Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
16
EXPLORING
GLASGOW
Glasgow is a reasonably compact and contiguous
city—roughly the size of Amsterdam or San Fran-
cisco. As its 19th-century expansion was inspired in
part by American cities such as Chicago, Glasgow's city
center is laid out U.S.-style on a grid. Not very European,
but at least the heart of the city is user-friendly. Most visits
begin here, amid the rich Victorian architecture, whether it
be 19th-century banks (many of which have been con-
verted to other uses such as restaurants and bars), office
buildings, warehouses, and churches.
Culturally, the options in the heart of Glasgow include architect Charles
Rennie Mackintosh's
School of Art,
the city-owned
Gallery of Mod-
ern Art
(GOMA),
and the
Tron Theatre.
There is also the Gothic
medieval
Glasgow Cathedral
and the splendid Victorian
Theatre
Royal.
These attractions are all within a fairly short walking distance of
each other. Three main boulevards—Argyle, Buchanan, and Sauchiehall
streets—form a Z shape and have been made into predominantly car-free
pedestrian zones, which offer a wealth of shopping opportunities.
Adjacent to the commercial center is Merchant City, where loft conver-
sions over the past 25 years have created a hip, happening quarter with
many lively bars and restaurants. The affluent and urbane West End has
the city's top university, its most desirable homes, and plenty of restau-
rants, bars, and shops. This area is trendy and lively, with some of the city's
best nightlife. Leafy and attractive, with the
Kelvingrove Art Gallery &
Museum
fabulously refurbished and now one of the most visited attrac-
tions in Britain, the West End is many visitors' favorite place to explore.
A river runs through Glasgow, and the modern city has yet to capitalize
fully on the real potential of the
Clyde.
The shipbuilding industry that
made the river famous is long gone. There isn't even an active, attractive
marina for leisure boats today. At least, not yet. But bits of the waterfront
have been improved and there is a certain urban charm to the riverbank,
which has a national cycle path.
On the opposite side of the Clyde from the city center and West End,
the Southside spreads out with well-established suburban neighborhoods.
