were actually filmed here. The Gilmore Building with its tall tower is one of Glasgow's landmarks.

The entrance area and the colonnade are open for viewing, but the rest is only accessible via a tour (self-guided and guided).

Learn more on the university's website.

You can access The Barras via entrances on Kent Street, Gibson Street, or Gallowgate. On weekends, everything is sold here, but unfortunately, less and fewer stalls are open. The place is beautifully shabby and rundown and very intriguing. Here you will find a beautiful work of art by street artist Rogue-One (The Barras Pirate, as mentioned above).

More information on The Barras website

A truly beautiful place to look over Glasgow is the Necropolis cemetery. The gravestones are ancient and somehow impressive. Over 50,000 dead have been buried here, of which only 3,500 impressive tombs, made by wealthy residents, are visible. Take your time to explore the details of these graves and their inscriptions. Originally, this place was a beautiful park in the 17th century before it became a cemetery.

Note: The Necropolis is open only during the day, so make sure to come before closing.

From here, you have a fantastic view of the Gothic-style St. Mungo's Cathedral. This cathedral is the only one on the Scottish mainland from the Middle Ages that still stands as it did then.

The cathedral is named after St. Mungo, the patron saint of the city, who found his final resting place in this church.

Just a stone's throw from the Town Hall and George Square lies the Gallery of Modern Art. In front stands a statue of the Duke of Wellington, who wears a traffic cone on his head. Apparently, this cone was placed there overnight, and since then it has become a permanent fixture. You can even buy postcards of it.

The gallery used to be the luxurious home of a tobacco baron and was only acquired by the Bank of Scotland in 1817 as the Exchange (Royal Exchange). The Gallery of Modern Art has only been here since 1996. There are alternating exhibitions, and admission is free.

That's why we visited the interior, as the exhibition inside was not worth mentioning (and I have an art diploma and am generally interested in art. However, it wasn't anything we understood). The rooms are still very worth seeing. You get a great view from the café over the rooftops of Glasgow.

The Riverside Museum is also located along the Clyde Waterfront. Designed by architect Zaha Hadid, the museum houses over 3,000 exhibits of old locomotives, motorcycles, bicycles, and cars. You will also find the history of skateboarding here. On reconstructed streets, you can observe old carts or take a closer look at a historic streetcar. The museum is really well done and not just an architectural highlight from the outside!

In front of the museum, you can visit the tall ship Glenlee. The ship has been completely restored and now attracts tourists as a museum ship. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough time to visit because both the ship and the museum close at 5 PM. However, I managed to look around a bit at the Riverside Museum.

Glasgow Green is located on the north shore of the Clyde River. It is Glasgow's oldest park and was a gift from King James II to the citizens of Glasgow in 1450.

The People's Palace with its beautiful winter garden was built in 1898 for the poorest in the city, to provide education and recreation for all citizens. The Doulton Fountain is a remarkable fountain built in front of the palace.

Inside the People's Palace, you will find a small café where you can enjoy tea and cake (especially on rainy days or as we did in winter) in pleasant temperatures.

The banks of the Clyde have long been a neglected area. Now, futuristic buildings by renowned architects are sprouting up. You should start at Glasgow Green Park and walk along the path by the Clyde River, passing all the buildings. In summer, you can also cycle along here.

In addition to the listed buildings, there are also chic new buildings with apartments, commercial spaces, shopping centers, hotels (including the Hilton), and excellent restaurants (Tip: The Butchershop Bar and Grill).

Here along the Clyde Waterfront, one modern building follows another. The Clyde Auditorium, designed by Sir Norman Foster, immediately catches our eye. It gets the affectionate nickname "Armadillo" due to its scaly construction, which resembles the Sydney Opera House. Next to it is the SSE Hydro (visible in green light in the picture). This building was the second most visited concert hall in the world in 2017. Who would have thought?

The Finnieston Crane, at 53 meters high, recalls Glasgow's heavy industry past, which meant work for many Glaswegians until the 1950s. This history has always reflected whether times were good or bad. Luxury ships were built here, leading to Glasgow's wealth. However, it also endured famines caused by the decline of the industry and abandoned facilities in the early 20th century.

The Clyde Arc Bridge is spanned by an arch, which looks particularly impressive when lit up at night.

Today, green parks and modern buildings line the banks of the Clyde. On the opposite side (not shown in the photos) stands the Glasgow Science Centre, shimmering silver in the sun during the day.

The Science Center also features a 127-meter observation tower, which was closed during winter when we visited due to poor visibility (constant snowfall). On a clear day, however, you get a fantastic view of the entire city and beyond.

*Due to a recent fire at the School of Art, tours are unfortunately not taking place at the moment. Be sure to check before your trip.

If you're only in Glasgow for a short time, I recommend booking a city tour or a ticket for the hop-on hop-off bus. This way, you'll definitely have the opportunity to get a compact overview of the city. I also enjoy bike tours.

Here are the city tours I recommend:

Since we were in Glasgow in winter, two days were ideal. You get the fastest overview during a short stay by taking a tour on the Hop-on Hop-off Bus. The tour in Glasgow takes about 1.5 hours without getting off. During continuous snowfall, we once completed the tour entirely and learned the most important facts from the German audio guide about Glasgow.

-> Here you can reserve your ticket for the hop-on hop-off bus before your trip

Here's our suggestion for 2 days in Glasgow:

In the morning: Take a complete ride on the Hop-on Hop-off Bus and learn everything fundamental about Glasgow. Alternatively, take a walking tour or a bike tour (my favorite, though not in -2 degrees and snow like during our visit).

Afterward: Street Art Tour with Tom from Photo Walk Scotland. Discover everything essential about the city. Take a break in between for tea and scones at Source Café. Duration about 4-5 hours.

In the evening: Visit a pub and a restaurant in the city center. Our tip: Babs. Afterward, we attended a concert of the Celtic Connections Festival. Maybe find a pub with live music. You'll find great bars and cafés on Agall Street.

Over breakfast, we make a plan for which places we want to explore in more detail. We use UBER to get from A to B faster. In freezing temperatures, it's the best way. Alternatively, you can take the subway, and in summer we recommend renting bikes. You can really cover a lot by bike. Just keep in mind that it's an uphill climb to St. Mungo's Cathedral and the Necropolis.

In the morning: 45-minute tour at the Glasgow School of Art (currently not a must, as the beautiful building is being restored after a fire). Then, take UBER to Necropolis, walking back into the city center. Be sure to grab coffee or tea to go at Empire Coffee (see below for a picture of an old blue police station).

Explore Tolbooth Steeple, Merchant City, Gallery of Modern Art, Lighthouse (unfortunately, it was closed for an event when we were there), George Square, City Chambers... Then take UBER to the People's Palace and Glasgow Green. Continue to Kelvingrove Art Museum, walk to the university and then to the Riverside Museum (arrive by 4/4:30 PM as the museum closes at 5 PM).

Then, enjoy the twilight here. Take night shots from the Riverside Museum. Walk to Glasgow Science Center, Clyde Auditorium ("Armadillo"), Finnieston Crane, and Clyde Arc.

In the evening: Since you'll be nearby, you can enjoy a delicious meal at The Butchershop Bar & Grill. This restaurant caught our eye during the hop-on hop-off tour. Excellent food, though it's not the cheapest. It's definitely worth it. If you're not tired after, you can have a drink at The Clutha (great beer garden in summer), one of Glasgow's oldest pubs.

The next day, we head back to Germany through Edinburgh. Before Glasgow, we spent three days in Edinburgh.

-> Tips and highlights for Edinburgh

There are many accommodations in Glasgow that are centrally located and good. There are numerous trendy hotels, but also private apartments you can book via Airbnb. You can find accommodations to suit any budget.

We stayed at the Point A Hotel Glasgow, which is centrally located and very close to the train station and the shopping street (Buchannan Street). The breakfast was okay, the rooms small but totally adequate. After all, when city traveling, you're only in the hotel for sleeping, right?

View hotel on Booking.com.

In the Glasgow Distillery, you can book tours. Unfortunately, we arrived too late, and all tours were fully booked. Link to the website.

Further tips for your next trip:

Here you will find my city map for Glasgow, with all the attractions, noteworthy places, and tips for food, bars, and other highlights.

Direct flights start at 28 Euros.

Hotel costs depending on budget: 40 Euros (Ibis Budget Hotel Edinburgh Park), Motel One Princes Street (79 Euros), the stylish Grassmarket Hotel for 91 Euros/night in a very central location, or our Courtyard by Marriott Edinburgh for 98 Euros/night with breakfast.

Round-trip tram fare from the airport to the city center: £9 (one way £5.50)

Tickets for the hop-on hop-off bus: tickets for 24 hours or 48 hours starting from 22 Euros.

Of course, it always depends on what you want to experience in Glasgow. In January (during our visit), it's worth attending the Celtic Connections Festival. In February and March, there are generally few tourists here, making these the cheapest months to travel to Glasgow.

Before my trip to Glasgow, I acquired several travel guides as I am planning another trip to the Highlands.

I really enjoyed the tips and information in the Lonely Planet for Scotland and the Dumont Travel Guide for Scotland. All guides are highly recommended if you, like me, want to visit multiple places besides Glasgow.

Scotland's largest city has two airports: Glasgow Prestwick and Glasgow Airport. Alternatively, you can fly to Edinburgh and take a train to Glasgow in less than an hour. Since we spent three days in Edinburgh before, we chose this option.

Lufthansa, KLM, and British Airways offer almost daily flights (often via London, Manchester) and flights to Glasgow International, only 12 km outside the center. You can quickly and affordably get to the center by bus.

You can fly to Glasgow Prestwick with the budget airline Ryanair (which I avoid). However, this airport is 46 km outside the city. Therefore, you should check whether traveling via Edinburgh is not more time-saving. As I said, I avoid Ryanair and prefer to fly with established airlines.

We always look for cheap flights on Kayak. Here you can find my tips for booking cheap flights. Make sure to include checked luggage, as basic flights only include carry-on luggage. This can skew the price initially and make it appear cheaper.

From Cologne (and Aachen), you can reach Glasgow by taking the Thalys via London and Edinburgh. However, this journey (around 9 - 10 hours) takes significantly longer. More information can be found at bahn.de.

Since it can often rain, I have tips on how to bridge that fine drizzle that doesn't last long:

Glasgow is Britain's second trendiest party metropolis after London. Additionally, Glasgow is a music city! Famous artists and musicians such as Franz Ferdinand, Travis, Biffy Clyro, or The Fratellis (definitely listen if you don't know these bands) hail from here.

We were lucky to be in the city for the Celtic Connections Festival. The festival is dedicated to Celtic music during the last three weeks of January. We attended a concert at the stunning Glasgow Royal Concert Hall. You can find more information about the festival at celticconnections.com.

Glasgow is no longer a hidden gem when it comes to a city trip destination. The scruffy, gray image is long forgotten, as Glasgow has established itself as a cultural metropolis.

With Glasgow, it's probably like with other big cities: you either love or hate the city. We enjoyed it!

As the largest city, Glasgow only has about 600,000 inhabitants. That's not very large compared to other big cities. Glasgow was the European Capital of Culture in 1990 and in 1999, much to the chagrin of neighboring Edinburgh, was named the Capital of Architecture and Design in the UK. Therefore, it's no wonder that the Glasgow School of Art attracts students from all over the world. In 2003, Glasgow was awarded the title of European Capital of Sport (I didn't even know that title existed until then).

The official currency in Scotland is the pound (£). One pound equals approximately 1.15 Euros. You can pay almost everywhere by credit card, so you don't need a lot of cash.

-> Tip for saving money in Glasgow: With the right credit card, you can save a lot of money when traveling in Glasgow. A good travel credit card is free, allowing you to withdraw cash in Pounds and pay everywhere without incurring foreign transaction fees. This often saves a lot of money.

-> Learn more about travel credit cards.

Currently, the best free travel credit cards for traveling are the DKB Bank Debit Card, GenialCard (Hanseatic Bank), and the Mastercard Gold from TF Bank. With a set-up of at least 2 of these cards, you can almost always withdraw cash from ATMs abroad for free and pay on-site without having to pay foreign transaction fees on foreign currencies!

-> Here, you can find all my tips and experiences for the best travel credit cards in comparison.

Glasgow has surprised me positively 100%. Especially the museums and street art were very worthy of seeing. Glasgow doesn't need to hide behind Edinburgh and other European cities.

I will definitely return and plan a road trip in Scotland and stay longer.

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Disclaimer: We were invited by Visit Britain and Visit Scotland to explore Glasgow in January. Our enthusiasm is real and not staged; the opinion remains our own. It's no wonder that I now consider Edinburgh one of the most beautiful cities in Europe for a short trip.