There are plenty of things that make Glasgow one of the most attractive tourist destinations to visit in Great Britain.

Glasgow is renowned for the friendliness of its people, culture and style. It also won the United Kingdom’s City of Architecture and Design award in 1999 for its spectacular buildings throughout the city. Moreover, Glasgow was crowned the prestigious European City of the Year in 1990 which proves that the city is no light weight when it comes to the leader board for the top attractions in Great Britain.

Glasgow is regarded as the second largest shopping destination after London and offers a spectacular shopping experience with a combination of fashion and historic buildings all in one. Glasgow is also the largest city in Scotland and is one of the major seaports in the world although it began as merely a rural settlement dating as early as pre historic times.

There are so many things to do and see in and around Glasgow, Scotland that you will be wishing you had more time to spend there or simply just relocate until your travel desires have been satisfied. From the boutique shops in the city centre to art museums and exhibitions, Glasgow seems like it never sleeps and there are always so many events going on all at once. Glasgow has also been named as the City of Music by the United Nations Cultural Body because of its vibrant nightlife.

Some interesting facts about Glasgow

Area: 175 sq km or 68 sq mi
Population: 598,830 (2011 census)
Awards & recognitions:
Top Intelligent Community of the Year
European City of the Year (1990)
City of Architecture and Design (1999)
City of Music by UN Cultural Body

Interesting Facts:
River Clyde is 100 miles long
Some of the First TV pictures transmitted from Glasgow
Glasgow has the biggest economy in Scotland
Third highly populated city in the UK

Things to do in Glasgow and places to visit

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

As they say, the best things in life come for free. Such is true when it comes to this popular tourist destination in Glasgow with 22 state of the art galleries with an 8,000 strong collection of international significance. The collection comprises of themes such as arms and armour, natural history and much more. The museum has also put families with children in mind with exhibits specifically aimed at a younger audience. You will find that there is always something new to see.

Within Kelingrove Art Gallery and Museum, there are cafes, shops and a Study Centre with a Library open to visitors. Here, visitors may find out more about the museum’s collections and carry out research online.

Address for Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow:
Argyle Street, Glasgow, G3 8AG
Phone: 0141 276 9599
Email: museums@glasgowlife.org.uk

Nearest Subway: Kelvinhall Subway Station is a mere 5 minute walk from the museum

Glasgow Science Centre

The Glasgow Science Centre offers entertainment for all ages and intellect with interactive exhibitions such as Live Science Shows featuring live stage performances and fascinating demonstrations.

IMAX which is Scotland’s largest screen can also be found here. The Planetarium is a fantastic place to go if you want to count 9000 bright and clearly twinkling stars. These are projected from a Carl Zeiss Starmaster ZMP-TD, arguably the best star projector in the world.

The planetarium in the Glasgow Science Centre is regarded as the best in the whole of the United Kingdom and one of the finer projector technologies in whole of Europe due to the Starmaster ZMP-TD projection.

There are also plenty of activities to learn about the human body including senses, energy and mechanics etc. There is a science shop in the planetarium which is a perfect place to buy cool gifts such as gadgets and gizmos to impress your friends or a present for a loved one who is keen on science and hard to impress!

The top travel tip for this destination would be to arrive early as it may get busy in the afternoon and you may find you have to queue for some of the activities. You can also take your own packed lunch and have it there as there are allocated seating areas available too.

Address and directions to Glasgow Science Centre:
50 Pacific Quay, Glasgow, G51 1EA, Scotland
Phone: 0141 420 5000

Glasgow School of Art

This school was founded in 1845 and is the only independent art school in Scotland which offers university level programmes in design, fine art and architecture.

Glasgow School of Art was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh who was the main illustrator of Art Nouveau in the UK and is considered to be his masterpiece. You are guaranteed to have an exceptionally fascinating time experiencing how Mackintosh played with light and structures to extreme details.

However, in order to gain access to such works of art, you have to go as part of a walking tour which lasts approximately 1 hour and runs every day of the week. It is recommended that you phone or email in advance to check if you can make a booking to avoid any disappointments as tour slots run out quite quickly.

Address for Glasgow School of Arts tours and visitors centre:
11 Dalhousie Street, Glasgow, G3 6RQ, within the eastern entrance to the Mackintosh building.
Email: tours@gsa.ac.uk

By Train: Approximately 15 minutes’ walk from both Glasgow Central and Glasgow Queen Street Station.
By Subway: Approximately 5 mins walk from Cowcaddens Subway Station
By Car: Closest car park is the LLP car park at Cambridge Street and other parking spaces are available in the surrounding streets for which parking vouchers can be purchased from the Glasgow School of Art shop.

Gallery of Modern Arts (GoMA)

Glasgow has a reputation worldwide for nurturing arts and the artists that live and study here. The Gallery of Modern Arts is the display of Glasgow’s passion for arts.

It is located in the heart of Glasgow, in a building dating 100 years old and which was a centre for business and commercial exchange where goods and information were traded. The Gallery of Modern Arts continues this tradition of the exchange by facilitating discussion, learning and gatherings stimulated by the arts and various events that take place within.

Address for Gallery of Modern Arts, Glasgow:
Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow G1 3AH
Phone: 0141 287 3050
Email: museums@glasgowlife.org.uk

Shopping in Glasgow

Being the second largest shopping destination after London in Great Britain, Glasgow boasts numerous state of the art shopping centres. You will find all the major retailers you can think of, including high end designer boutiques and independent shops in abundance, some very unique to Glasgow. If you start walking from one side of the city centre, you will end up finding yourself in a street with so many options at each turn you make! Some of the recommended shopping centres to visit are listed below with their address, directions and postcode:

Princes Square

Princes Square is Glasgow’s leading speciality shopping destination, with an unrivalled mix of high street brands, designer labels and boutiques. Perfect for the discerning shopper, Princes Square has over thirty stores covering fashion, beauty, gifts, home wares, art and jewellery – all under one elegant roof.

Princes Square

Address:
48 Buchanan St, Glasgow G1 3JN
Phone: 0141 221 0324

Buchanan Galleries

We’ve over 90 shops in Buchanan Galleries, covering the best of the high street names as well as some more specialised stores. You won’t find some of our shops anywhere else in Glasgow – or even in Scotland.

Buchanan Galleries

Address:
Located on the corner of Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street
Postcode: G1 2FF

St. Enoch Centre

As Glasgow’s largest and most iconic shopping destination, St. Enoch Centre is home to an unrivalled range of department stores, leading high street brands and boutique retailers. Stay bang on trend and shop the latest fashion collections at Debenhams, H&M, Dorothy Perkins, Fossil, Folli Follie and many more exclusive stores.

St. Enoch Centre

Address:
55 St. Enoch Square
Glasgow G1 4BW
St. Enoch Centre Car Park post code for satellite navigation/GPS: G1 4EQ
Phone: 0141 204 3900