Glasgow

Glasgow, United Kingdom

Glasgow is the 21st-century magnet of Great Britain, with an energetic, yet sophisticated vibe. Formerly Britain's major centre of industrial prowess, it has been rapidly transforming into a booming hub for art and culture in the past decades and prides itself on a never-ending stream of up-and-coming musicians and a thriving nightlife. Glasgow is also home to many excellent modern Scottish restaurants dedicated to preserving their Scottish heritage, and some of the best shopping in the country.

Population:

615, 070

Currency:

1 Pound (£1) = 100 pence

Emergency Numbers:

Official Emergency Number: 999 (Ambulance, Police, Fire)
Non-Emergency Number: 101

Opening Hours:

Normally, stores opening time is 9:00-17:30 (Monday to Saturday), but many department stores stay open till 18:00, some till 19:00 or 20:00 on Wednesday or Thursday, and these are usually also open on Sunday and public holidays (10:00-18:00).

Newspapers:

The Herald
The Scotsman
The Evening Times
Glasgow Daily Times

The City

Glasgow is the largest Scottish city, fourth in the United Kingdom, the Scottish economic capital and, most of all, preserves some of the richest historic heritage in the country.

The city is crossed by the Clyde River, around which the Roman general Gneus Julius Agricola - who played the main role during the Roman conquest of Britain - led the construction of some fortresses in 80 AD. Remains of those can still be seen in modern Glasgow. As the legend goes, hundreds of years later, the Christian missionary Saint Mungo founded the city and built a small wooden church close to Molendinar Burn, which centuries later will turn into the splendid Glasgow Cathedral.

Formally a major industrial and commercial centre, modern Glasgow is a flourishing centre for arts and culture. Over the past couple of decades, it has been named City of Culture, Capital of Sport, UNESCO City of Music and City of Architecture and Design. The latter is, perhaps, partly due to the abundance of unique buildings designed by legendary Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh that dot the city.

The areas of most interest to visitors are, of course, the City Centre - containing some of the city's major attractions - and the West End, a hip area with some of Glasgow's coolest cafes and bars, also home to the University of Glasgow and the well-known Kelvingrove Museum. West of the city centre, on the banks of River Clyde, sit the Science Centre and the Riverside Museum, both a must for tourists.

Do & See

Glasgow has a wide selection of museums and galleries, many of which are free of charge to enter. In a way, the city itself is an open-air museum for architecture with a special focus on the works of the Scottish architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. To get a good view of the city from above, climb one of the many hills Glasgow was built upon: some of the best bird's-eye views uncover from the Necropolis.

Dining

Scottish cuisine is all about simplicity and locally-sourced ingredients, reason why so many restaurants pride themselves in serving seafood fished in Scottish waters.

When in Glasgow, try the iconic Scottish haggis - a meat, turnips ("neeps") and potatoes ("tatties") dish traditionally prepared in sheep's stomach (today mostly replaced by artificial sausage casing). For dessert, try the shortbread - a biscuit with rather high butter and sugar content.

The choice of eateries can get overwhelming, as there is an infinite number of good restaurants in the city. Most of the trendy and stylish restaurants are located in the elegant West End or in the neo-hip Merchant City.

Cafes

Glasgow boasts a vast array of bohemian cafés with quirky interiors - ideal spots to while away an hour or two. Vegan food is "in" these days, and while some establishments are completely meat-free, others will at least have several vegan options on the menu. Like many other large European cities, Glasgow has been overrun by coffee shop chains, and locating a place for a coffee break shouldn't present much difficulty.