Glasgow is often overlooked by tourists, despite being a fantastic city to discover. There are many museums, and the city centre is very vibrant. Glasgow can be a good start to the end of your Scotland trip; why don't you take a city trip to the biggest city in Scotland? If you want to go to a pub, a football match, or a museum, Glasgow is a fantastic place to go. Here are things to do in Glasgow.

Look at the statues on George Square

It is the most important square in Glasgow, and it is lovely to stroll around and take a look at the statues of poets and other important people in Scottish history. Besides, there are beautiful buildings around the square, such as the city council (see picture above). There are some restaurants and bars around the square.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 15 minutes

Visit the gorgeous city council

The city council of Glasgow on George Square is very beautiful, and you are allowed to be in here for a couple of minutes and enjoy the amazing architecture of the staircases. Don't forget to enjoy the building from the outside and pay attention to a picture that explains how feet and yards work. This is a must-do in Glasgow.

Tourist occurrence: Low

How much time needed: 15 minutes

Get local information at a Free Walking Tour

I am not always a fan of Free Walking Tours, but in Glasgow I have had the best so far. We did not walk that much (no problem if it does), which gave way more time for information. The guide spoke very clearly and really gave us a feel for the history, the sights, the football, and the recommendations. We got an understanding of how local life in Glasgow is today, what the differences are between Edinburgh and Glasgow, and the beautiful buildings. 

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 2 hours

Enjoy culture in Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum has a great art collection, including Salvador Dalí (although currently somewhere else), Van Gogh, and Rembrandt. Besides, there are some really cool features, such as a jungle, floating heads, huge animals, and big central halls. This museum is located in a lovely park in the West End, which is also worth visiting. The museum is free.

Tourist occurrence: High

How much time needed: 1.5 hours

Get amazed in the Riverside museum

The Riverside Museum is a transport museum, which may sound pretty dull, but it is not at all! The outside of the museum is very cool and impressive. The entrance is free, which is often the case in Scotland. When you enter this museum (2 entrances), there is a huge hall with many old and new cars and bikes. You can climb into old trams and subways, which is very cool. An old street is made where there are shops, a pub, and an explanation of how life was years ago (see picture above).

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 1 hour

Stroll through nice smells in the Botanical Gardens

Botanical gardens aren't always my favorite things to do in a city, but in Glasgow, it is different. The park is lovely outside, and inside there are several greenhouses, from very huge ones to cute, smaller ones. It is lovely to stroll through a lot of rare plant species from around the world. The greenhouses are especially convenient for the Scottish weather. There is no admission fee.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 1-2 hours

Have a pint in the lovely pubs

Glasgow and pubs, pubs and Glasgow: this is a perfect combination. Pubs are located throughout the whole country, but in Glasgow, there are a lot of good ones! There are many good different ales and other species of beer to enjoy in pubs that often offer live music as well. The combination of live music, pints, and lovely locals makes the pubs in Glasgow a great way to spend the night.

How much time needed: 1 of 2 (or more) evenings

Be impressed by the architecture in the Glasgow Cathedral

Glasgow Cathedral is a wonderful cathedral close to the city centre, that is absolutely worth visiting. The inside is very gorgeous and sometimes looks like parts of Hogwarts. In the cellar are the tombs of Saint Mungo, the patron saint of Glasgow. The cathedral was finished in 1484 and has been renovated. The cathedral is the biggest holy place in Scotland.

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 30 minutes

Stroll on the hill cemetery Necropolis

Necropolis is a cemetery on a hill close to the city centre of Glasgow. There are two highlights of the cemetery. First are the beautiful gravestones, which are divided on the cemetery, and walking between them is very 'cool'. The second highlight is that you get the most beautiful views of the city, especially of Glasgow Cathedral (see picture at Glasgow Cathedral). This sight is perfect in combination with Glasgow Cathedral. 

Tourist occurrence: Medium

How much time needed: 30 minutes

Enjoy the fantastic street art

Glasgow has some of the best streets I have seen. There are huge buildings covered in street art. Besides the one in the picture (pretty close to Glasgow Cathedral), "Falling in Love" is fantastic in the city centre. A lot of street art in Glasgow comes with animals, so I have seen at least Highland cattle, deer, and squirrels. It is a good addition to the city when walking on the streets.

How much needed: Per painting take some minutes to enjoy

Go to the stadiums of the Old Firm

The Old Firm is one of the most famous football matches in the world between the protestant Glasgow Rangers and their Catholic neighbors, Celtic. It is a match that may not have the best football in Europe, but in terms of atmosphere, it is unparalleled. You feel the difference in the city; there are pubs only for Ranger fans or only Celtic fans. I could not visit a match or stadium tour of one of the two, but visiting the holy grounds of both teams is special. Have a walk around the stadium and feel the passion of both clubs.

Tourist occurrence: Very low

How much time needed: 30 minutes per stadium

Things I have not done, but can be interesting

• Clydesdale Distillery- nice distillery for a whisky tour and tasting
• Visit The Gallery of Modern Art - free museum to see great modern art (was short inside) and it is beautiful on the outside
• Visit the Scottish Football Museum -  want to know more about football? This is the place
• See a game of Rangers or Celtic, preferably against each other.

Final thoughts

The city of Glasgow gets fewer visitors than Edinburgh, but that is not correct. The cities are different and are both worth visiting. The great museums, lovely pubs, vibrant city centre, fantastic street art, and special football culture make the city a special trip for everyone and should be on anyone's list in Scotland. This was our perfect end to travelling in Scotland.

If you want to know more about Scotland, take a look at;