Glasgow Travel Trade Destination Guide Gateway to Scotland ................................................................................4 Well Connected ..........................................................................................6 A Cultural Powerhouse ............................................................................8 Neighbourhoods and Districts ............................................................10 Accommodation ......................................................................................26 Attractions and Experiences ............................................................... 34 Food & Drink .............................................................................................38 Two Day Sample Itinerary ....................................................................48 City Events to 2021 .................................................................................50 Contact Us ................................................................................................................................................52 Riverside Museum 2 3 Gateway to Scotland Inverness Aberdeen Getting to Glasgow couldn’t be easier - the city is served by three Fort William international airports, it is well connected by train from across the UK, it is easily accessible by Scotland’s extensive road network and Oban travelling by sea is made simple by the ferry connections. Loch Lomond GLASGOW Edinburgh The city is the perfect gateway to some of Scotland’s most beautiful and dramatic landscapes and its Isle of Arran location on the west coast makes it an ideal location to explore all that Scotland has to offer. Ancient Ayr castles, picture-postcard distilleries, tranquil lochs, outstanding golf courses and miles of unspoilt coastline are all just a short journey from the city centre, meaning the city is a perfect base from which to tour Scotland. • Discover the historic city of Edinburgh, just a short 45-minute drive from Glasgow • Experience the mesmerising beauty of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park • Explore the stunning Ayrshire coast and set sail for the Isle of Arran • Take a tour of Stirling Castle, one of Scotland’s most historically important sites York • Visit the award-winning restored 18th century cotton mill village of New Lanark • Head for the beautiful coastal town of Oban and set sail for Argyll & The Isles Manchester Liverpool Birmingham London 4 5 Edmonton Vancouver Well Connected Australia Emirates Adelaide 1-stop via Dubai Brisbane Melbourne Getting to Glasgow couldn’t be easier, the city is served by three international airports, is well Perth connected by train from across the UK, easily accessible by Scotland’s extensive road network and Sydney travelling by sea is made simple by the ferry connections. The Netherlands EasyJet & KLM Amsterdam Direct Spain Jet2 Barcelona Direct Glasgow Airport Germany EasyJet & Ryanair Berlin Direct With 30 airlines serving more than 120 destinations worldwide, including Canada, the US, the Eurowings Dusseldorf Direct Caribbean, Europe and the Gulf, Glasgow Airport is Scotland’s principal long-haul airport. Ryanair Frankfurt Direct Glasgow is only a short flight (1 hour) to London with numerous airlines including British Airways, France EasyJet Paris Direct Ryanair, Thomas Cook Airlines and easyJet to City Airport, Gatwick Airport, Heathrow Airport, Luton Air France Paris Direct Airport and Stansted Airport. Ryanair Carcassonne Direct EasyJet Bordeaux* Direct Glasgow Airport is located just eight miles (13 kilometres) west of Glasgow City Centre and offers the following key international flight connections as well as many more scheduled and charter options. EasyJet Marseilles* Direct Switzerland EasyJet Geneva Direct Italy EasyJet Milan Direct Jet2 Rome Direct British Airways Venice Direct Country Carrier/Airline Origin Direct/1-stop *Seasonal service United States United Newark Direct American Airlines Philadelphia Direct Delta New York JFK Direct Trains Icelandair Anchorage 1-stop via Reykjavik Glasgow Central Station links Glasgow by rail Station Average Journey Time Boston to all UK cities, whilst Glasgow Queen Street Chicago Station operates routes mainly to Central and London 4 hours 10 mins Denver Northern Scotland. Birmingham 4 hours Minneapolis-St Paul Manchester 3 hours 30 mins The main UK train companies operating in Liverpool 3 hours 40 mins New York Scotland are; Scotrail, Virgin Trains, Cross Orlando Country, East Coast and TransPennine Express. York 3 hours 30 mins Seattle Edinburgh 50 mins Washington Average travel time by train from across the UK: Canada Air Canada Rouge Toronto* Direct There are more than 20 direct trains per day Air Transat Toronto Direct from London Montreal* Vancouver* Direct trains to and from Edinburgh every 15 mins on weekdays Calgary* WestJet Halifax* Direct Icelandair Toronto 1-stop via Reykjavik Halifax* 6 7 A Cultural Powerhouse Glasgow is located on the banks of the River Clyde, in West Central Scotland and is the largest city in the country, and one of the biggest in the United Kingdom. The city’s compact size makes it easy for visitors • “Fans the world over know that it’s the city’s to explore the diverse neighbourhoods, as well unrivalled music scene that really embodies as the incredible range of built heritage, which Glasgow’s energy and swagger.” - spans Victorian to Art Nouveau, courtesy of our National Geographic Traveler most famous son Charles Rennie Mackintosh. • In the past few decades, Scotland’s biggest Today, more than 25 years after the prestigious city has emerged as a cultural powerhouse. accolade propelled it into the global spotlight, The River Clyde, which once ferried tobacco the city continues to blaze an internationally traders towards the city, now flows past acclaimed trail in contemporary art, design and smoking-hot artists’ studios and museums, music while safeguarding its rich architectural which have appeared in rejuvenated docks.” heritage, world-class civic art collection and - Rough Guides its position as home base to all (but one) of Scotland’s national performing arts companies. • ‘Earning its reputation as one of the world’s friendliest cities, you can expect a very warm welcome. Glasgow is without a doubt Scotland’s most stylish city, brimming with cool design, great art and chic eateries” – New York Post Inside Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum 8 9 10 11 City Centre The heart of the city is the civic space of willows in Gaelic - is great for nightlife George Square, which is home to statues and cultural attractions. There is an of prominent historical Scottish figures. abundance of restaurants, bars and clubs, including a former cinema and the largest The focal point of George Square is one nightclub in Glasgow. of the city’s most iconic and imposing buildings, the City Chambers, whose Notable landmarks include The Glasgow magnificence tells the story of the wealth School of Art ,Centre for Contemporary and industrial prosperity of the Second Arts, Tenement House, Glasgow Film City of the Empire. It is one of the most Theatre and the Royal Highland Fusiliers beautiful civic buildings in the UK. Museum. It was opened by Queen Victoria in 1888, and for over a hundred years has been the headquarters of successive George Square and City Chambers city councils. Guided tours to see the grand interiors are available for tours and groups. Glasgow is a shopper’s paradise, recognised as one of the best shopping experiences outside London’s West End. You’ll find the biggest brands and retailers in the Style Mile, including Buchanan Galleries, St. Enoch Centre, and Princes Square among others. Sauchiehall Street is a vibrant little part of Glasgow and a must visit for anyone coming to the city. Sauchiehall Street - ‘Sauchiehall’ means avenue of the Gallery of Modern Art Glasgow School of Art 12 13 Merchant City Only minutes from George Square and can continue along Ingram Street, which seconds from the bustle of the busy features high-end, designer stores such shopping precints is the Merchant City, as Mulberry, Ralph Lauren, Armani, Cruise the historic and ancient heart of Glasgow, and Agent Provocateur - the ultimate in where in the 18th century, the Tobacco retail therapy. Lords had their warehouses. Follow the road along to Candleriggs The merchants’ warehouses have left and Merchant Square - once home to behind a legacy of amazing architecture the city’s fruitmarket, now a stylish hub and many are now home to buzzing bars, of bars, restaurants and spacious indoor luxury apartments, tenement flats, award- courtyard used for various events. winning restaurants, design shops and artist galleries. Merchant Square Your clients will find this neighbourhood with its stunning buildings fascinating to explore on one of the city’s many walking tours. After exploring the Gallery of Modern Art on Royal Exchange Square, visitors Dining in the Merchant City Merchant City 14 15 West End Voted ‘Best Neighbourhood in UK & of the campus including the neo-gothic Ireland’ by the Academy of Urbanism, quadrangles and cloisters, which bear Glasgow’s West End, with its ornate more than a passing resemblance to sandstone tenements and museum, is a Hogwarts in the Harry Potter novels! must-visit while you are in the city. If your clients are craving some green With stunning Neo-Gothic university space, look no further than Kelvingrove buildings, leafy parks and gardens, Park, with its River Kelvin walkway. Also artisan eateries, specialist delis, bustling