Whether you're looking to keep up with the music, explore top art or indulge in varied shopping, Glasgow has it all. From the landlocked lighthouse to the sleek silver lines of the Zaha Hadid-designed Riverside Museum, this city will enthral you with its Gothic and Victorian architecture, quirky street art and a heart that beats through its people.
1. Glasgow Necropolis
Located on a hill adjacent to Glasgow Cathedral on the eastern edge of the city centre, the Glasgow Necropolis is a Victorian garden cemetery full of ornate graves, sculptures and stories. Modelled on Pere-Lachaise in Paris, it is estimated that over 50,000 people were buried here between its opening in 1832 and the laying to rest of Commonwealth war dead in the 1940s.
The 37-acre necropolis was expanded thrice in its lifetime; 1860, 1877 and 1892. It is now a verdant, secluded space which attracts animals like roe deer, grey squirrels and rabbits.
The layout of the cemetery is not planned but rather mimics an informal park with paths branching off as veins. The site is also home to over 180 species of flowering plants and insects.
2. The Motor Museum
Situated on the banks of the River Clyde, this visually impressive modern museum at Glasgow Harbour owes its striking curved forms to late British-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid. A transport museum forms the main part of this impressive new development, containing a fascinating series of cars made in Scotland plus assorted railway locos and trams, bikes (including the world's first pedal-powered bicycle from 1847) and model Clyde-built ships.
Among the more popular attractions, there's also an atmospheric recreation of a Glasgow shopping street from the early 20th century that puts the vintage vehicles into a social context. You can also climb aboard a train, tram or bus and get a feel for old public transportation.
3. The Gallery of Modern Art
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Glasgow, the Gallery of Modern Art is a beautiful building that houses a wide collection of modern artwork. Located in Royal Exchange Square, it opened in 1996 and it displays work by local and international artists.
Its programme of workshops, temporary exhibitions and various biannual projects addresses contemporary social issues.
Visitors can enjoy four galleries, a library, shop and tourist information centre. Among the artworks, you can find works by famous local and international artists like Andy Warhol, John Bellany, Ken Currie and David Hockney.
If you are an artist, you can take part in the learning centre which teaches painting skills. The museum also has a library that features books about modern art and free internet access.
4. George Square
George Square is the heart of Glasgow and a must-see attraction. It has many statues and old buildings built by illustrious architects of yesteryear.
It also hosts major events such as the Glasgow Loves Christmas festival and is a great place to people-watch or shop in the Merchant City. During the Barras Street Markets you can see hundreds of vendors selling everything from food to housewares.
George Square is home to the main war memorial and is surrounded by historical monuments. These include the Cenotaph, which was originally built to commemorate Glaswegians killed in World War One.
5. The Glasgow Mural Trail
Street art is a vibrant part of life in Glasgow and the city centre has a number of colourful murals that have helped rejuvenate streets and refresh buildings and vacant sites. These are a great way to brighten up the city, and there is a fantastic Mural Trail that has been created to promote the artwork and show how these works can transform a building or vacant site.
The first of the murals was painted in 2008 and has since grown into a collection of works with something for everyone. Some are very Banksy-esque, while others follow a more traditional style of artwork.
