Glasgow is world-famous for its culture; it boasts museums and galleries and restaurants galore. Yet some treasures may have slipped through the cracks. Here are six of the best-kept secrets of Glasgow.
Architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh is renowned in his native Glasgow, and his designs can be seen all over the city. Most people don’t know, however, about The Mackintosh House containing reassembled interiors of rooms from the Mackintoshes’ Glasgow home. Featuring the Mackintoshes’ real furniture and with original fixtures of the house, this is a site not to be missed.
Small and well-hidden, this tearoom is hard to locate but worth the challenge. Enjoy pots of tea in charmingly mismatched cups and saucers, excellent and fairly-priced sandwiches and soups, home-baked cakes and scones, and a delightful vintage ambiance.
Free to enter (with a suggested donation of £3), this interactive museum is chock-full of models of vintage cars, motorcycles, trains, and more. The highlight, though, is a tour of the Tall Ship, otherwise known as the Glenlee, an 1896 barque formerly used as a cargo carrier and as a Spanish naval ship, which is now stationed adjacent to the museum in the Glasgow Harbor.
Decorated with bunting and fairy lights, packed with retro video and board games, and often offering live music, pub quizzes, and club nights, The Flying Duck is one of the most unassuming yet fun-loving bars in Glasgow.
Every tourist to Glasgow hits up the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, but less well-known are the daily organ recitals which occur at 1 pm Mondays-Saturdays and at 3 pm Sundays. After the recital, join the museum’s Director of Music, Dr Jim Hunter, for a quick tour.
Opened in 1888 by Queen Victoria, the City Chambers have been home to successive city councils for over 100 years. Inside the ornate exterior you’ll find the largest marble staircase in Western Europe, made of imported Italian Carrara marble. Tours are free and happen throughout the week.
