Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
16
Some say this is the “real” Glasgow. While mostly residential, it is home to at least
one major, arguably world-class, attraction—the Burrell Collection —that merits an
excursion south of the River Clyde.
Suggested Itineraries
IF YOU HAVE 1 DAY
From George Square, the city's main plaza
in front of Glasgow City Chambers, catch
one of the open-topped tour buses. The
trip, from historic Glasgow Cathedral in the
east to Glasgow University and trendy
Byres Road in the west, can be as enter-
taining as it is informative. It's also the best
way to get oriented. Tickets are valid for 24
hours, and you can get off and on as much
as you desire. Visit at least one of the city-
run museums (they're free) and a bona-fide
Glasgow pub, such as the Horse Shoe
(p. 241).
IF YOU HAVE 2 DAYS
Follow one of the strolls outlined in chapter
17. Try to take in a bit of real Charles Rennie
Mackintosh architecture, whether as an
organized tour of the Art School on Gar-
nethill in the city center or by visiting the
interiors of his family house reconstructed
at the Hunterian Art Gallery on the Univer-
sity of Glasgow campus in the West End.
While you're in the area, check out the
Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum. Head
south and visit the vaunted Burrell Collec-
tion. Its art and artifacts from ancient to
modern are the pride of the city, housed in
an attractive, contemporary building amid
verdant Pollok Country Park.
IF YOU HAVE 3 DAYS
Architecture buffs should discover more
about Alexander “Greek” Thomson, who
preceded Mackintosh by two generations
and was equally innovative and important.
Try Holmwood House on the city's South-
side. After London, Glasgow is the second
city for shopping in the U.K. But don't be
content with the familiar department
stores: Seek out the designer labels in Mer-
chant City or some funky shop off Byres
Road in the West End. Don't miss the
Cathedral, and if the weather's fine, hike
around the nearby Central Necropolis. The
city's main graveyard occupies a hill, so the
views are grand.
IF YOU HAVE 4 DAYS OR MORE
Those more interested in social history
might visit the People's Palace museum;
visitors with kids should gravitate to the
Science Centre; while those attuned to
contemporary arts have not only the CCA
but also the Arches to consider. In addition,
Trongate 103, which opened in 2009, is a
well-conceived cultural center on the edge
of Merchant City. On the weekend, lovers of
car boot sales (or trunk sales) and flea
markets owe the Barras stalls a visit. An
excursion away from the city is in order,
either down the Clyde toward the sea and
across to the western peninsulas and
islands, or up the road to Loch Lomond and
the beginnings of the Highlands. In most
directions, it takes under 30 minutes to find
wide-open countryside.
TOP ATTRACTIONS
City Center & Merchant City
The proverbial heart of Glasgow is George Square, at the doorstep of the seat of
local government, the City Chambers, which Queen Victoria opened in 1888. The
building's interiors have been used for movie sets (sometimes to represent the Krem-
lin), and the lavishly decorated Banqueting Hall is occasionally open to the public.
Of the several statues in George Square, the most imposing is the 25-m (80-ft.)
 
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