Is London your go-to destination for a UK city trip? It has so many well-known sights and it is great for shopping so why not?
Looking for something a little different? Why not try Glasgow!
This website has some great information to help plan your visit.
Glasgow, Scotland is a beautiful city full of Victorian and Georgian architecture giving great character to the streets. It is also the gateway to the highlands providing easy access to the town of Fort William; a great base from which to explore the wonderful Scottish countryside.
Getting there
Glasgow international airport connects the city to many European and UK destinations. There are regular flights from London if you want to visit both cities in one holiday, or you could take the train from Edinburgh. We went for a weekend and flew from Amsterdam. There were multiple flight times for us to choose from each day making it easy to plan the trip around work and school.
Glasgow is also well connected to the rest of the UK by train, allowing you to see more of the countryside as you travel and maybe make it part of a longer touring holiday.
Upon arrival in Glasgow, at nearly midnight, we were still able to make use of the official taxi rank outside the airport to get ourselves to the city centre hotel we had booked.
My experience
You've heard of the full English breakfast? Well, my son was determined to try the full Scottish breakfast which includes a tattie scone (a delicious savoury potato cake). It was a hit and set him up for the day.
As our hotel was right next to the shops we decided we couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit some of our favourite UK stores, plus explore some new ones. There were plenty of places to stop for coffee and lunch so if shopping is your thing you could easily spend a whole day on this activity!
We were tired after a late night of travel so when our son suggested a visit to a 'cat cafe' we just said yes to the idea of coffee! It turned out to be a great experience that we all enjoyed. The cats were very well cared for and the timed slots at the location we chose meant it was never too busy for the customers or the cats. The coffee and cake was delicious and we were even given treats to give to the cats. There were many cat toys to choose from, some cats were more interested in playing than others, but the general atmosphere and friendliness of staff and other customers made it a time to remember.
Glasgow is home to many great museums and a lot of them are free! Many people recommended the Riverside Museum to us, but unfortunately we didn't have time to see it on this visit. It is top of our list for next time though!
The museum we did go to was the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and museum. This really had something for everyone from fossils to local history, art to dresses. We all found something that captured our interest and the building itself is a work of art. The collection is housed in a beautiful Victorian building as stunning from the outside as it is inside. It is set in parkland with a children's playground nearby so there really is something for everyone.
There are so many great restaurants and bars in the city I wish I could have stayed longer to check them out. With so many world cuisines in one place it was very difficult to choose where to go. Everyone was so friendly everywhere we went and I felt safe walking around or taking a taxi at night to different parts of the city.
Pros and Cons
Pros
Glasgow is a beautiful city and the people are so friendly and welcoming. This is one place where the weather will not be a con. It is easy to get around using public transport and with so many shops, restaurants and free museums there are plenty of places to stay dry.
The city is a fantastic place for a mid-week break or weekend away. It is also a great place from which to start exploring the highlands of Scotland by road or public transport. Loch Lomand is easily reached from Glasgow for a day trip, but if you want to base yourself further north then Fort William is a great place to head for.
Cons
If you are looking to explore the stunning Scottish countryside from here then having dry weather will help. If rain is in the forecast invest in some good walking boots and waterproof trousers. The countryside will be beautiful either way but it will be more enjoyable if you are dry inside your waterproof clothes.
Glasgow is very hilly so be prepared for this. I was taken by surprise at the steepness of some of the hills, but living in the Netherlands I look forward to the challenge of a steep climb and the impressive views from the top.
Visit Glasgow
The city is great for all groups of people whether you are looking for shopping and nightlife or some indoor entertainment for the children. Check out the great range of restaurants and the free museums.
The hop on hop off bus tour will give you a great impression of the city if time is short before moving onto your next destination.
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