Top 10 Reasons Why Everyone Should Visit Glasgow

A year-round travel destination and Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow is a cultural epicentre and magnet for creatives. Here, we highlight 10 (out of the many reasons) why everyone should jump on the Glasgow bandwagon.

Music resonates throughout the city

As UNESCO City Of Music and general creative hotbed, Glasgow definitely lives up to its musical reputation. From King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut and independent local gems, to restaurants hosting live impromptu acoustic sessions, the city is a platform for both emerging musicians and established artists. Edgy or classical, chilled or mad, the bouncing music venues cannot help but captivate every traveller who visits them. And the stellar selection of musical-related action only adds to Glasgow’s insanely brilliant nightlife.

Glasgow is home to some of the greatest people out there

There are free attractions to entertain you for days on end

Seriously. From the Doctor Who tour and GoMA, to Riverside Museum and the Botanics, Glasgow’s free attractions really are the gift that just keeps on giving. And when you think you’ve experienced them all, more free attractions seem to pop up! Thank you Glasgow.

The eclectic architecture is both striking and impressive

Glasgow truly is a playground for budding architecture aficionados. You can be admiring a medieval edifice dating back to 1471 one moment, then soaking up the iconic ‘Glasgow Style’ designs the next, and then find yourself infatuated with a futuristic architectural Zaha Hadid-designed masterpiece just a few brief moments later. Add the sensational selection of Victorian and Art Nouveau buildings to the mix and you really are spoilt for choice.

The gastronomic scene is unrivalled

The superlative food scene in Glasgow is the stuff of dreams. Using the finest ingredients from the fresh larder of Scotland, the restaurants cover everything from fusion and Scottish, to Indian, Vietnamese and Italian, and any other kind of cuisine imaginable, for that matter. Whether you are on a budget or have a bulging wallet, foodies can expect to embark on a culinary tour of the world’s greatest dishes, all served with a sprinkling of Scottish charm.

And it’s a braw place for a spot of serious shopping too

Whether rummaging the rails for granny chic pre-loved vintage cardis, tending to that secret Scotland obsession with purchasing tartan trews, or going to town at the high-end luxury stores, Glasgow is hands down the best place in Scotland for shopping. The list of diverse retail shops is as long as the infamous ‘Style Mile’ itself.

There’s plenty of fun for the whole family

Whether you liken your clan to a modern day Brady Bunch or Addams Family, Glasgow caters to all kinds of folks. With plenty of parks, visitor attractions, fab hotels and endless things to do, it’s safe to say that this is a family-friendly city perfectly suited to all generations. From educational endeavours to laid-back loungings, there’s room for everyone.

Then again, it’s also the perfect place for solo travellers

Offering the best of both worlds, Glasgow is also a great place when searching for a dose of solo serenity. The stunning art galleries, museums and music venues call out for exploring, while there’s no such rule stating you can’t dine in the best foodie landmarks alone! The multifaceted nature of the city is inviting, and certainly makes it easy for solo travellers to find their way while having a blast.

A bucket load of museums and art galleries add to the fun

Whether you’re a football fanatic or avid anthropologist, Glasgow boasts cabinets upon cabinets of curiosities. From housing one of the greatest civic art collections in Europe, to museums about transport, religion, the city’s people and football, the city has a surprising number of museums covering a vast array of genres. Oh, and art in all forms frequents a myriad of galleries, collections, venues, coffee houses and even the streets.

Football is HUGE

Less of a sport and more of a way of life, football and its colourful local heritage is very much ingrained into the Glasgow social psyche. The age-old rivalry between Glasgow teams Rangers FC and Celtic FC adds to the suspense and atmosphere when a match is on. From touring the famous Hampden Park and investigating the football museum, to sipping football related craft beer ‘Hampden Roar’ at the Clockwork Beer Co., Glasgow is the perfect destination for football fans eager for some epic sporting excitement.

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.