Attractions

In the main, Glasgow is a compact and contiguous city -- roughly the size of San Francisco. The part that U.S. visitors might describe as downtown, Glasgow's "city center," is laid out rather American-style on a grid, so the commercial heart of the city is user friendly. Most visits begin here, amid the rich Victorian architecture, whether it be 19th-century banks (many of which have been converted to other uses such as restaurants and bars), office buildings, warehouses, and churches. Culturally, the options in the heart of Glasgow include the Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA), The Lighthouse (devoted to design and architecture), and the Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA). There are also the Royal Concert Hall and Theatre Royal. These attractions are all within a fairly short walking distance. Three main boulevards -- Argyle, Buchanan, and Sauchiehall streets -- form a Z shape and have been made into predominantly car-free pedestrian zones, which offer a wealth of shopping opportunities.

Adjacent to the commercial center is the Merchant City, where loft conversions over the past 20 years have created a hip, happening quarter with many lively bars and restaurants. This district skirts the historic heart of Glasgow, but little if anything remains of the medieval city -- most has been knocked down over the years in various urban renewal schemes. But at either end of the historic High Street -- Glasgow Cathedral, which dates to the 13th century, and the Renaissance Tolbooth steeple -- are two of the city's more ancient landmarks.

The affluent and urbane West End has the city's top university, its most desirable homes, and plenty of restaurants, bars, and shops. This area is trendy and lively, with some of city's best nightlife. Leafy and attractive, with the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum fabulously refurbished and reopened in 2006, the West End is many visitors' favorite place to explore.

Of course, a river runs through Glasgow, and the city has yet to capitalize fully on the real potential of the Clyde. The shipbuilding industry that made the river famous is long gone. Yet, there isn't even an active, attractive marina for leisure boats today. Near the city center, development of the waterfront with concrete paths and plazas towards the end of the 20th century has not aged particularly well, though there is a certain derelict urban charm to the riverbank, which has a national cycle path.

On the other side of the Clyde, the Southside spreads out with well-established suburban neighborhoods. Some say this is the "real" Glasgow. While mostly residential, it is home to at least one major, arguably world-class, attraction -- the Burrell Collection -- that merits an excursion south of the River Clyde.

City Center & Merchant City -- The proverbial heart of Glasgow is George Square, onto which looks the seat of local government, the City Chambers that Queen Victoria opened in 1888. The building's interiors have been used for movie sets (sometimes to represent the Kremlin) and the lavishly decorated Banqueting Hall is sometimes open to the public. Of the several statues in George Square, the most imposing is the 25m (80-ft.) Doric column with Sir Walter Scott at the top. It was the first such monument built in the author's honor, about 5 years after his death.