A day in Glasgow

Let’s go to Glasgow

A vibrant hub full of must do and free to visit attractions, there is no question to why Glasgow is a must visit city if you find yourself in Scotland.

You will find yourself Spoiled for choice in Glasgow with its Art Nouveau architecture, museums and galleries, Glasgow is a haven for lovers of the arts. If art isn’t the thing for you shopping, food and great parks which will keep you busy during the day.

This guide is perfect for when find yourself in Glasgow for a day and are looking for some cool things to do enjoy the time and discover the city.

Things to do and see…

Architecture and Mackintosh

When you think of famous architects and the impact they have on urban design within any major city, you may think of Barcelona having Gaudí and Chicago having Frank Lloyd Wright, you may think who else?  One not to be missed of that list has to be Glasgow’s own Charles Rennie Mackintosh of whom is more than just any ordinary architect, you could say that he was an artist with a passion in pioneering the Art Nouveau movement.

He spent the majority of his life living in the city of Glasgow, or you could say the city grew with him living there. The impact of his design and style have given Glasgow a unique personality. His work is sure to catch your eye even if you didn’t not know he was the designer behind architecture. It was closed on my visit but I have been there before, please check if it is opened before visiting.

Famous works include Glasgow’s School of Art, Queen’s Cross Church and Willow Tearooms. I would recommend the Tearooms if you truly want to understand how his input on design has influenced our lives and other famous designers.

Below is a list of some great works of architecture to help you out!

Willow Tearooms-97 Buchanan St, Glasgow G1 3HF

Glasgow’s School of Art-167 Renfrew St, Glasgow G3 6RQ

Queen’s Cross Church– 870 Garscube Rd, Glasgow G20 7EL

Museums and galleries

Glasgow is packed-full of art, and you will surely find yourself wondering around in one its free to visit venues. With plenty to do and see in each museum you won’t find yourself bored. I visited Kelvingrove Museum as it was close to the University and the park. The Kelvingrove museum is full of great Scottish art and history, it’s also family friendly, if you like to sketch this also got some great life size stuffed animals which are quite enjoyable to sketch.

Another free-to-visit venue that is very close is the Hunterian Museum, so try and check that out if you want to see some more on natural history. This is located on the University Grounds, which is beautifully located on a hill which overlooks the city.

Kelvingrove Art Galery and Museum-Argyle St, Glasgow G3 8AG

Hunterian Museum– University of Glasgow, University Avenue, Glasgow G12 8QQ

Take a stroll in the park or the cemetry…

If you visited the Kelvingrove’s Museum the park is a great place to take a stroll through, the park allows you to connect with nature and is known to look differently in every season. With plenty of benches and open spaces this park is great for picnics, walking the dog and just reading a book.

If parks weren’t your thing go to the cemetry, spooky right! Glasgow’s Necropolis is probably one of the most photogenic cemetries that I have ever been too, full of extravagant tombs and breathtaking views of the city, I recommend checking it out if you feel you have enough time. I would recommend sunrise or sunsets if you want to really enjoy the view.

Kelvingrove Park– Glasgow G3 6BY

The Necropolis– Castle St, Glasgow G4 0UZ

Eat, shop and eat some more-

Glasgow is one of the most voted locations to shop in the UK for a reason, Buchanan Street is the city’s heart for shopping, this street is has full of great malls, popular brand names and speciality shopping. If major brands aren’t your thing and you want something a little more exclusive check out the mews lanes and arcades in the West End for cool vintage, second-hand and independent boutiques. Every weekend you’ll find some cool markets in the west end full of interesting crafts which deserve to be looked at.
(this is only if you have time in my opinion)

West End was probably where I spent most of the day with so many cool cafes and restaurants there are plenty to check out. Byres Road is the place to go if you are hungry, otherwise if you are not in the area have the city centre as well.

A couple of cool cafe’s and restaurants to check out if you have time.

Two Fat Ladies at the Buttery– 652 Argyle Street, Glasgow G3 8UF, Scotland

Singl-end Cafe and Bakehouse– 265 Renfrew Street | Garnethill, Glasgow G3 6TT

Obsession of India– 25 High Street, Glasgow G1 1LX

Bar Soba– 116-122 Byres Rd, Glasgow G12 8TB

Watch a movie at the theatre

Finish off your night by watching a movie at one of the best cinema the UK has on offer, The Glasgow Film Theatre is great and allows you truly connect with film in a way which is rare in the chaotic world we live in. This cinema is in my opinion the probably one of the highlights of my trip to Glasgow so don’t hesitate in visiting and book in advance, i’m sure you won’t be disappointed.

The venue started as single screen cinema over 40 years ago has become Scotland’s most diverse and best publicly attended independent cinema in Scotland, with Glasgow Film Festival one of the top three film festivals in the UK. We just made it so make sure you book your tickets for the next one!

Glasgow Film Theatre–  12 Rose St, Glasgow G3 6RB

This has been a day in Glasgow
Chinese guide to follow…