Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and one of the most fascinating in the UK, below is a quick Glasgow travel guide to help you plan your next trip here!

Getting there

Caledonian Sleeper Train: The Caledonian Sleeper train is one of the most unique and fun ways to arrive into Glasgow. The Caledonian Sleeper train offers a comfortable overnight service from London to various places in Scotland and England.

Trains depart from London Euston 6 days a week late at night so you can get 7 hours of sleep and wake up refreshed and in the centre of Glasgow, all before 7:30 in the morning.

Train: Thanks to the excellent rail network in the UK, visitors to Glasgow can take the regular train from various cities throughout the UK including London, Manchester and Edinburgh.

Plane: Glasgow is home to its own airport, travelling to a number os destinations including London, Belfast, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Dublin, Paris and Dubai.

Things to do

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Opening in 1901, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum offers 22 galleries and exhibitions raining from artworks to animals, to ancient Egypt and Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

The gallery is free to enter, located on Argyle Street in the West End. The construction of Kelvingrove was in part financed by money raised from the 1888 International Exhibition held in Kelvingrove Park. The gallery was designed by Sir John W. Simpson and E.J. Milner Allen for the Glasgow International Exhibition held in 1901.

Glasgow Botanic Gardens

Open all year round from 7am to dusk with the glasshouses open from 10am until 6pm (4:15pm in winter) and free to enter, the Botanic Gardens are an absolute must see when visiting Glasgow.

Centered around a beautifully manicured park, the gardens are home to over 9000 different plant species, with the majority growing in the temperate and tropical glasshouses.

Spend the day on Loch Lomond

Just 30 minutes from the city centre, visitors to Glasgow can find themselves in picture perfect countryside once they step off the train at Balloch, a charming village located on the water’s edge of Loch Lomond.

Loch Lomond lies at the heart of the Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, characterised by rolling green countryside, hills, darling villages and water activities. if you want to visit just for the day I would recommend enjoying a leisure cruise on the loch with Sweeney’s Cruises, followed by a delicious afternoon tea at the renowned Cameron house, sat right on the shores of the loch.

Glasgow City Chambers

Located in George’s Square, Glasgow City Chambers were built in 1888, creating one of the city’s most distinguished buildings. For over a century it has been the headquarters for the city’s council and today we are lucky enough to be able to see inside. Free of charge guided tours are conducted at 10:30am and 2:30pm Monday-Friday.

The building was constructed in a grandeur Victorian style by Scottish architect William Young, it was inaugurated by Queen Victoria in 1888 and the first council meeting was held the next year.

Absent Ear Hidden Bar

Like a tipple? The Absent Ear is a Speakeasy shrouded in mystery, you won’t know where it is until you confirm your booking (tip: the address on the website isn’t the real address, you need to wait for your confirmation email…).

So what gives the Absent Ear its name? The bar is dedicated to the Dutch painter, Van Gogh, so you will feel a bit of an Amsterdam vibe here too! I won’t tell you too much about the bar as it’s fun to keep the mystery, but expect an immersive experience, themed cocktails and don’t forget to check your booking email for the code word you need to enter!

Where to stay

voco Grand Central

voco Grand Central is a 5* hotel attached to Glasgow Central Station, an iconic site within the city. From here you are within walking distance from excellent shopping opportunities, restaurants, bars, George Square, and so much more.

Guest rooms are spacious, modern and comfortable with voco™ touches such as fragrant toiletries, bedside USB connections and bespoke art. Staff were extremely friendly, even letting us check in at 7:30am and offering us a late checkout as our train didn’t depart until evening.

The Champagne Central Bar is a great way to celebrate a special occasion or spend an hour before catching your train home.

Prices start at £100 per night

Book here

You can checkout more about planning the perfect Glasgow city break here on the VisitScotland website!

*This article has been written as part of a paid partnership with VisitScotland*

Useful links

Train bookings in Europe: Trainline

Car hire: RentalCars

Hotel bookings: Booking.com

Airport transfers: Kiwi taxis

Book trips and attractions: Getyourguide

Holiday home rentals: Vrbo