Four and a half days in Glasgow

My wife Liat got invited to a fascinating conference about Dark Tourism in Glasgow. It was our first visit to Scotland, and we were both...

Liat’s conference brought us to Glasgow for our first visit to Scotland. While she attended the conference, Boaz explored the city. We found beautiful buildings, excellent museums, friendly people and far more reasons to linger than we had expected.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s work runs through a visit to Glasgow. The Mackintosh House at the Hunterian Art Gallery reconstructs the principal rooms of the home he shared with Margaret Macdonald, using original furniture. We felt it was well worth making time for. The gallery is free, while the house requires a separate ticket.

On our 2017 visit we also climbed to the viewpoint at The Lighthouse and loved the view over the rooftops. The building is now being repurposed as a climate-tech hub; check current visiting arrangements before planning to go up. The Mackintosh Building at the School of Art suffered a second fire in 2018, so the old interior tour is not part of our suggested present-day itinerary.

During my visit, the annual parade of the Orange Order took place:

We stayed at Holiday Inn Express Glasgow - City Ctr Theatreland, right in the centre. It worked well for Buchanan Street, Sauchiehall Street and walks along the River Clyde. Looking up at the buildings and spotting street art became part of the fun. We walked a lot, but allow for the distances between the centre and university area and use public transport when it suits the day.

George Square and the City Chambers make a useful introduction to central Glasgow. The square is reopening in stages during 2026, with full reopening planned for October. Check the works and access update before visiting. You can then keep exploring the centre or devote another day to Kelvingrove, the university area and Botanic Gardens, instead of squeezing everything into one walk.

Things you should do when visiting Glasgow:

1. We loved exploring Glasgow on foot and discovering its buildings. The city is large, so plan realistic distances and use public transport when useful.

2. Visit the museums. Particularly those who allowed free entrance. They are adorable and fit for all ages.

3. Take an evening walk on the bank of River Clyde.

4. Go to Buchanan Street & Sauchiehall Street, both pedestrian-only streets just in the middle of the City center, with lots of shops, malls, restaurants, pubs, and street performances all day long.

5. Drink Whisky. The Scottish, like their Irish neighbors, are very proud of their Whisky. Try it.

6. Eat Haggis. It is a traditional Scottish dish that contains the inner parts of lamb mixed with onions, oatmeal flour, fat, and spices. Haggis traditionally served with "neeps and tatties" – mashed potatoes and a mash of Rutabaga, a kind of a root vegetable. All dressed with Whisky Sauce. Just make sure you are eating it in a decent place.

7. And if it wasn't clear enough - visit at least one building and one exhibition of Mackintosh's work.

Have a nice trip to Glasgow! I missed it already.

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