Glasgow Holiday

Glasgow holiday

Thelargest city in Scotland, Glasgow is often overshadowed by its more glamorous big sister, Edinburgh. However, over the last decade a considerable amount of money has been invested into regenerating this city, which has a lot to offer visitors.

In recent years, Glasgow has been named the European City of Culture (1990), the City of Architecture and Design (1999) and the Capital of Sport (2003) and is set to host the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

The Scottish city has an immense retail quarter, a diverse range of free parks and museums and is well located for those wanting to combine a city break with a trip out to the nearby countryside of the Highlands.

Visitors to Glasgow should prepare themselves for an upfront city, with imposing Victorian architecture, cool bars and a rocking music scene. But most of all, tourists should be well-versed in Glaswegian dialect, in which ‘tumshie’ is a fool and ‘gallus’ means brave.

Glasgow Location

Glasgow is located in the south of Scotland, so those travelling from the south of England may want to fly to the city via Glasgow International Airport. The hub is located 14 km west of the city and operates transatlantic as well as domestic services. Furthermore, Glasgow Prestwick International Airport is located 50 km south west of the city and has services operated by Ryanair.

Visitors can also arrive by train, with long distance services being offered from England, arriving at Central Station. Trains also run from Edinburgh, arriving at Queen Street. Shuttle trains between these two cities operate during the day.

Motorists travelling from England can take the M74, while those heading from the Edinburgh direction can use the M8. From Stirling the quickest road is the M80 and from the West Highlands the A82 dual carriageway is recommended.

There are long-distance bus services operating to Glasgow, which arrive at Buchanan Bus Station in the city centre. Furthermore, there are ferries arriving in Scotland from foreign shores, with the nearest port being Troon.

Why Visit Glasgow?

Glasgow is famous for its music scene and there are a range of great rock venues, including the Barfly on Clyde Street and The Arches on Argyle Street. Entertainment-wise, Glasgow also has a few decent comedy clubs which are sure to bring a smile to tourists’ faces.

Football fans should pay a visit to Hampden Park stadium, while the ladies can take a trip to the Doulton Fountain park or the People’s Palace Museum. If the city gets too much, the Highlands are a short trip away and provide countryside lovers with a pleasant change.