Twenty years ago Glasgow was not a place you would think of to take a city break or perhaps even visit at all unless you had to. However, the city has undergone a transformation over the last 10 years and is now a place that people want to go so let’s take a look at the art, sport and greenery of this rejuvenated city.
Everyone is now talking about Glasgow and for once this is a good thing. For years the city was down at heel, an ex-industrial wasteland known more for its social problems than for its tourist attractions. Then in 2014 Glasgow was the place to be, sitting pretty at the top of every ‘places to visit this year’ list and a fixture in many travel itineraries thanks to that summer’s Commonwealth Games.
The games ran from 23 July until 3 August and brought with them thousands of domestic and international visitors. Their pending arrival had also caused a plethora of new sports venues, hotels and restaurants to be built. The city has been preparing itself to take centre stage for some time. In fact, its first upward step was taken in 1990, when Glasgow was named European City of Culture. Since this award, the often maligned Scottish hub has been on an upward trend.
It happened quietly at first with a regeneration of the inner city and a clean-up of the river Clyde. This made it more attractive slowly increased the number of businesses. After that the museum opened and residents started to return to the city centre. All this progress was highlighted in a campaign called ‘Glasgow’s Miles Better’ which highlighted the famed friendliness of the people. So by the time the city was awarded the Commonwealth Games in November 2007, it came as no surprise to anyone.
Today Glasgow is a city with much to offer. It is dynamic, creative and ultra-friendly. There are museums and galleries with world leading collections, independent boutiques selling one-off fashions, and jaw-dropping buildings designed by everyone from Charles Rennie Mackintosh to Zaha Hadid. You can take a walk down streets lined with grand Victorian buildings, drink freshly brewed coffee in sweeping squares and stroll through rolling parkland just minutes from the city centre.
At night plan to book a table at one of the city’s contemporary restaurants and indulge in fresh local Scottish food such as fresh oysters, thick steaks and juicy scallops. Afterwards, why get a taste of the night scene with a visit to one of its stellar live music venues.
But Glasgow’s best secret remains just how close it is to the Highlands. For a change of scenery, you can take a 30-minute drive out of the city to Loch Lomond, and get your boots muddy on the West Highland Way or take in the rolling views from Inchcailloch Island.
Everyone is now talking about Glasgow and for once this is a good thing. For years the city was down at heel, an ex-industrial wasteland known more for its social problems than for its tourist attractions. Then in 2014 Glasgow was the place to be, sitting pretty at the top of every ‘places to visit this year’ list and a fixture in many travel itineraries thanks to that summer’s Commonwealth Games.
The games ran from 23 July until 3 August and brought with them thousands of domestic and international visitors. Their pending arrival had also caused a plethora of new sports venues, hotels and restaurants to be built. The city has been preparing itself to take centre stage for some time. In fact, its first upward step was taken in 1990, when Glasgow was named European City of Culture. Since this award, the often maligned Scottish hub has been on an upward trend.
It happened quietly at first with a regeneration of the inner city and a clean-up of the river Clyde. This made it more attractive slowly increased the number of businesses. After that the museum opened and residents started to return to the city centre. All this progress was highlighted in a campaign called ‘Glasgow’s Miles Better’ which highlighted the famed friendliness of the people. So by the time the city was awarded the Commonwealth Games in November 2007, it came as no surprise to anyone.
Today Glasgow is a city with much to offer. It is dynamic, creative and ultra-friendly. There are museums and galleries with world leading collections, independent boutiques selling one-off fashions, and jaw-dropping buildings designed by everyone from Charles Rennie Mackintosh to Zaha Hadid. You can take a walk down streets lined with grand Victorian buildings, drink freshly brewed coffee in sweeping squares and stroll through rolling parkland just minutes from the city centre.
At night plan to book a table at one of the city’s contemporary restaurants and indulge in fresh local Scottish food such as fresh oysters, thick steaks and juicy scallops. Afterwards, why get a taste of the night scene with a visit to one of its stellar live music venues.
But Glasgow’s best secret remains just how close it is to the Highlands. For a change of scenery, you can take a 30-minute drive out of the city to Loch Lomond, and get your boots muddy on the West Highland Way or take in the rolling views from Inchcailloch Island.