GLASGOW, SCOTLAND
Glasgow, known as “The Dear Green Place”, is a great city to experience the culture, music, architecture, and cuisine of Scotland. I’d be remiss if I didn’t also mention their soccer clubs. There is arguably no greater rivalry in all of sports than the deep-rooted hatred between Glasgow’s two soccer teams - Celtic FC and Rangers FC. Getting your hands on a ticket will be nearly impossible, but if you somehow find a way, this is something you cannot pass up on!
Attractions:
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum: This museum houses one of the greatest art collections in Europe featuring the works of artists such as Salvador Dalí, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Claude Monet! It is located inside the lovely Kelvingrove Park and is free to enter as long as you reserve a ticket beforehand. The museum is open from 10:00am-5:00pm every day except Fridays and Sundays (11:00am-5:00pm).
Pollok Country Park: A few miles southwest of the city center, this park was once voted “Best Park in Europe”. It is absolutely enormous with plenty of green space for all! For those looking to relax, grab a bite or order a drink at The Edwardian Kitchen. For those looking to get active, there is a popular 3-mile hiking trail called Pollok Country Park Loop Trail. There are also three mountain biking circuits (red, green, and blue). If you get lucky, you may even spot some Highland cows! To get here, take the train from Glasgow Central to Pollokshaws West (10 min; £2.70).
Explore the Scottish Highlands: The Scottish Highlands are 2-3 hours driving from both Glasgow and Edinburgh. The region is known for its untamed beauty and jaw-dropping scenery! Although there are day trip options, I don’t recommend them since you’ll spend the majority of your day on a bus. I recommend either spending a few days in Inverness or booking a multi-day tour from Glasgow. Timberbush Tours have options ranging from 1-5 days varying in price from £40-£315 ($54-$420 USD). Highlights include visits to Moray Firth to see bottlenose dolphins, Loch Ness to see Nessie, and Ben Nevis, the U.K.’s highest peak!
George Square: Of Glasgow’s six city squares, this one in particular is known for being at the epicenter of Scottish history and culture! See this and much more on Glasgow Gander’s Free Walking Tour. The tour picks up every morning at Royal Exchange Square (in front of Costa Coffee).
Glasgow Cathedral: Visiting Scotland’s oldest cathedral doesn’t cost a penny and is only a 15-minute walk from George Square. From Monday-Saturday, the cathedral is open from 10:00am-4:00pm. On Sundays, it is open to visitors from 1:00pm-4:00pm.
Other attractions include: Riverside Museum, People’s Palace, Glasgow Botanic Gardens, The Lighthouse, Barras Market, and Glasgow Necropolis.
Accommodation:
Glasgow Youth Hostel: Located in Glasgow’s West End, this Victorian townhouse offers a lovely view of Kelvingrove Park and is close to many bars and restaurants! From Glasgow’s main three travel terminals (Buchanan Bus Station, Glasgow Queen Street, and Glasgow Central Station), the hostel is 25 minutes walking. Enjoy!
Transportation:
Glasgow has two main train terminals: Glasgow Central Station and Glasgow Queen Street. For trains heading south (to southern Glasgow, cities in southern Scotland, or other U.K. cities), you will travel through Central. For trains to eastern/western Glasgow, Edinburgh, or cities in northern Scotland, you will travel through Queen Street. While both train stations service Edinburgh, Queen Street has more daily, direct trains (153) than Central (41). Buchanan Bus Station is the city’s main bus terminal; all buses below leave from here.
Edinburgh is 45 minutes by train from Glasgow and costs £14.40 ($19 USD). From Glasgow Queen Street, there are 150+ daily, direct trains. The bus ride is 1.5 hours and costs £8.50 ($11 USD); direct buses run 60+ times daily.
Inverness is 3.5 hours by train from Glasgow and costs £47.40 ($63 USD). From Glasgow Queen Street, there are 5 daily, direct trains (7:03am, 10:10am, 12:09pm, 3:08pm, and 6:09pm). The bus ride is 4 hours and costs £20.60 ($28 USD); direct buses run 10+ times daily.
London, England is 5 hours by train from Glasgow and costs £67.50 ($90 USD). From Glasgow Central Station, there are 15 daily, direct trains running to London Euston. The overnight bus ride is 10 hours, leaves at 10:15pm, and costs £45 ($60 USD), while the day bus is 12.5 hours, leaves at 7:30am, and costs £40 ($54 USD); both buses arrive at London’s Victoria Coach Station. The flight is 1.5 hours and costs £30-£45 ($40-$60 USD) on easyJet or British Airways.
Belfast, Northern Ireland is 6 hours by bus from Glasgow and costs £28 ($37 USD). From Glasgow Central Station, the train and ferry ride is 6.5 hours (indirect) and costs £44 ($59 USD). The flight is 45 minutes and costs £45-£65 ($60-$87 USD) on Loganair or easyJet.
Dublin, Ireland is 9 hours by bus from Glasgow and costs £35 ($47 USD). From Glasgow Central Station, the train and ferry ride is 8 hours (indirect) and costs £52 ($70 USD). The flight is 1 hour and costs £20-£80 ($27-$107 USD) on Aer Lingus, Ryanair, or British Airways.
Glasgow Airport (GLA) is 15km (9 miles) outside the city center and accessible via bus and taxi.
Glasgow Airport Express Bus Service 500: The ride is 25 minutes and costs £8.50 ($11 USD); return tickets cost £14 ($19 USD). Buses leave every 30 minutes from 4:45am-11:00pm.
Taxi: The 20-minute ride to the city center costs £15-£20 ($20-$27 USD) depending on the time of day.
