Edinburgh may be the pretty sister , but Glasgow has the more dynamic character, as exemplified by the outgoing and friendly Glaswegians. From the highs and lows of its past, the city has endured to reinvent itself today as a centre of culture, cuisine, shopping and entertainment. Magnificent buildings are scattered right across the city, while the patronage of wealthy collectors has ensured the exceptional quality of Glasgow’s museums and galleries.
For up-to-the-minute information on Glasgow’s attractions, check out www.seeglasgow.com Though the art collection may have temporarily relocated, Kelvin-grove Park is still an excellent place for a stroll, with great views-
Morning
Leave at 9:30am and buy a First Day Ticket for Tourists (£4 unlimited travel on First buses from 9:30am to midnight). Purchase the ticket as you board a No. 45 bus to the Burrell Collection. Allow two hours to take in the scope of this amazing museum, and make sure you see the Old Masters paintings.
Return to the city centre and take a 66 or 41 (every 10 mins) to the Botanical Gardens. (If you do this tour on Fri or Sun, reverse the order and visit the Botanics first as the Burrell won’t be open until 11am)
Lunch at the gardens, either with a picnic in the grounds or at one of the many cafés along the Byres Road, opposite the Botanics entrance.
Afternoon
Take one of the many buses heading back into the centre of Glasgow, and get off at Sauchiehall Street. Walk and shop your way along, taking a right at Buchanan Street. Call in for coffee at the Princes Square shopping centre (see Princes Square) , a great place to watch people. Continue on to the Gallery of Modern Art – this gallery has plenty of light-hearted works and gives, rather than takes, energy.
Finally, stroll through George Square and admire the City Chambers before dining at one of the many restaurants in the Merchant City neighbourhood, such as Babbity Bowster , Café Gondolfi or City Merchant .
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Stout white building with a welcoming Scottish interior that evokes a distant rural life. Great pub and restaurant with rooms (see Babbity Bowster) .
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Positively bulging with greenery and colour, these gardens are a favourite with locals and visitors alike. The highlights are the glasshouses – the main structure named Kibble Palace – famous for their orchids and tropicana (see Botanical Gardens, Glasgow) .
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A true fine dining experience that should not be missed. The chef Brian Maule combines the greatness of classic french cuisine with modern dishes that use top quality Scottish produce.
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One of the world’s great private collections, this is a dazzling and eclectic array of art and artifacts. The presentation is superb in a purpose-designed building surrounded by a wooded parkland. This is the best of the bunch in Glasgow (see Burrell Collection and Pollok Park) .
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Café in the broadest sense: breakfast, coffee, afternoon tea and all main meals and snacks in between. A seasonal evening menu scampers the larders of Europe.
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An internationally famous venue for performances of classics. Two modern studios complement the old Victorian auditorium.
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“Palace” would be a more appropriate term, for this is the finest seat of any council in Britain, and Glasgow’s most prestigious building. Modelled on Classical Italian architecture, the building was designed by William Young and completed in 1888. The exterior is dramatic enough, but the interior is an exercise in the excesses of lavish décor. Aberdeen granite, Carrara marble, mahogany, gold leaf, frescoes, mosaics, pillars and balustrades are combined to astonishing effect. The Banqueting Hall is surely modelled on a dandy’s vision of heaven.
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Looking like it’s been around for aeons (though only in fact since the late 1980s), City Merchant is a Gallic-Scottish delight. Alongside some meaty mains, fish is the star.
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Popular hangout for drinks and great pizzas – simple and consistently good.
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Restaurant price categories
For a three-course meal for one with half a bottle of wine (or equivalent meal), taxes and extra charges.
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