Glasgow Itinerary Advice

I’m planning a day in Glasgow as part of my next Edinburgh trip, and I plan to take the hop-on, hop-off bus tour when I arrive. I know the sights are fairly spread out, and the HOHO tour seems like a good way to get oriented and decide which ones to see and in what order.

When You are in Glasgow be sure to visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum. There are many other great Art Museums in Glasgow. Kelvingrove is in vintage architecture and gives a big picture look at Scottish History and Culture with some live events. I loved the Glasgow Necropolis! It has wonderful statuary. I think that Glasgow gets shorted on the tourist trail is because it is not so concentrated with oldness as Edinburgh. We drove and even found places to park, not like in Edinburgh where it was easier to walk then drive.

I'm not familiar with that walk of Rick's- I've only got the Highland derivative guidebook at the moment.

But on the HoHo stop 18 will get you very close to the Tenement House (or use St George's Cross or Cowcaddens on the subway), Stop 2 for the Cathedral and the Necropolis
The National Piping Centre if you start at HoHo Stop 18 then walk ack east to Cowcaddens station it is between there and Buchanan Bus Station, or Stop 20 on the HoHo is very close (21 is Buchanan Bus Station).
You could walk past Buchanan, then turn down North Hanover Street then left onto Cathedral Street.
Not a bad little walk that- St George's Cross subway or HoHo 18 to the Tenement House to National Piping Centre then the Cathedral/Necropolis then reboard the HoHo at the Cathedral.
But first of all do a full HoHo circuit starting at St George's Square.

Like Kathleen, I loved the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum. It was absolutely fabulous and I could have (and did) spend hours there. The exhibits are diverse and beautiful - it's really amazing. Do not miss this - it was probably my favorite site in Glasgow, although I did like the Necropolis as well. That was also very interesting and makes for a nice walk.

If you visit Kelvingrove, there are a number of good restaurants in the vicinity. I went to Kelvingrove in the morning and then stopped for delicious Indian food about a block or so away.

The Tenement House was interesting but it was not one of my favorites, and it was a bit out of the way. YMMV. :)

The House for an Art Lover is important for architecture fans. It hosts a lot of private events, so it's critical to check the website for each day's hours of operation.

The Burrell Collection has reopened. I was sorry to have missed it in 2019; the collection is supposed to be great.

The Burrell Collection is great. It is a very eclectic collection; historical objects of all sorts from around the world. They made a good job of the refurbishment. Pollok Park, where it resides, is also a really nice park.

There is so much to do and see in Glasgow. Kelvingrove Museum is wonderful and covers just about everything. It's very different to the Burrell Collection and the two together work well. The Necropolis is great fun.

The Tenement House is fascinating if you are into scoial history but it isn't very large and can feel crowded. You also need to allow plenty of time to talk to the curators about the way of life and what it was like to live in the tenements. Watching many visitors, they just seem to arrive, amble round and out without learning very much...

Watching many visitors, they just seem to arrive, amble round and out without learning very much...

That was probably me. 😊 But in all fairness, the curator was busy the whenever I was around her so I didn't have much opportunity to talk or ask questions. I did enjoy looking through the rooms and I'm glad I went, though.

I’ve used a number of HOHO buses while accompanying my husband on business trips. The Glasgow HOHO was the best one. Specifically, they were frequent, had a good audio and got me to the highlights of Glasgow. It’s always good to check recent reviews, but it was the most effective way for me to see the city.

That was probably me.

I was trying hard to phrase it not to sound like you Mardee as it is obvious from your posts you do take an interest in what you are seeing. It is those who wander round with a gormless look and haven't a clue what they are looking at and often don't seem interested either...

We visited Glasgow last year and just loved it. I agree with others that the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum is wonderful - could've spent more time there. We also took the tour and saw the exhibition at Mackintosh at the Willows and enjoyed lunch afterwards. You need to make reservations for the tour and exhibition.

I was trying hard to phrase it not to sound like you Mardee as it is obvious from your posts you do take an interest in what you are seeing.

No worries, wasleys, and I honestly did not assume it was meant for me. I do like places like that and especially liked the kitchen. But my favorite part was reading the letters that she wrote to her mother. They were really poignant.

You might consider a food tour. We did one a few years ago with Glasgow Food and Drink Tour (https://www.glasgowfoodndrinktour.co.uk). We had the best time trying different foods, fabulous gin and tonics, and whiskey. And the best part was the history and other local information provided by the guide. We highly recommend it.

It was the rhyme in the bathroom which really amused me Mardee..

*Please remember, don't forget! –

Never leave the bathroom wet,

Nor leave the soap still in the water –

That's a thing you never ought'er! –*

The rhyme reminds me of the one someone stuck up in the boys' toilets in my high school. I always read it in the voice of the late queen

"If you sprinkle
While you tinkle.
Be a sweetie
Wipe the seatie"

The Tenement House is an interesting visit, and worth it if you want to see a part of Glasgow social history. And great that the NTS and the NT south of the border have properties like this. It can get crammed because of the nature of the beast.

If you are interested in Glasgow social history, the People's Palace on Glasgow Green is basically Glasgow's Museum of Glasgow.

Oh, I totally forgot about that one, wasleys! That was so cute!

MC, now I've got the Queen's voice in my head reciting that, lol!!!

Kelvingrove museum was also my favourite, along with the transportation museum. Sadly, one of the best places, the Glasgow school of art, is gone, but you can still have tea at the Willow Tea Room and get a glimpse of Charles Ronnie Macintosh. Th HOHO bus in Glasgow is great, I rode the whole circuit once to get my bearings, then rode it again, getting off where I wanted to.

If you want to eat at the MacIntosh at the Willow book NOW. I'm leaving this weekend for my trip and booked about 2 weeks ago. Of course there was no available bookings in the restored MacIntosh room, though I did get a booking in the main floor room for afternoon tea. They give 90 minutes seating for your booking.