Glasgow

Once the image of post-industrial decline, Scotland’s second city has bounced back impressively from the collapse of its main industries in the 1970s and 1980s. Leaving behind the past, Glasgow is writing a new future for itself, replacing ship-building and steel yards with nightclubs and bars, chic shops, and some of the best live music venues in the UK. Although it lacks the architectural grandeur of Edinburgh, Glasgow wins plaudits for its cultural heritage, its excellent museums and the unmistakable buildings of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The best place to view Glasgow’s renaissance is along the River Clyde, where maritime relics rub ...

Once the image of post-industrial decline, Scotland’s second city has bounced back impressively from the collapse of its main industries in the 1970s and 1980s. Leaving behind the past, Glasgow is writing a new future for itself, replacing ship-building and steel yards with nightclubs and bars, chic shops, and some of the best live music venues in the UK. Although it lacks the architectural grandeur of Edinburgh, Glasgow wins plaudits for its cultural heritage, its excellent museums and the unmistakable buildings of Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The best place to view Glasgow’s renaissance is along the River Clyde, where maritime relics rub shoulders with space-age developments. As well as being Scotland’s clubbing capital, Glasgow is a popular starting point for fly-drive trips to Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and the islands of the Inner Hebrides. In the popular consciousness, Glasgow will forever be linked to the antics of Billy Connolly and the famous rivalry between Celtic and Rangers football clubs.

About the Expert

Joe Bindloss has written more than 30 guidebooks for Lonely Planet, Time Out and other publishers, with a focus on Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and island nations.