An Art Nouveau Architecture Tour Of Glasgow, Scotland
Thanks to the influence of Art Nouveau aficionado Charles Rennie Mackintosh, dancing contrasts of light and dark, supple roses and undulating lines grace many of Glasgow’s buildings. Experience the famed ‘Glasgow Style’ for yourself with our architecture tour of Scotland’s largest city.
1. Glasgow School Of Art
School
2. House For An Art Lover
Concert Hall, Building, Park
3. The Willow Tea Rooms
A wonderful re-creation effort, The Willow Tea Rooms — a perfect foodie pit stop during the day’s Art Nouveau tour — offers a glimpse into the debonair mind of Mackintosh. This is all thanks to the original owner Kate Cranston, who commissioned him to work on the furnishings and interior. Indulging in the delicious tea, fresh cakes and traditional Scottish food is made even more desirable when you are seated on the Mackintosh designed towering-backed chairs, looking at the play between light and dark, the hypnotic geometric lines and of course, the rose patterns. Located on Sauchiehall Street, the word ‘Sauchiehall’ comes from the old Scots for ‘Willow Tree’ and ‘Meadow’, which at the time linked in beautifully with Mackintosh’s penchant for incorporating nature into his work.
5. Queen’s Cross Church
Church
6. King’s Theatre
The work of architect Frank Matcham, the King’s Theatre is worth a look if only to examine the blend of styles woven throughout. Take note of the Bath Street facade with its red Dumfriesshire sandstone, and admire the blending of Art Nouveau and Baroque.
7. The Hill House
If you are totally dedicated to the pursuit of admiring architecture from the Art Nouveau era — and if time permits — take a 45-minute car journey to The Hill House in Helensburgh, a town on the outskirts of Glasgow. The house and its interior, which features a blend of masculine and feminine features, is a resplendent example of work by Charles Mackintosh and his wife Margaret Macdonald Mackintosh. Designed for Walter Blackie, a publisher, between 1902 and 1904, this asymmetrical edifice shows remarkable design ingenuity and is open for the public to admire.
Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.
Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.
Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.
Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.
We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.