Mackintosh buildings
Rekindle that romantic flame at House for an Art Lover, sip tea atop one of Mackintosh’s famous ladder-back chairs at the Willow Tearooms, and see his influence on new design students at the Glasgow School of Art.

Kelvingrove Museum
Newly renovated and reopened to the public (always for free), this significant West End museum should not be missed.

The Botanic Gardens
a much-loved West End institution.

“Fitba”
Or, as it would be called in North America, “soccer.” Glasgow’s most famous home teams are Rangers and Celtic, and seeing one in action is an experience you will never, ever forget, sports fan or not!

Shopping
Zig-zag the ‘golden z’ of Argyle Street, Buchanan St and Sauchiehall St for the height of modern fashion at stores like LK Bennett, Hugo Boss and Diesel.

The Arches and the Centre for Contemporary Arts
Two venues that bring edgy, progressive art to the city centre.

Ashton Lane
Look up to the neo-gothic university spires from one of the trendy outdoor cafes on this charming, cobble-stoned street.

Nightlife
After a full day, the only thing left to do is join the Glaswegians in what they do better than anything else – have fun. Join in the singsong at one of the lively sessions at Babbity Bowsters, or dance the night away at one of Glasgow’s longest standing ceilidh venues, the Riverside Club.


48 hours in Glasgow

Think Glasgow, and the first thing that springs to mind is the friendly Glaswegian, quickly followed by shopping – which Glaswegians have down to a fine art. That, in turn, leads nicely to Glasgow’s cultural scene, from the ever-present architecture of Charles Rennie Mackintosh to some of Scotland’s rising art stars at one of the city’s contemporary art galleries. And in two days, you can definitely make the very best of Glasgow’s top three attributes.

Day One:
Start off the day at the Gallery of Modern Art in Royal Exchange Square. (Like all Glasgow museums, admission is always free, so be sure to get your fill.) The top two floors are now full of new acquisitions from some of Scotland’s best new artists. Just off Buchanan Street, GOMA is close by to many shops, such as LK Bennett, Diesel and House of Fraser. Before heading to the Merchant City, home to the City Halls music venue and the Tron Theatre, make a detour through Princes Square – full of designer stores such as Space NK, Jo Malone and Reiss. Stop in at Zinc Bar on the top floor for an elegant cocktail. Afterwards, head through George Square towards the Italian Centre, home of design emporium Cruise. Take a walk down King Street and towards some of Glasgow’s more cutting edge art galleries like Transmission and Sorcha Dallas. Once the galleries and shops start closing down, nip into Babbity Bowsters for a whisky or real ale, you might just get to hear one of their live sessions there if you are lucky (with no cover charge!). After some toe-tapping in Babbity’s, you should have worked up quite an appetite. Café Gandolfi has been a favourite to Glaswegians for over twenty years, with beautiful furniture designed by Tim Stead, and a great menu of Scottish classics, such as haggis, or a flavoursome smoked venison.

Day Two:
The next day, head out to the West End – home to the striking neo-gothic spires and vaults of the University of Glasgow, which in turn is home to the Hunterian Museum, and one of the best collections of works by the American artist James McNeil Whistler. A gentle walk through Kelvingrove Park will take you to the newly renovated Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (also with free admission) – a blend of art, cultural and natural history exhibits. After spending a few hours wandering around the gallery, head up Byres Road, and discover little one-off boutique stores, such as funky Felix & Oscar, or retro heaven Starry, Starry Night. Slip off onto the traditional cobblestones of Ashton Lane, where you can have a drink by the fireplace Upstairs at the Chip. Then, walking towards the Botanic Gardens, you will pass by ÒranMòr, a renovated church, lauded for its lunchtime A Play, A Pie and A Pint series – all for under $20. Meandering around the leafy West End of Glasgow will easily take you right up to dinner. Head back down to No.16 – a small, but excellent restaurant at the far end of Byres Road, definitely worth searching for. Or you could always stop in for a fish supper at Philadelphia – considered by many to be the best chip shop in Glasgow, where you can enjoy a hearty meal for under $10!