Glasgow
Ten reasons why you should visit Glasgow
Welcome to Glasgow – Over the past 20 years, Scotland’s biggest city has developed into one of Britain’s most fascinating metropolises. With world-class attractions, the city has something for everyone.
Blessed with an array of stately looking mansions and public buildings, a legacy to the city’s industrial past, Glasgow is a city full of character, personality and great experiences for the visiting tourist.
Below is a list of the top ten must-see and do attractions in what Time Out Magazine recently named one the world’s ten “Best Cities”.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
First opened in 1901, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is Glasgow’s number one tourist attraction. A truly grand display of the finest collections in Scotland and arguably, some of the finest in Europe. Constructed out of attractive red sandstone and built in the Spanish Baroque style, the gallery features everything from French impressionist paintings to Scottish landscapes. In the museum, there’s even a Spitfire from World War Two and an intriguing variety of stuffed animals that include Sir Roger the famous Asian elephant.
Glasgow Science Centre
One of the must see modern attractions today presents concepts of technology and science in a unique and inspiring way. Don’t miss the mesmerizing science shows and out of this world-class planetarium experience. A trip to the Glasgow Science Centre will entertain the family for hours with its plethora of interactive displays spread out over four floors. The museum also features an IMAX theatre and observation tower.
Glasgow Cathedral
Most major European cities boast a splendid cathedral and Glasgow is no exception with its original Scottish Gothic marvel built between the 13th & 15th Centuries.
Having survived Scottish Reformation of 1560 without being damaged, the cathedral can be enjoyed with an excellent and descriptive audio guide.
The audio tour takes an hour after which you can observe the Glasgow Necropolis next door which is considered to be one of the most noteworthy Victorian cemeteries in Europe.
Charles Rennie Mackintosh
No trip to Glasgow is complete without a visit to one of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s magnificently designed buildings.
Born in Glasgow in 1868 Mackintosh was a Scottish architect, designer, and artist who, along with his wife Margaret Macdonald was influential in the European Art Nouveau and Modernist scene.
Examples of his work can be seen at Mackintosh House, the Glasgow School of Art and the meticulously restored Willow Tea Rooms.
Riverside Museum
Located on the banks of the Clyde River the aptly named Riverside Museum houses an impressive collection of all forms of transport from bicycles, buses, cars, trams and trains. There is even a reproduction of a Glasgow street from the early 20th century with vehicles that would have been common at the time.
Moored outside the museum is the wonderful three-mast Glenlee, tall-ship that was launched in 1896. Onboard the ship you can learn about the history of the ship and how the crew lived and worked.
City Chambers
Built at the height of Glasgow’s wealth in 1880 the City Chambers is the focal point of George Square and is one of Glasgow’s most iconic and imposing buildings. If you think the outside is impressive, wait until you see how opulent the interior is.
Get there early and put your name down for one of the twice-daily free guided tours. The tours are at 10.30 am and 2.30 pm Monday – Friday.
Pollok Country Park
Experience tranquility on this lush, riverside country estate, complete with well decorated gardens, highland cows and great woodland walks. Located just a 10-minute train ride away, south of the city centre, a visit to the Pollok House and Gardens is regarded as being one of Glasgow’s most elegant family homes.
Adorned with period furniture and a library designed to house 7,000 books a visit to Pollok house will give you an insight into how a wealthy family and their servants lived. This park is a reminder that Glasgow is high up on this list when it comes to having more green space than many other largely populated cities.
Glasgow Police Museum
Winner of the “Best Day Out” award at the 2019 Glasgow Awards ceremony the Glasgow Police Museum gives visitors an insight into Britain’s first police force.
Full of artefacts and text boards the museum shows how from humble roots the City of Glasgow Police has developed from 1779 to 1975.
The museum also has an international section full of uniforms and badges from around the world. The museum is located on the first floor at 30, Bell Street and is free to enter.
Clydeside Distillery
Come and see Glasgow’s first dedicated single malt Scotch whisky distillery in over 100 years. Offering a superb visitor experience and a unique taste of some of Scotland’s finest single malt whiskies right at the dockside. While perhaps not as old or well known as some of the other Scottish whisky makers, the Clydeside Distillery is nonetheless a great way to find out how quality Scottish whisky is made.
Located in what was once the old Pumphouse used for opening the gates to the Queen’s Dock, the huge copper stills at the Clydeside Distillery are something you will want to see.
While touring the distillery expert guides will tell you all about the history of the docks before you sit down to sample a few drams in the Blenders Room.
Glasgow Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour
Visit the best sightseeing attractions at your own pace. If you only have a day to spend in Glasgow you won’t want to miss out on plenty of things to do. A great option is to buy a day ticket on the Glasgow Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Tour. The bus makes 22 stops throughout the city at all the major attractions allowing you to visit some or all of the best things Glasgow has to offer. Buses run every 15 minutes with the first tour starting at 9.30 am and the last tour at 4.30 pm.
Getting from Alicante-Elche International Airport (ALC) to Glasgow International Airport (GLA) Glasgow Internation Airport carries almost 10 million passengers each year, and serves more Scottish destinations than any other airport. Jet2.com, easyJet, and Thomson Airways all offer direct flights to Alicante from Glasgow International.