In One Week

Glasgow is a fairly big city with lots to offer, but one of its additional attractions is the ease of escaping the metropolis, finding fresh air and memorable scenery.

Day 1: Central Glasgow

Drop your bags at the hotel or guest house and get moving into the heart of Glasgow. The bustling City Centre offers a host of monumental Victorian buildings and a couple of landmarks designed by the great Charles Rennie Mackintosh, such as his Glasgow School of Art. The city also boasts another great 19th-century design genius, Alexander "Greek" Thomson. Have a gander at his St. Vincent Street Church, with its exotic mix of Central Asian, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences. Just southeast of the city's commercial center is the Merchant City, Glasgow's version of New York's SoHo, with loft apartments and trendy bars. This is the historic core of the city, but alas most of its historic buildings are long gone. The strongest surviving remnant of Glasgow's rich Medieval history is Glasgow Cathedral.

Day 2: The West End

Glasgow's West End is the most prosperous and attractive district in the city. Opening after a 3-year multimillion pound refurbishment, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum offers an expansive collection of paintings and artifacts -- one of the best held by any city in Europe. Take a stroll through adjacent Kelvingrove Park and then stop at the University of Glasgow, where you can see at the Hunterian Art Gallery the complete interiors of the home where Mackintosh lived. The West End's "Main Street" is Byres Road, with bars, restaurants, shops and more. Detour onto cobbled Ashton Lane, or, on fine days, take in the city's Botanic Garden at the top of Byres Road.

Day 3: The Southside

Glasgow is bisected by the River Clyde, and the city's Southside is considered, by some, to be the real Glasgow. Perhaps, but while mostly residential, there are some highlights to visit. First and foremost is the Burrell, a custom-made museum holding the vast collection of art and artifacts collected by a local industrialist who bequeathed the entire wonderful lot to the city. If you find that "Greek" Thomson intrigues you, then definitely go to Holmwood House; it's the best example of his sumptuous and timeless villas. Families will enjoy the Science Centre on the southern banks of the Clyde.

Day 4: Burns Country & Culzean

Set out for Ayrshire and start with the town of Ayr, on the coast southwest of Glasgow. This is the beginning of your tour of Burns Country -- the historic stomping grounds of Scotland's most famous plowman poet. In nearby Alloway is the Burn's National Heritage Park, highlighted by the bard's birthplace, the Burns Cottage and Museum. Depending on your time and interest, you can also visit other landmarks, such as Souter Johnnie's Cottage in Kirkoswald. But leave time for Culzean Castle and its magnificent Country Park, with acres and acres to explore from sandy beachhead to a walled garden with exotic plants. If you fancy golf, however, you might prefer seeing world-famous Troon and Turnberry.

Day 5: Stirling, the Trossachs & Loch Lomond

Roughly equidistant to Edinburgh and Glasgow is Stirling, site of much Scottish history and one-time home to royalty. Start with Stirling's Old Town, which has the impressive Stirling Castle. Children will enjoy nearby Stirling Jail, but history buffs should try to visit Bannockburn, where the Scots defeated English invaders in the 14th century. Stirling also has the towering monument to William Wallace, whose life inspired Mel Gibson's film Braveheart. Head west and see the well-preserved ruins of Doune Castle before hitting the rolling hills and small mountains of the Trossach's and then lovely Loch Lomond in the shadows of the southern Highlands.

Day 6: The West Coast

This tour can take 2 days, depending upon your ambitions. Here are some highlights. West of Glasgow, on the north shores of the Clyde as it widens to the sea is Helensburgh and the superlative Hill House, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Across the Clyde, are the roads that lead to head-clearing ferry rides, such as to the Isle of Bute -- one of the easiest islands to reach. On it is the mansion of Mount Stuart as well as plenty of country lanes and quiet beaches to explore. From Bute you can head further west to the Argyll peninsulas of Cowal and Kintyre, each increasingly remote and sparsely settled. Tighnabruaich and Tarbert are two picturesque harbor villages worth stopping in. Finally, you might wish to really leave it all behind and go to the small island of Gigha. Owned by a community trust, it is the southern-most of Scotland's inner Hebrides.

Day 7: Glasgow's Other Attractions

Unless you're still absorbing the refreshing air of the West Coast and haven't made it back to Glasgow, pick up where you left off in the city. Re-visit the West End for lunch and bit of shopping, or stay in the city center and see any museums missed earlier, such as the Gallery of Modern Art or the more contemporary offerings at the CCA. If the weather's fine and dry, hike up to the Central Necropolis, near Glasgow Cathedral, or stroll through Glasgow Green, along the River Clyde.