Things to do in Glasgow

Why go to Glasgow

• Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

  A jaw-dropping Victorian palace housing Dalí's Christ of Saint John of the Cross alongside stuffed elephants and medieval armor, all completely free.

• The Riverside Museum

  Zaha Hadid's swooping waterfront transport museum is thrilling to explore and costs absolutely nothing to enter.

• Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis

  A hauntingly beautiful medieval cathedral flanked by a hilltop Victorian cemetery with panoramic city views.

• Barrowland Ballroom

  One of the world's most beloved live music venues, where intimate gigs in a neon-lit ballroom cost a fraction of arena prices.

• Burrell Collection

  A staggeringly eclectic hoard of 9,000 artworks, tapestries, Chinese bronzes, Impressionist paintings, housed in a stunning park-side gallery for free.

Good to know in Glasgow

• Glasgow's subway (the Clockwork Orange) costs around $2 per ride and covers the West End and city centre; buy a day ticket for ~$5 if you plan multiple trips.
• Tipping is appreciated but relaxed, 10% is perfectly generous in restaurants; many locals round up the bill rather than calculate a percentage.
• Tap water is excellent throughout Scotland and is always safe to drink; never pay for bottled water.
• Kelvingrove, the Burrell Collection, GoMA, and the Riverside Museum are all free every day, no special entry days needed, just show up.

Trip essentials