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Glasgow
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In recent years, however, Glasgow has been awarded the European titles of City of Culture (1990), City of Architecture and Design (1999) and Capital of Sport (2003). The city has transformed itself from being the once mighty powerhouse of industrial Britain to a centre for commerce, tourism, and culture. Glasgow will be the host city for the Commonwealth Games in 2014. Visitors will find a revitalised city centre, the best shopping outside London without a doubt, excellent parks and museums (most of which are free), and easy access to the Highlands and Islands. However, for all its regeneration projects, Glasgow still contains some of the most deprived neighbourhoods in the UK.
[edit] UnderstandThe speed of the conversation tends to be quite quick in Glasgow. If necessary, ask people to repeat (even slowly!) what they are saying, Glaswegians are generally very friendly and able to communicate in much more formal English than what is commonly used if it is required. Standing on a city centre street corner with a map in the daytime is usually a cue for passing Glaswegians to offer help in finding your way. [edit] DialectAs with all areas of Scotland, regional dialects are present in Glasgow. The Glasgow "patter" or "banter", as it's known, has evolved over the history of the city. As each wave of migration takes place, new words and phrases are added to the dialect. There is a strong Celtic language connection due to the Lowland Scots, Highland Gaelic and Irish Gaelic influences. Some phrases
Glasgow slang is also peppered with various more or less meaningless phrases such as 'by the way', 'man' or 'dead' (very, as an adjective) that can give the answers to simple questions an almost baroque complexity. So "Did you enjoy the concert last night?" might be answered "Aye it was pure dead brilliant man" which means, essentially, "Yes, it was good". [edit] City Centre Layout Glasgow city centre is laid out in a grid pattern with streets running from east to west and north to south. The Western edge of the city centre can be considered to be the sunken M8 motorway section that approaches the Kingston Bridge . This area is known as Charing Cross and Anderston, Anderston being on the river front. Both areas have appropriately named railway stations. To the immediate east of Charing Cross and Anderston you will find Blythswood Hill, which is the home to Glasgow's financial district, with many ultra-modern office buildings mixing with the old Victorian architecture. Just to the North of Charing Cross station is the start of the famous shopping street Sauchiehall Street running east to west. Approximately half way down Sauchiehall Street, vehicle traffic is diverted away and the whole street is given over to foot traffic. Sauchiehall Street continues eastwards until it ends at the junction with Buchanan Street, which runs north to south. The Buchanan Galleries shopping centre sits on this junction and on the other side of that is Buchanan Bus Station. Heading south on Buchanan Street you encounter Nelson Mandela Place with a small Church sitting in the centre of the square. If you turn eastwards along West George Street you enter George Square. On the north side of the square is Queen Street Railway Station, on the east side is the start of the Merchant City district and the Strathclyde University Campus. The square itself is populated by several statues of civic leaders and famous figures from history, and is often used for outdoor events. Continuing southwards on Buchanan Street, you encounter St Vincent Street which leads to the south side of George Square. Further south leads to several major shopping areas and department stores. Buchanan Street ends at the major east west street, Argyle Street. Argyle Street starts on the west side of the M8 motorway, and passes under the Kingston Bridge next to Anderston railway station heading east. Argyle Street also passes the south entrance of Glasgow Central railway station and actually passes under the railway lines before joining Buchanan Street. Continuing eastwards leads to St Enoch Square and the St Enoch shopping centre as well as lots of major shops. Argyle Street ends after a short section of pedestrianised street and becomes the Trongate. The Trongate is the site of the Trongate Theatre, just before the junction of the Trongate, A8 Saltmarket (north/south), Gallowgate and London Road (east/west). This junction is known as Glasgow Cross and marks the original medieval centre of the city. It is dominated by the clock tower of the original City Chambers, and the small hexagonal building known as the Tolbooth. High Street runs directly north from Glasgow Cross and is the main artery of Old Glasgow, leading up to the Cathedral of Saint Mungo (or Glasgow Cathedral), and the Necropolis cemetery. Further east from the Cross along the Gallowgate and London Road is the famous Barras market area and Barrowland Ballroom, leading to the areas of Calton, Bridgeton, Dalmarnock and Parkhead (home of Celtic Football team). Turning south onto the A8 Saltmarket leads to the City Mortuary, High Court and the eastern entrance of Glasgow Green park before crossing the Crown Street bridge into the Gorbals. To the west of the city centre is the ever popular and dynamic Glasgow West End. This area is a truly happening part of town. With amazing architecture and tree lined streets this part of Glasgow thrives all year. It has a high population of students, with a number of universities close by. From the city centre, it is best to travel west along Great Western Road (A82) and turn left onto Byres Road - this is the heart of the West End (parking in this area can be difficult - take a taxi or public transport). While there, be sure to pay a visit to the very unique Ashton Lane just off Byres Road, once home to artisan workshops but now to somewhat expensive bars. This part of the city is also the gateway to the amazing West of Scotland, since Great Western Road continues as the A82 through the West Highlands to Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor, Glencoe, Fort William, Loch Ness and finally Inverness. [edit] Get in[edit] By planeGlasgow is served by two main airports close to the city:
[edit] By trainTrains from England and south west Scotland arrive at Central Station (officially known as Glasgow Central), while trains from Edinburgh and anywhere north of Glasgow arrive at Queen Street Station. There are four "shuttle" trains per hour between Edinburgh and Queen Street during the day; the journey takes 50 minutes, and a cheap day return costs around £9.50. There is also a roughly hourly service from Edinburgh to Central which runs via South Lanarkshire, however it is considerably slower. Both Central and Queen Street stations have left luggage lockers. The stations are an easy ten minute walk apart, or there's a frequent shuttle bus between them, which is free if you are holding a through railway ticket. Most trains within Scotland and the sleeper services from London are run by First ScotRail. Daytime direct services from London are run by Virgin Trains and National Express East Coast. Virgin operate nine direct services from London Euston; two of these crack expresses which can complete the 400 mile journey in 4 hours 25 minutes, as well as direct services from Manchester and Birmingham. National Express operate 6 direct services a day from London King's Cross via Edinburgh, but at a much slower time of 5 hours 30 minutes. First Transpennine Express operate a direct service to Glasgow from Manchester Airport. CrossCountry run trains from the South West of England to Glasgow which runs via Birmingham New Street which connects with many more services into key towns throughout the U.K. There is also an overnight train service - the Caledonian Sleeper runs every night from London Euston except Saturdays, and the journey takes approximately 8 hours. Bear in mind that if you are travelling alone you may have to share the sleeping compartment with a stranger of the same sex. Tickets can be booked in the usual manner at any main line railway station in Britain, and the cost of a return journey to Glasgow from London varies from around £100 for two one-way "Advance" tickets rising to the full open return fare of £165. You can also travel for around £23 one-way in a seated carriage or £95 return (full fare). BritRail passes can be used to reserve tickets on the Sleeper trains. However, heavily discounted one-way tickets on the Caledonian Sleeper known as "Bargain Berths" are available for £19, £29, £39 or £49 depending on how early you book, but confusingly these cannot be bought from a railway station in the normal way - they can only be purchased from the First ScotRail website and you will be emailed an e-ticket (similar to an airline) which you must print out and show to the conductor at the platform before getting on the train. [edit] By carThe main approaches to Glasgow are:
All routes converge on the M8, which carves through the city centre. Glasgow has no credible park-and-ride system, but some of the subway and suburban railway stations do have small car parks. There are several expensive multi-storey car parks near the motorway in the city centre. The NCP ones are the most expensive, while those run by the city council are a lot cheaper. Those run by the city council are Concert Square (near the Royal Concert Hall), Cambridge Street (just off the pedestrianised area of Sauchiehall Street) and Charing Cross. There is also the Shields Road Park and Ride site available, which services the city centre. ParkatmyHouse.com is another free service that allows users to search and compare parking rates and locations for commercial and private parking facilities in Glasgow. In general however, driving in Glasgow's central area should be avoided if you are not absolutely sure of where you are going, with its maze of one way systems, bus lanes and pedestrian precincts. Glaswegians are not the most patient drivers in the world, and they particularly dislike hesitancy (taxi drivers being the worst culprits). Parking restrictions are strictly enforced, and vehicles parked illegally or in an obstructive manner will be towed away and the owner of the vehicle will be liable for a £150 release charge to recover it. [edit] By busLong-distance bus services arrive at Buchanan Bus Station (in the city centre, close to Buchanan Street Underground /Queen Street train stations). The main operator is Scottish Citylink, but Stagecoach also runs a budget inter-city bus service called Megabus. Somewhat confusingly, however, the two operators often combine and merge services, so don't be surprised if you are put on a Citylink bus when you hold a Megabus reservation and vice versa. [edit] By boat For travellers arriving from outside Scotland, the nearest ferry ports are Troon (near Prestwick Airport), for ferries from Belfast in Northern Ireland, or Rosyth (near Edinburgh), for ferries from Zeebrugge in Belgium. Each is about an hour's drive from Glasgow. Aberdeen and Newcastle, each around two hours' drive away, are served by ferries from Norway. [edit] Get aroundStrathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is the agency responsible for the local public transport network, which it describes as one of the most integrated and developed in the UK - however they mean by British standards, not European standards. Nevertheless, Glasgow's public transport system is one of the most extensive in the UK outside of London. [edit] By Subway
[edit] By trainSuburban trains radiate from Central and Queen Street stations to the suburbs and surrounding towns. The network is the largest in the UK outside of London, although there are only two trains per hour on some routes; others are much more frequent. Bikes go free, although many trains have no bike spaces. Daily season tickets are available, which can give you complete freedom of the network, or just in and around the city centre and inner suburbs. [edit] By busBuses go everywhere. First Glasgow is the main operator. There's a bus at least every ten minutes on main routes during the day, making it easy to get into the centre of town, though getting out to a specific destination isn't so easy. However, services on many routes are much less frequent in the evening. In the city centre, buses won't necessarily stop at every stop on their route, so check the sign at the stop. Stops are clearly marked with the services that stop there. You must have the right change on buses, as for safety reasons the driver has no access to cash - you put your money in a slot which checks the amount and deposits it in a storage box. Unfortunately, many Glaswegians tend to leave their litter (which can come in all shapes and sizes!) behind them on the bus. [edit] By footThe centre of Glasgow is very pedestrian friendly with major shopping streets given over to foot traffic. As you move out of the city centre all areas have proper pavements, and most major junctions have pedestrian crossings. The River Clyde also has several foot bridge crossings. The main difficulty with walking out of the centre of town is finding where the crossings over / under the M8 are. Heading west, some roads appear to go over Charing X only for the pavement to disappear. Heading North, the underpasses at Cowcaddens can sometimes feel unwelcoming. Glasgow walking directions can be planned online with the walkit.com walking route planner. [edit] Ticketing and FaresSPT offers a number of different daily rail travel tickets aimed at the visitor, both usable after 9am on weekdays, and all day on weekends.
"PlanaJourney" is a free integrated public transport journey planner that includes Glasgow and covers much of the Scottish, Northern Ireland and UK public transport network. It includes bus, rail, Glasgow underground, Scottish ferries and flights. It can assist with planning journeys into and out of Glasgow from anywhere in the Glasgow area or more widely from anywhere in the UK. Outside of Scotland and Northern Ireland the bus information is limited. [edit] See[edit] ArchitectureAs befits a city that was at its richest through the 19th century and at the beginning of the 20th, the centre of Glasgow has a fine legacy of Victorian and Edwardian buildings with their lavish interiors and spectacular carved stonework. Outside of the central area the main streets are lined with the legendary tenements - the city's trademark 2 or 3 storey residential buildings built from red or blonde sandstone which positively glow during the summer. The decline of Glasgow's economy during the mid to late 20th Century led to the mass construction of high-rise tower blocks and concrete housing estates during the 1960's and 1970s. The dramatic and striking Red Road Flats form the tallest residential property in Europe. Many 1970s office buildings in the centre have been cleared away by state-of-the-art glass structures as Glasgow's burgeoning financial services industry continues to grow. Glasgow was also the home of Charles Rennie Mackintosh, one of the "Glasgow Four," a group of leading proponents of art nouveau architecture. Indeed, during his lifetime, Mackintosh was probably better regarded abroad than he was in his native Glasgow, even apparently inspiring Frank Lloyd Wright. However, he was recently resurrected as one of the cities most beloved sons. You will notice, along with quite a few of his buildings to see in the city, including his magnum opus, the Glasgow School of Art, many other knock-offs and impersonations exist. However, despite the 'cult' of Mackintosh, Glasgow produced many other fine architects, the best known of whom is probably Alexander 'Greek' Thomson. The following list is a selection of significant buildings in Glasgow.
If this just whets your appetite for information on Glasgow's architecture, try and get hold of a copy of Central Glasgow: An Illustrated Architectural Guide, by Charles McKean and others. There are various editions (ISBN:1873190220, ISBN:1851582002, ISBN:1851582010). [edit] Museums and art galleriesThe Victorians also left Glasgow with a wonderful legacy of museums and art galleries, which the city has dutifully built upon. The following list is only a selection. The city council alone runs 13 museums and galleries. Visitors should be aware that most of the galleries appear to be closed on Sundays.
[edit] DoThere are many club nights, concerts and festivals in Glasgow. [edit] MusicGlasgow's been famous for its music scene(s) for at least 20 years, with venues such as the legendary Barrowland Ballroom and King Tut's Wah Wah Hut now garnering world acclaim. There's plenty of venues where you're likely to see a good band (and lots of bad bands too); on any day of the week there should be at least several shows to choose from throughout the city, with the number increasing to a even greater variety on Thursday, Friday & Saturday. In no particular order, here follows some pop/indie/rock-orientated venues:
The Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, Sauchiehall Street (nearest Subway: Buchanan Street)[34]. This is the home of The Royal Scottish National Orchestra,one of Europe's leading symphony orchestras.[35] It also produces the world famous Celtic Connections Festival every January.[36] The Glasgow International Jazz Festival is held every year in June.[37] [edit] ComedyThere are two main venues for stand-up comedy in Glasgow.
[edit] CinemaThe most interesting films in Glasgow are shown at:
Mainstream films can be seen at the Cineworld on Renfrew St, which is the tallest cinema in the world.[41] [edit] Football Glasgow also has the 3 biggest football stadia in Scotland. The major events in the football season are the clashes between the two Premier league clubs, Celtic and Rangers. Known as the "Old Firm" matches, these 90 minute competitions produce a profound effect on the city, occasionally, but less frequently in recent times, resulting in violent clashes during or after the game. Cup ties between these two giants are quite frequent, raising the tensions further. Be aware that getting tickets for "Old Firm" games can be difficult and cup ties near impossible. If you do go to one of these matches it is advised that you do not wear team colours (blue and red for Rangers, green for Celtic) after the match.
[edit] ParksFor a large city, Glasgow has a surprising number of parks and green spaces; there is more parkland here than in any other British city. The most famous of these is Glasgow Green.[44] Founded by Royal grant in 1450, Glasgow Green has slowly been enclosed by the city and evolved from grazing land into a modern public park. The highlights are: Template:Infobox
"The Green" as its known to the locals is also one of the major venues for concerts and open air events in Glasgow. The best way to get there is on foot from either Bridgeton or Argyle Street railway stations or from the bus routes along London Road. There is limited official parking in or around the green and the area is notorious for car crime. Be aware the council will tow away illegally parked vehicles and charge you up to £250 pounds to get them back! Kelvingrove Park[45] in the city's West End is also a very popular park, particularly with the students from the nearby University[46]. The most prominent landmark here is the Art Gallery and Museum[47] on the banks of the River Kelvin which runs through the park. It also contains a recently constructed skate park. [edit] Other sites
[edit] Gay & LesbianGlasgow has a small, but lively scene which centres around the Merchant City area (the so called "Pink Triangle" formed by Revolver, Bennets and the Polo Lounge). Bias is more marked in Glasgow, and the city's gay venues are consequently not as publicly visible as in Scotland's capital, or deliberately flaunted as is the case in London and Manchester. Nevertheless, the city is still gay-friendly, which is shown in the annual "Glasgay" celebrations in October. Discretion is advised in public. [edit] Out & About<drink name="Bennetts" address="80-90 Glassford Street, Glasgow G1 1UR" phone="+44 (0)141 552 5761" url="http://www.bennets.co.uk/" hours="6W-Su 11:30PM-3:30AM" price="£3-W,Th,Su £5-F&Sa">This venue is situated over two levels with all you could want from a gay club, dance tunes, lighting and sweaty boys.</drink> <drink name="The Polo Lounge" address="84 Wilson St, Glasgow G1 1UZ" phone="+44 (0)141 553 1221" url="http://www.g1group.co.uk/content/default.asp?page=s45_1/" hours="M-Th 5PM-1AM, F-Su 5PM-3A" price="Entry Fee on Fri & Sat Night">The upstairs bar is tastefully decorated in a Victorian style and is a great place to relax with friends. Downstairs boasts two dance areas, one playing all your pop favourites, the other chart and dance tunes. The crowd here is very mixed.</drink> <drink name="MODA" address="58 Virginia Street, Glasgow G1 1TX" phone="+44 (0)141 553 2553" url="http://www.g1group.co.uk/content/default.asp?page=s42/" hours="M-Su 5PM-LATE!" price="">Speciality - Cocktails & Funky DJs!</drink> <drink name="Revolver" address="6a John Street, Glasgow G1 1JQ" phone="+44 (0)141 5532456" url="http://www.revolverbar.com/" hours="M-Su 11AM-1AM" price="" directions="Opposite the Italian Centre and downstairs next door to the 'Gay Chippie'">Mixed and relaxed crowd. Small and friendly bar with a great Pub Quiz on a Sunday afternoon.</drink> [edit] Health & Support<listing name="Strathclyde Gay & Lesbian Switchboard" alt="" address="" directions="" phone="Gay & Lesbian Line - Tel. +44 (0)141 847 0447, M-Su 7PM-10PM. Lesbian Line - Tel. +44 (0)141 847 0647, Wed 7.30PM-10PM (Staffed only by women). Homophobic Crime Reporting Line - Tel. +44 (0)141 847 0647" email="" fax="" url="http://www.sgls.co.uk/" hours="M-Su 7PM-10PM" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">Free and Confidential Telephone Counselling in the West of Scotland.</listing> <listing name="The Glasgow LGBT Centre" alt="" address="11 Dixon Street, Glasgow G1 4AL" directions="" phone="+44 (0)141 221 7203" email="" fax="" url="http://www.glgbt.org.uk/" hours="M-Su 11AM-MIDNIGHT" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">Support, Advocacy, Welfare and Learning. The centre is fully wheelchair accessible with a chairlift.</listing> <listing name="The Glasgow Women's Library" alt="" address="109 Trongate Glasgow, G1 5HD" directions="" phone="+44 (0)141 552 8345" email="" fax="" url="http://www.womens-library.org.uk/" hours="Tu,W&Fr 1PM-6PM, Th 1PM-9PM" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">Reading, Writing, Groups and Events. The library is fully wheelchair accessible with a lift to all floors.</listing> <listing name="The Sandyford Centre" alt="The Steve Retson Project" address="6 Sandyford Place, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow" directions="" phone="+44 (0)141 211 8628" email="" fax="" url="http://www.sandyford.org/srp/" hours="Tu&W 5.30PM-8.30PM" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">A sexual health service for gay men in Glasgow.</listing> <listing name="The Glasgow LGBT Centre" alt="The Steve Retson Project" address="11 Dixon St Glasgow, G1 4AL" directions="" phone="+44 (0)141 211 8628" email="" fax="" url="http://www.sandyford.org/srp/" hours="Th 5.30PM-8.30PM" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">A sexual health service for gay men in Glasgow.</listing> <listing name="PHACE Scotland" alt="" address="Top Floor, Rothesay House, 134 Douglas Street, Glasgow G2 4HF" directions="" phone="+44 (0)141 332 3838" email="" fax="" url="http://www.phacescotland.org/" hours="" price="" lat="" long="" tags="">Promoting Health and Challenging Exclusion.</listing> [edit] Learn Glasgow has three universities:
[edit] WorkJobs in Glasgow can be found through the government-run JobCentres. Be aware that you will need a National Insurance number and, if you are not a citizen of the European Economic Area or Switzerland, the correct type of work visa to work legally in the UK. Your employer should require this to ensure you pay the correct rates of income tax. However if you ask around you'll find a lot of bars and nightclubs offer work cash-in-hand. Some of the many temp agencies in the city centre aren't too fussy about immigration niceties either. With the city's growing financial services industry, there are quite a lot of opportunities for office temps. [edit] BuyGlasgow has positioned itself as an upmarket retail destination, the shopping is the some of the best in Scotland, and generally accepted as the No.2 shopping experience in Britain after London. Buchanan Street is the 7th most expensive place for retail space in the world, which means that there's an increasing number of designer clothes shops in areas like the Merchant City. Alongside this, the Council is putting pressure on more traditional shopping centres like the Barras where you can get remarkably similar-looking clothes for a more sensible price. The epicentre of Glasgow shopping is the so-called "Golden Z", made up of the largely pedestrianised thoroughfares of Argyle Street, Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street. Here, virtually all of the big name retailers are represented, with some of the stores being second only to their Oxford Street counterparts in London in terms of size. There are larger shopping malls on the city outskirts at Braehead, Silverburn and Glasgow Fort.
[edit] EatGlasgow has won the title "Curry Capital of Britain" two years running and has a huge range of restaurants, Indian or otherwise. If you are looking for last minute deals on dining, 5pm.co.uk lists many offers. It is possible to search for restaurants in Glasgow on the site. Note that this service requires you to register on the website. There are clusters of good restaurants in the West End and the Merchant City. [edit] TakeawayGlasgow has taken many different cultural foods and combined them into a unique dining experience. Most takeaways offer Indian dishes (pakora), pizzas and kebabs as well as the more traditional fish and chips or burgers. This has resulted in some takeaways offering a blend of dishes like chips with curry sauce, the donner kebab pizza, the battered and deep fried pizza to name but a few. [edit] BritishFish & Chips (aka "Fish Supper") is a perennial favourite, and there are a healthy number of fish and chip shops around the city. As mentioned above, many will also offer Asian or Italian dishes alongside the traditional chip shop fayre. Given Glasgow's well publicised love of "junk food", bad establishments don't usually last long and consequently most are of good quality. In the centre of town, four of the best "chippies" are:
[edit] Chinese
[edit] European
[edit] IndianMost of the good Indian restaurants are clustered together between Charing Cross & Berkeley Street. Take your pick from Panjea, Ashoka Flame, Mr Singh's India, Mother India's Cafe and more. There are also literally dozens of takeaway Indian restaurants around the city, although the quality of these can be very variable. Another great place to visit is the award winning Killermont Polo Club on Maryhill Road. [edit] Italian
[edit] Mexican
[edit] Russian
[edit] FishAs befits a port town, Glasgow excels at Seafood and fish.
[edit] VeggieFor fab veggie food try:
For a full and up to date guide to vegan and vegetarian Glasgow, try rhizomatics.org.uk [edit] InternationalGlasgow is a city of immigrants and has a thriving international food scene. Try Mzouda (Moroccan), Cafe Argan (Moroccan), Shallal (Lebanese), Kokuryo (Korean), Koshkemeer (Kurdish), Café Serghei (Greek) Alla Turca (Turkish) La Tasca (Spanish), Ichiban (Japanese) and the numerous Thai and Chinese restaurants, including the Yumla, Thai Fountain, Ho Wongs, the Amber Regent and many others. See local listings magazine The List and its Eating and Drinking Guide for further details. [edit] DrinkGlasgow has a lot of places to drink. For single malt whiskies, try The Pot Still on Hope Street, a few blocks north of Central Station. It stocks over 300 single malt whiskeys (as well as other drinks, of course), and the staff really know their stuff. It's also an excellent example of a traditional British pub, with a great atmosphere. Other bars with a good selection of whisky are Uisge Beatha (pronounced "ooshke beh-hah" - Gaelic for "whisky"; literal translation is "water of life") on Woodlands Road and there's one called Ben Nevis on Argyle St towards the West End. If you're a fan of real ale, one of the best establishments and conveniently located in the lovely West End is The Three Judges on Dumbarton Road (at Partick Cross, the bottom part of Byres Road). They have a continually changing board of ales from all over the UK on tap as well as a cider. They also have a fantastic selection of imported bottled beers in the fridge and Frambozen on tap. If you're in the city centre, The State off Sauchiehall Street is a similarly good ale venue and a cosy proper pub if you're sick of trendy bars. The West End has many student-oriented bars, catering of course for Glasgow University, centering around Byres Road and Ashton Lane. Curlers, one of the most famous, is now part of the "Scream" chain and is located next door to Hillhead tube station on Byres Road. Scream also operates The Ark adjacent to Strathclyde University's city centre campus just north of George Square. Coopers is a new bar very near the University, at which students and lecturers are often found relaxing after a hard week working. The Lansdowne is a West End pub and restaurant that has a relaxed vibe and DJs at the weekend. Brel's (as its name suggests) is a Belgian theme bar (excellent choice of both local and Belgian beers) with good music from time to time and is popular with students from the nearby University. It is often said that the 'real' Glasgow can be encountered at the Horseshoe Bar in Drury Street (near Central Station). The rock band Travis used to rehearse upstairs before hitting the big time; as a token of thanks, one of their Brit Awards is displayed behind the bar. If you like your rock & metal music you should try RG's -Rock Garden on Queen street (about 2 mins walk south of the station), the The Solid Rock Cafe at the bottom of Hope street, Rufus T.Firefly's at the top of Hope street and the Crowbar in between. Real Ale can be found at the Bon Accord on Charing X, Clockwork BeerCo near Hampden Park, and also The Three Judges on the Dumbarton Road, at the bottom of Byres Road, which has won the CAMRA award (Campaign For Real Ale) most years for the past 2 decades. Republic Bier Halle, just off Buchanan Street, has beers from all round the world and a sister branch in the Southside. Waxy O'Connor's is a vaguely Irish themed bar (on West George Street, near Queen Street Station) which boasts six bars, nine rooms and three floors. The premises is a fun place, with steps and stairs running up and down through the maze of rooms and bars. Worth a visit, even if just to find the restrooms! It can be spacious and intimate at the same time, which you will only understand if you go there. It has loads of wood beams and an imitation treetrunk rooftop, which adds to the confusion of the church theme and 'Lord of the Rings'-like setting. Enjoyable place to visit with friends. If you prefer a slightly less artificial Irish theme pub, Failte (St. Vincent Street, a short walk from Central Station) is a locally owned non-chain establishment and popular with locals - although on major Celtic match days it can be near impossible to get into! Bath Street has a constantly shifting array of "style bars", which become more numerous as you walk up towards the financial district on Blythswood Hill. The quality varies wildly depending on your taste and tolerance. One recommended bar is Bunker on the corner of Hope Street and Bath Street. The financial district itself is becoming a hotbed for new pubs and wine bars popping up between the many new office buildings. Be warned though about dress codes, particularly in some of the more upmarket establishments in the city centre and West End - sportswear and trainers are often banned, and some door staff are notoriously "selective" about who they do and don't allow in. The general "boozer" type pubs don't have dress codes, but football shirts are almost universally banned in all - particularly on weekends. One rule to be aware of is that some clubs and upmarket pubs enforce an unwritten policy of not allowing all-male groups of more than about four people. For this reason, it may be advisable to split into groups of 2 or 3. Some pubs in Glasgow are also exclusively the haunt of Old Firm football fans - again these will be very crowded on football days and can get very rowdy, and best avoided by the tourist. Fortunately they are easy to spot - for example a large cluster of Celtic-oriented pubs exist in the Barrowlands area, while one or two bars on or near Paisley Road West are favourite haunts of Rangers fans. If you want live music with your pint go to the See / Music section above. [edit] Sleep[edit] Budget
[edit] Moderate
[edit] Camping
[edit] Splurge
[edit] Contact[edit] PhoneGlasgow's area code (for landline numbers) is 0141. When calling from outside the UK, drop the leading 0 and use the UK international dial code +44. [edit] InternetIf you are travelling with a laptop then you will find broadband internet access in the rooms of most, but not all, medium to high end hotels. If this is important to you, check before booking. Alternatively, there are many Wi-Fi hot spots in and around Glasgow and WiFinder provides a register. There are also several places that offer web and other internet access if you are travelling without a laptop. These include:
[edit] Stay safeDespite the city's reputation for being a violent place, generally Glasgow is no more dangerous than most other Western European cities. That being said, the city is still home to some of the most dangerous areas in Europe. The title "Murder Capital of Europe" owes more to tabloids and true-crime books than hard statistics. However, commonsense rules still apply, as there are some very nasty areas, that come with very nasty gangs, but unlike many cities where tourist havens and dangerous slums can be seamlessly separated by a single block, due to Glasgow's layout it is near impossible to accidentally wander into one of the "less desirable" parts of town unless you were making a conscious effort to do so. If you are exploring the city, you will almost certainly become very aware you are leaving a tourist-friendly area long before you would be in an area which is actually dangerous. The City Centre of Glasgow is in the main, safe area of the city. All of the city centre and tourist areas are well policed. During the day, the City Centre also has many 'information officers' in red hats and jackets who should be able to assist you if needed. It is not uncommon (particularly if male, approximately under 35, and alone or in a couple or small group) to be approached by beggars or drug addicts for money or cigarettes when walking through the city centre. These are almost always harmless and (at least superficially) friendly and will rarely harass you to any great degree. Saying that (in the case of money) you don't have any cash on you at the moment or (in the case of cigarettes) that you don't smoke will usually get rid of them, and even the most determined will rarely be looking for anything more than £1 anyway (though if you do plan to give them money, use common sense and do not take out and put on full display a wallet full of cash or a pocketful of change, which will almost certainly have them demanding more than whatever you give them). Avoid football shirts, a Rangers or Celtic shirt worn in the wrong place has led to assault or murder, especially on an Old Firm match day. Many bars ban all football colours. Prostitution is a fact of life in all major cities, Glasgow being no exception. The "Red Light" areas are as follows: Around Anderston station and the Finnieston St area, the Calton area of the east end (East of the "Barras") especially around the Tennents brewery, the eastern end of Glasgow Green from the Peoples Palace to Bridgeton Cross area. Although quiet during the day, there is a lot of business at night and especially at the weekends. Women walking by themselves have been known to be approached by men looking for prostitutes and people in vehicles have been known to be approached by prostitutes looking for business. It should be noted that whereas prostitution is legal in Scotland, 'soliciting' (i.e. prostitutes soliciting for business), and 'running a brothel' are illegal: brothels and 'massage parlours' can be (and are) frequently busted by the police and their 'customers' taken into police custody at least temporarily. It should also be noted that since the Prostitution (Public Places) (Scotland) Act came into effect in 2008, the police are increasingly cracking down on 'Kerb Crawling'. Therefore lone males should drive or walk around the red light districts at their own risk, and should be aware that if the police suspect them of attempting to solicit a prostitute they can be arrested and charged. It also must be taken into consideration that Glasgow has some of the poorest areas in Europe, let alone just the UK. There are far too many areas of high crime social housing to put into a list, however you will generally know when you are in a "less friendly" neighbourhood. Strathclyde Police, the local police force, has a Stay Safe while Travelling guide. [edit] Get out
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