Welcome to my travel series where local’s share their tips and advice about their hometowns. In this guide, you’ll learn what to see, where to eat and drink, what to buy and all the information needed to make your holidays unforgettable.
On this post, Gemma shares her tips on traveling to Glasgow, Scotland.
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Table of Contents
Things to do in Glasgow, Scotland
Top 5 things to do in Glasgow
- Find the Duke of Wellington, he’ll have a traffic cone on his head
- Get up close and personal with a musician at a gig
- Wander around the West End, in your trendiest threads
- Take a stroll through one of Glasgow’s parks
- Snatch a bargain at one of Glasgow’s pre-loved shops
Two off the beaten path things to do in Glasgow
- Line dancing, bingo, and shoot out at Grand Ole Opry
- Viewing point near the (Rennie Macintosh) Glasgow School of art
Top 3 restaurants to eat in Glasgow
- High tea at Butterfly and the Pig
- Thai food at Thai Lemongrass
- Scooby Snack at The Maggie food van
Top 3 bars to drink in Glasgow
- Sunday sesh by the fire at The Belle
- Bite to eat and a beer at the 13th Note
- Jukebox and cheap drinks at The Doublet
The best area to stay in Glasgow
It really depends on what you are after. If you want to be smack bang in the middle of it then ‘town’ is your answer. Rub shoulders with the students and trendies in the West End. When the cool kids want to ‘settle’ down and buy property they migrate to the South Side but many are veering towards to the once not talked about East / Trongate area! There’s accommodation for every type of traveller in Glasgow.
Traditional dishes to try in Glasgow
Chips and cheese! Picture this – it’s 2 am, you’ve just stumbled out of a Sauchiehall Street club and you need something to soak up all of that alcohol. The answer? Frozen chips coated in plastic cheese. Delicious! Haggis is an obvious choice if this is your first time in Scotland. Wash it down with some IrnBru.
The best way to get around Glasgow
I would always advise seeing a city by foot and Glasgow has so many lovely buildings so don’t forget to look up! We have a comical subway system affectionately named The Clockwork Orange. Please don’t expect London ‘mind the gap’ style tube stations – it only goes one way then back around again! Take a bike ride along the River Clyde.
The best spot to see Glasgow from above
We have plenty of high-rise flats; you just have to make friends with a local…
The best souvenirs to buy from Glasgow
Do not leave with a ‘Glasgae kiss’ – this is the worst kind of souvenir from any trip.
The best day trips from Glasgow
Within a 30-minute drive / one-hour train ride, you are on the bonny banks for Loch Lomond – a whole new lush green world, and if you really love the countryside you should check out our 96-mile trek from Glasgow to Fort William – the West Highland Way.
Tourist traps to avoid in Glasgow
‘Town’ aka Sauchiehall Street, Buchanan Street and Merchant Square would be considered the tourist trap but there are still decent reasons to visit.
Have you been to Glasgow?
You might also like: A 3 day Edinburgh Itinerary.
Gemma and Craig, full-time workers with a life-long travel habit. Flirting with 30 and let loose on the world! Check at Two Scots Abroad for travel tips, quips, and pics that please. Go on, MAKE TRAVEL HAPPEN. You can follow them on Twitter and Instagram.