This list of places to see in Glasgow It will help you get to know the second most important city in Scotland, which can boast a wide cultural and leisure offer.
Living practically all his life in the shadow of his neighboring Edinburgh, we are sure that Glasgow will get to thrill you with the Gothic architecture of its most representative churches and historic buildings, where you can also enjoy walks through its well-kept parks, visit its many and varied museums, surprise you with quality street art, take a good look at one of the most famous pubs and enjoy the good vibes that Glasgow Scots transmit.
Based on the experience of the time we spent in the city during our trip to Scotland, we have created this list of what we think are, the 10 places to visit in Glasgow essential. We start!
1. San Mungo Cathedral
The cathedral of San Mungo or High Kirk, symbol of Gothic architecture in Scotland, is the oldest building and one of the places to see in Glasgow better preserved.
Built in the twelfth century, although renovated and enlarged in the fifteenth, this church has its great jewel in the tomb of San Mungo, patron of the city, which is hidden in a crypt of the thirteenth century.
Inside the cathedral, in addition to the crypt, you can see huge contemporary stained glass windows, seven figures that symbolize the Seven Deadly Sins and a wooden roof from the end of the 15th century.
Visiting hours: Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and Sundays from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
San Mungo Cathedral
2. Necropolis
The Necropolis, located on a low hill right next to the cathedral, is a beautiful Victorian cemetery and another of the essential places to visit in Glasgow.
In this garden cemetery, inspired by the Père-Lachaise Cemetery in Paris, it is estimated that there are about 50,000 people buried, although many graves have no reference while others are decorated with worked sculptures, mausoleums and tombstones.
In addition to taking a walk through the cemetery we recommend you to climb to the top to enjoy magnificent views of the Cathedral.
Visiting hours: every day from 7 am to 4:30 pm.
Necropolis
3. George Square
George Square, located in the downtown commercial area, known as Merchant City, is the main square and another of the places to see in Glasgow. This square, built in 1781 in honor of King George III, is decorated with sculptures and monuments dedicated to illustrious characters and surrounded by historic buildings in which the City Hall or City Chambers impresses.
It is worth visiting this huge Victorian building on one of the guided and free 45-minute tours that take place during the week: one at 10:30 a.m. and another at 2:30 p.m.
In addition to the town hall, in this area of Merchant City there are several pedestrian avenues such as Buchanan Street, where you can find all kinds of shops, bars, restaurants and street artists, which give it a unique atmosphere.
A good option to know the history of the city and not miss anything is to book this free tour of Glasgow Free! With guide in Spanish, which leaves from George Square, or this private tour.
Visiting hours of the town hall: Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Glasgow City Hall
4. Kelvingrove Museum, one of the best places to see in Glasgow
If you had to tell you to visit one of the many free museums that the city offers, we would recommend the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which becomes without hesitation a second in one of the best things to do in Glasgow.
This museum, surrounded by one of the most beautiful parks in the city, is the most visited in the United Kingdom outside of London and has a wide variety of pieces among which works of art such as The Annunciation by Sandro Botticelli, the Christ of Saint John of the Cross by Salvador Dalí and paintings by great masters such as Van Gogh or Rembrandt, which are mixed with collections of Egyptian and medieval art, as well as an area of the museum dedicated to Natural Sciences.
If you do not have much time, we recommend you book the Glasgow tourist bus that stops at the points of interest farthest from the center such as this museum or the University.
Visiting hours: Monday to Thursday and Saturdays from 10am to 5pm. Fridays and Sundays from 11am to 5pm.
Kelvingrove Museum
5. Ashton and Hidden Lane
The lanes, another of the places to visit in Glasgow, they are cobbled alleys full of atmosphere and charming places, perfect to go out for a drink at sunset or to buy some original item.
The most famous and most ambitious lane is that of Ashton, located in the university district of Glasgow, where bars and restaurants predominate that begin to fill on Friday afternoons. Among the most recommended places are the restaurant Ubiquitous Chip and to have a drink and listen to live music, the pub Jinty McGuinty's.
Keep in mind that if you are looking for tranquility, Hidden Lane is less frequented and quieter, although this does not take away one iota of charm with its bright-colored facades in the coexistence of artists, shops and coffee shops.
Our recommended hotel in Glasgow
To stay in Glasgow we recommend The Z Hotel Glasgow or Motel One Glasgow, both located less than 10 minutes from downtown and close to the Queen Street train station. In addition to the excellent location of both, they have rooms with all the comforts, attentive staff and one of the best quality / price ratios in the city.
6. Mackintosh buildings
The famous local architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, maximum exponent of the Art Nouveau style in Scotland, left several legacy must-see buildings in Glasgow.
Starting with The Lighthouse, a lighthouse-shaped tower with a magnificent spiral staircase that leads to a viewpoint and a small free museum about the architect. Another of the most important buildings and among the first that Mackintosh's hand intervened was the Glasgow School of Art, another of the recommended places in the city.
You can complete the Mackintosh route by having a snack in the famous Willow Tea Rooms tea room as well as visiting the beautiful Victorian house House of an Art Lover.
7. University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow, one of the most prestigious in the United Kingdom to have several illustrious alumni winners of Nobel prizes, is another of the most beautiful places to see in Glasgow.
This former university, which originated in 1451, has several outstanding jewels inside, such as the wonderful Gothic cloister, the Hunterian Museum and the Mackintosh house, located inside the library building.
In addition to these buildings it is worth walking through the courtyards with a well-kept lawn and admire the facades of the schools.
For Harry Potter fans it is also a special site when considered by various sources, the place where writer J.K. was inspired. Rowling, to create Hogwarts College.
Visiting hours: Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
University, one of the places to visit in Glasgow
8. Route of the murals
In recent times urban art has hit hard in this city and has become another of the Attractions to visit in Glasgow by travelers.
These graffiti full of color and high quality have meant an image wash for some downtown streets to the point that the town hall has created an official route called Center Mural Trail of which they have also included a map that you can see here for not Miss you no important mural.
The route of the murals includes 22 graffiti among which are the St. Mungo, Glasgow's Tiger, The Clutha, The world's most economical taxi, Fellow Glasgow Residents and Honey, I shrunk the kids, I'm sorry !, among many others.
Route of the murals
Recommended travel cardsRemember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
9. Botanical Garden
The botanical garden, a public park of about 11 hectares created in 1817, is perfect for taking a walk and disconnecting from the noise of the city center.
This park has in the beautiful Victorian greenhouse, Kibble Palace, wrought iron and glass, its great jewel and one of the most beautiful buildings to see in Glasgow. Inside, the statues are mixed with tropical plants and flowers from all corners of the world.
In good weather, especially in spring and summer, locals take advantage of the park to walk along its paths, have a picnic surrounded by squirrels or play sports.
10. Tours in Glasgow
If you have completed the essential places to see in Glasgow and you still have a day off, we recommend you do some of these excursions with a guide in Spanish:
- Book a tour of Loch Ness, considered one of the most essential places to visit in Scotland, where you will know the legend of the Nessie monster and see the impressive Urquhart Castle.
- Book a tour of William Wallace, in which you will learn the history of this mythical Scottish hero who led the war against England and on which the film Braveheart starring Mel Gibson was based.
- Book excursion to Oban, where you will make a route through one of the most beautiful landscapes and castles in the country.
- Book a tour of the Outlander stages, where you will pass through the most frequented sites by Jamie and Claire in the famous British series.
Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle
How to get to Glasgow
To get to Glasgow, the most comfortable and fastest option is by plane landing at the Glasgow International Airport or at the Prestwick Airport. The two airports are well connected to the city center. In the case of Glasgow you have buses every 10 minutes and in Prestick there is a train station next door.
Another way to get to Glasgow is to land at the Edinburgh airport, located 78 kilometers from the city where you can catch the Citylink Air bus that takes less than an hour to reach the city.
If you want to save time and have more comfort, you can book a private transfer here, in which a driver will wait for you at the exit of the terminal with a sign with your name and take you directly to the door of your hotel in Glasgow.
If you are staying in Edinburgh you can travel by train to Glasgow from Waverley Station or by bus from Edinburgh Bus Station, both stations are located in the city center.
If you have only one day and stay in Edinburgh, it may be interesting to book this trip to Glasgow with a guide in Spanish that includes the Lomond and Katrine lakes, others interesting places to see in Glasgow.
If you feel like helping us complete the list of the 10 places to see in Glasgow essential, add yours in the comments.
