About Glasgow
Glasgow has Roman roots. In 80 AD, general Marcus Agricola built a series of fortresses here as protection against the aggressive tribes of the north - remains of those can still be seen in modern Glasgow. Hundreds of years later (as the legend goes), a Christian missionary Saint Mungo founded the city and built a small wood church close to Molendinar Burn - a church to be turned centuries later into the the splendid Glasgow Cathedral.
Formally a major industrial and commercial center, the Glasgow of today is a flourishing center for the arts and culture. Over the past couple of decades, it has been named City of Culture, Capital of Sport, a UNESCO City of Music and City of Architecture and Design. The latter is, perhaps, at least partly due to the abundance of unique buildings designed by legendary architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh that dot the city.
The areas of most interest to visitors are, of course, the City Centre (containing some of the city's major attractions), and the West End - an hip area with some of Glasgow's coolest cafés and bars, also home to the University of Glasgow and the well-known Kelvingrove Museum. West of the city centre on the banks of River Clyde sit the Science Center and the Riverside Museum - both a must for visitors.
Activities
Burell Collection
The Burrell Collection, held by many to be one of the world's finest private art collections, was donated by industrialist Sir William Burrell to the City of Glasgow. It includes everything from Chinese porcelain to paintings by Renoir and Cézanne. Various happenings occur throughout the year.
Glasgow School of Art
The creations of architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh are omnipresent in the city. He worked mainly in the Art Nouveau style, and the 1898 Glasgow School of Art is considered his masterpiece. Today the learning institutions offers Mackintosh heritage tours to all those interested.
The Horse Shoe Bar
This one is a classic Victorian pub with a lot of character, popular with business people who congregate around the longest continuous bar in the UK (the establishment has been in business since as early as 1884). The menu was recently re-designed and now offers an even wider array of dishes.
Tips
Good to know
Public Transport
Glasgow’s local transport consists of a circular underground line with 15 stations and a range of train and bus routes. There are several ticket options including day passes for both the city and the surrounding areas. Bus tickets may be bought on board (prepare exact change), train tickets can be bought from on-board conductors if the train station isn't staffed. Maps of the entire transportation system are available at the Tourist Office (Gallery of Modern Art in Royal Exchange Square).
Electricity
220 volt
