Beginner’s Guide to Glasgow, Scotland

Meggan: [00:00:00] Hey everyone, and welcome back to The Travel Mug Podcast. We are so glad you're here, and we hope, uh, 2026 is going well for you as we enter June.

Jenn: Here we are. I'm

Meggan: I mean, I think we were just talking about winter, but anyway, I can't believe it's June.

But we are excited to continue our Beginner's Guide series, and today we are gonna chat all things Glasgow, Scotland. So I'm just gonna do, like, a little bit of a short history because you might wanna learn about the place. You may not know a lot about it. So Glasgow began as a small religious settlement founded around a church establishment by St. Mungo in the 6th century, so old, old, before growing into one of Britain's most powerful industrial cities during the 18th and 19th centuries. Fueled by shipbuilding, engineering, and trade along the River Clyde, Glasgow became known as the second city of the British Empire, producing everything from locomotives to ocean liners.

Though the city faced economic decline after World War II, it reinvented itself through art, [00:01:00] music, architecture, and education, emerging today as Scotland's largest city and one of Europe's most vibrant cultural capitals. So Jenn, I know you've been there, so we're super excited to get an inside scoop, and I'd love to sort of start about, like, how to get there and what do you do in terms of getting around once you're there?

Jenn: Yes, so we actually arrived in Glasgow twice on our trip, so I, I have multiple options for you. So we flew into the Glasgow Airport at the beginning of our trip, and then we immediately took the train to Edinburgh. then we ended our Scotland, uh, two-week kind of trip, by taking the train from Fort William back to Glasgow. I do wanna note that there are two airports in Glasgow, uh, and the second one is the Glasgow Prestwick Airport, which is 32 miles south of the city, but there is a bus that runs to Glasgow Central Station, which takes about 40 [00:02:00] minutes. And honestly, the Edinburgh Airport like Edinburgh is not that far away either. The train, we took the train from the Glasgow Airport to Edinburgh City Centre, which took about 45 minutes or so. like personally now, Halifax has a direct flight to Edinburgh, so I would take that and then commute myself to Glasgow rather than a connecting flight through like Heathrow or something to get to Glasgow, if that makes

Meggan: Right

Jenn: Once you're in Glasgow, getting around by walking and public transportation's pretty easy. We walked or actually we used the hop-on, hop-off bus tour to get around one day. Uh, but otherwise, a lot of these things are pretty close together if you don't mind, uh, a bit of a, a walking day

Meggan: Excellent. Excellent. Now talk to us about like where you stayed or some recommendations in that regard

Jenn: Yeah, so I'll, uh, caveat this by it was a, a couple of years ago [00:03:00] at this point, but we stayed at the Premier Suites Plus Glasgow George Square. I remember on the day that we arrived in Glasgow off the train, I put in like pr- I don't know if I put in like Premier Suites or what I did, but I put in that, and we went to the wrong location first 'cause there's a Premier Inn close by, like really close. so I was like, "Yeah, this is the right area." Whoopsie, ended up in the wrong place, so don't do that. Uh, make sure you put in the correct, actual hotel in your map. I will

Meggan: Sure

Jenn: yeah, our room at the Premier Suites Plus Glasgow was honestly fantastic. We had a full kitchen and laundry, which was separate from the bedrooms.

That was perfect. uh, I went back through my travel journals just to remind myself, of what our stay was like, and I did write in my travel journal that our first night there was a Saturday night, and it was quite loud outside with partiers. Uh, [00:04:00] they were doing karaoke, so just keep that in mind. Um, the area around George Square has so many restaurants.

It's, uh, really close to Buchanan Street, the Gallery of Modern Art, and the Queen Street station too. Lots of stuff nearby. I would honestly really recommend that area, and, you know, hopefully that, that, uh, particular place to stay is also still great

Meggan: Excellent. Excellent. So we've gotten there. We know how to get around. What should people potentially put on their itinerary? Not everything is for everyone, but how about some ideas for people

Jenn: Yeah, so we spent two and a half-ish days in Glasgow, and I feel like we did so much. And it is a fun city, and I feel like it gets a little bit overlooked when people are planning their trips to Scotland, especially compared to, like, Edinburgh, which I also loved, like, to be fair. That's also a really great city. I do wanna note before I go [00:05:00] through my list of things that, like, most museums are free, so it's really great to take advantage of those, even if you're just in there for a little while. It's free. You might as well do it

Meggan: Excellent. We love free

Jenn: We love free, especially I'm currently planning my trip to Copenhagen. Not much free. I'll, uh

Meggan: Not so much free. Can't wait to hear how that, that goes.

Jenn: I'll, I'll give you that update. But, all right. As for Glasgow and things to do, so as I mentioned, we used the Hop On Hop Off bus tour to get around, but I also think it's a really great way to get your bearings in a city, especially if you do it... We did it on, like, our last day which is, you know, less than ideal probably.

But, uh, if you do it on your first day, you can kind of get an idea of where things are. And, you know, for us it was a really lovely day, and we got to sit on the open top deck, and we had a live guide on our bus, which was really great. I mean listening to, uh, the recordings are good, [00:06:00] too, but a live guide was really, really fun. So the first place I'm gonna talk about is The People's Palace, and the first thing I'm gonna mention is the museum is currently closed for a major renovation at the time we are recording, so we're June 2026. And we don't know when it's going to be open. But I was researching, and a BBC article noted that a target date for opening is in 2027. So with that in mind, I wanna tell you why I loved this museum so much, and that is because it focuses on the history of all Glaswegians, not just the wealthy and the royal families. So I think that that's really interesting. A lot of the places that we go is, like, castles and, you know, super interesting. I love a castle, but this was also really cool. The website does say that when it reopens it's gonna showcase some [00:07:00] innovative technology, so hopefully that just makes it even more fun to visit

Meggan: Excellent

Jenn: So next up is Glasgow Green Park. So the People's Palace is on part of the Glasgow Green, so super easy to do these things together, which is what we did. Uh, the park is huge. It's 55 hectares or 136 acres, it is the oldest park in the city, and there's a few things, like, cool things to do and see around the park, including there's, uh, the Nelson Monument, is 130-foot column dedicated to Admiral Lord Nelson.

Meggan: What if that's where our,

Jenn: I

Meggan: where our Lord Nelson comes from?

Jenn: I was like, "Wait a second."

Meggan: We have a hotel called that here. It, and I mean, that wouldn't surprise me

Jenn: No, no, I, I literally, just as the words were exiting my mouth, I was like, "Wait a second. We have a

Meggan: A little [00:08:00] Nelson of our own

Jenn: Yes, interesting. Uh, next up is the McLennan Arch, which is a 19th century archway, and it's a popular spot to get your photo ops. the Templeton Carpet Factory is a former carpet factory. Shocking.

Meggan: Hmm.

Jenn: it's now a popular event space. And the St. Andrew's Suspension Bridge is a suspension bridge that connects Glasgow Green to the south side of the River Clyde. So there's, like, numerous fountains. There's also a playground if you're traveling with kids. Honestly, like, if it's a nice day, I would spend just some time exploring. We really did love it there, and it was not as nice of a day um, on, on the, that particular day. So it was still worth doing in a little bit of drizzle

Meggan: Right

Jenn: All right, next up is the Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis. And we know, there's not much more that I love, [00:09:00] than a cathedral and a graveyard.

Meggan: Yes, my, my little ghost rider, yes

Jenn: Uh, it is free to visit, but they do request donations for the upkeep of the church, and volunteers are available for free guided tours every day except Sundays. So to know and nice to take advantage of someone who actually knows the building.

Meggan: Mm-hmm.

Jenn: really beautiful, and it's the only medieval cathedral on the Scottish mainland to have survived the Protestant Reformation of 1560 virtually intact. So definitely really cool. Don't miss heading into the crypt, uh, which was built, in the mid 1200s, 1200s, to house the tomb of St. Mungo or St. Kentigern. and then outside the Glasgow Necropolis holds an estimated 50,000 [00:10:00] burials and 3,500 grand monuments. The Necropolis also has really great views of the city and the, the, like, architecture of all these monuments is just really, really beautiful. They also have free walking tours of the Necropolis, so definitely take advantage of that

Meggan: I'm gonna guess that don't miss heading into the crypt is not a sentence you, you say that often, but it just struck me

Jenn: Don't, don't miss heading into the crypt, friends. Come out of the crypt, I hope. But

Meggan: sure. What's, what's next?

Jenn: All right. Next is the Mural Trail. Another thing I love when I'm traveling is street art and murals. I don't know why, but, like, wandering a city with a coffee and seeing street art is, like, a top 10 day for me. I love it so much. So we followed an online map which was put out by [00:11:00] the city council, so I will link that in the show notes. We just kind of followed their guide and walked around. Um, but you can also take a paid walking tour with a guide

Meggan: Excellent

Jenn: Yeah, so next up is the Glasgow Museum of Modern Art. So even if you don't go in, which you should, you will want to see the Duke of Wellington statue outside, which almost always has a traffic cone on its head. Uh, so this started as a prank apparently in, like, the 1980s, and s- whenever the cone is removed, it is almost always immediately replaced. I don't know who is watching

Meggan: dedication

Jenn: I know. Who's watching, waiting in the wings with a cone just in case? the building is super cool, too. It was once a private home, a bank, and then a library before becoming the museum. So in terms of the museum, uh, really [00:12:00] great pieces of art if you're into modern art, including some Andy Warhol, which I personally really love. And again, it's a free museum, so why not stop in?

Meggan: Why not?

Jenn: Why not? Even you, Meggan. Even you

Meggan: Hmm.

Jenn: in to a

Meggan: Maybe I would. All the museums in Washington DC where we went were free, and I went to almost all of them, so maybe I would

Jenn: Maybe. All right, so next up, another museum is the Kelvingrove Art Gallery Museum. So probably one of the most beautiful museum buildings that I've ever visited, and the grounds are, like, really stunning as well. of really cool art, including Van Gogh and Salvador Dali, one of my favorite memories of this museum is that there's a large organ in, like, a central atrium near the cafe, and we were just happened to be grabbing lunch at the cafe at the right time, and we got to [00:13:00] listen to someone play the organ, which, uh, uh, they do daily organ concerts, so, uh, yeah, something really cool and, uh, we enjoyed that very much. So last up on list of things that I did in my two and a half busy days is Buchanan Street, which is a pedestrian shopping street, has a lot of, like, high-end stores. But even if the shopping is not really your thing, which it wasn't for us, it's well worth just wandering down the street to check out the Victorian architecture of the street and just, like, people watching. Uh, you know, it's worth a little, a little wander. So Meggan, you're gonna tell us about some things that I didn't have time to do when I visited.

Meggan: No, 'cause you did a lot

Jenn: I did a lot in a two and a half days. Yeah, we packed

Meggan: I'm,

Jenn: her in

Meggan: I'm very impressed. That's my girl. All right. Um, so yeah, I wanna talk about the Glasgow Botanic Gardens, which opened in 1817, and they were originally created to [00:14:00] support botanical research and plant collection for the University of Glasgow. located along the River Kelvin in the city's west end, the gardens are best known for the striking Kibble Palace, which is a large Victorian glass house filled with tropical plants, rare tree ferns, and marble statues.

And over the years, the gardens have become one of Glasgow's most visited green spaces, combining scientific history with beautifully landscaped grounds that offer a peaceful escape in the heart of the city, which I, I love. It is free to visit the gardens and glass houses, including Kibble Palace. So again, why not?

Jenn: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Meggan: Let's talk about the Hidden Lane. It is a colorful courtyard and creative hub tucked away in Glasgow's, uh, Finnieston district, just off Argyle Street, which we also have here, Argyle Street. Uh, once a collection of old industrial buildings and stables, the lane was transformed in the early 2000s into a community of independent artists, designers, musicians, and small businesses.

So it's known for [00:15:00] its brightly painted studios, quirky atmosphere, and cafes, which I love the sound of. and the Hidden Lane has become a symbol of Glasgow's thriving creative scene and offers a visitor's a quieter, more artistic side of the city beyond the main streets. It sounds fun, and I wanna go

Jenn: Yeah, I'm really bummed that we missed this one. Yeah,

Meggan: Yes.

Jenn: right up our alley

Meggan: It do, it do. We love a cafe. Maybe we'll go together someday. And then finally, Glasgow Tower. It is a striking modern landmark located beside the River Clyde at the Glasgow Science Center. It opened in 2001. It's a 127-meter tower, which is known for being the tallest fully rotating freestanding structure in the world.

Designed to turn the, with the wind to reduce the strain of the building. Like, those architects are just out there doing the most.

Jenn: I know

Meggan: Um, its, like, futuristic design reflects Glasgow's transformation from an industrial powerhouse, which we referenced earlier, [00:16:00] into a center for science, technology, and modern architecture, while also offering panoramic views across the city and beyond. It is the whole package, it sounds like to me, when it comes to city views and sort of, like, technology. So, like, don't miss it. I think it actually sounds, like, really cool

Jenn: Yeah, yeah. We didn't really make it over to the area where this is in, and I guess also brings up the Glasgow Science Centre too. If you're going over to the

Meggan: Mm-hmm.

Jenn: go ... go to the Glasgow Science Centre and check all of that out. But yeah, sounds like a great place to go up and get some views

Meggan: Definitely. So we love food. Let's chat food. Talk to us about what your experience was

Jenn: Yeah, so there's a lot of food options in Glasgow. Obviously, it's a very large city, so I'm just gonna mention a few places that we went and really liked. And the first thing is Willow Tea Rooms, also sometimes called Mackintosh Tea Rooms, just in case you're googling. Um, one thing that [00:17:00] I really wanted to do when we were in Scotland was have a bit of a fancy tea breakfast, you know,

Meggan: Hmm.

Jenn: fun. we went for breakfast, but you can also book an afternoon tea experience, which is a little bit, pricier and, and, you know, more fancy and, and involved. But we booked a reservation in advance. Their website says that you don't necessarily need to, but it is recommended. I think we went, like, the earliest time that they had, and it was pretty quiet, so who knows?

the tea and food that we had was really lovely, but is really special is the decor of the building. The decor is, like, Art Nouveau style, and it was designed by internationally renowned architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. It's well worth a visit. Also, there's a lot of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, uh, displays at the Kelvingrove Museum, so you'll be able to connect those together.

We went to the Willow Tea Rooms that morning [00:18:00] and then to that museum, and we're

Meggan: Oh, nice

Jenn: "Oh, very cool."

Meggan: Lovely

Jenn: Uh, next up is Elia, so E-L-I-A. We actually ate here twice, uh, 'cause it was so delicious, but it is a Greek restaurant in George's Square. It was super close to our hotel. We went once for dinner, and then we went another time for just snacks and got, like, you know, the Greek dips and that sort of thing.

And

Meggan: Mm-hmm.

Jenn: very tasty. the last one is the Chaakoo Bombay Cafe, which is an Indian restaurant. Everything we had was super delicious here, they were really, really accommodating of food allergies. I remember we got, like, an allergy menu there, so that was, uh, really, really great, and I would definitely eat there again

Meggan: Delicious

Jenn: I know, I know. It's making me hungry. All right, Meggan, can you finish us off [00:19:00] here with some fun facts?

Meggan: I would love to. So the city has more than 90 parks and gardens, giving it one of the greenest urban landscapes in the UK. Locals often call Glasgow Dear Green Sp- Green Place. I was gonna say space, but you could, you could call it that too. A nickname believed to come from the Gaelic meaning of the city's name.

The University of Glasgow, uh, founded in 1451, is one of the oldest universities in the English-speaking world. Its dramatic Gothic architecture has become so iconic that parts of the campus are often compared to scenes from fantasy films

Jenn: I mean, that's a good point. I should have put that in the things to do. Go wander around the University of Glasgow

Meggan: There you go. You heard it here almost last.

Jenn: Almost like

Meggan: Glasgow is a UNESCO city of music recognized for its world-famous live music scene. The city is said to host more live music performances per capita than almost [00:20:00] anywhere else in Europe, ranging from traditional Scottish folk to major international concerts.

And then finally, Central Station hides a vast underground Victorian network beneath its platforms, including abandoned tunnels. I don't know about any crypts, but abandoned tunnels, and old rail- railway rooms once used during World War II air raids. Today, guided tours allow visitors to explore this hidden side of Glasgow's transport history

Jenn: Ooh, that sounds very interesting.

Meggan: Well, I know

Jenn: yeah, I would like to do that if, uh, well,

Meggan: Lots more to do

Jenn: lots more to do. Lots more to do, Meggan. So as we said, this is a beginner's guide, so it's just a jumping off point for you to start planning your trip and getting some ideas, and I hope that this helps. It is a really, really fun city, and it is worth spending a few days exploring if you are heading to Scotland. If you're looking for more Scotland episodes, we have beginner's guides to Edinburgh, beginner's guide to [00:21:00] Isle of Skye, and, uh, my Scotland trip report episode, which details everything that we did in our two-week trip around Scotland. So I'll link those in the show notes for you to go check them out. If this podcast has helped you plan a trip, any trip, we'd love for you to write a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can also, uh, support the show through Buy Me A Coffee. Sometimes you get previews and a look behind the scenes, and maybe some cool stuff is coming up where, you know, you never know. So, uh, check us out there, and you can also find us on our website, travelmugpodcast.com and on social media @travelmugpodcast.

We'd love to chat with you there. And until next time, safe travels everyone, and don't forget your travel mug

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