Where to stay in Glasgow

See

This was the medieval centre of Glasgow until the 18th century, when the city grew rapidly along the Clyde.

• Glasgow Cathedral
• St Mungo's Museum of Religious Life and Art
• Provand's Lordship
• Glasgow Necropolis
• Glasgow Vintage Vehicle Trust
• George Square
• City Chambers
• Gallery of Modern Art
• Glasgow Cross
• Glasgow Police Museum
• Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre
• Street Level Photoworks

Do

Glasgow has Scotland's national stadium and four professional men's soccer teams. The most famous rivalry is the "Old Firm": Celtic (in green and white hoops) is traditionally supported by Catholics, and Rangers (in blue) by Protestants. Both stadiums sell out to their own fans, with very little ticket allowance to "away" supporters or neutral visitors. You should have no trouble getting tickets to games against non-Glasgow teams.

• Nice'N'Sleazy
• Barrowland Ballroom
• King Tut's Wah Wah Hut
• The Cathouse
• O2 Academy
• Classic Grand
• SEC Centre
• SEC Armadillo
• Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
• Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
• Theatre Royal
• Tron Theatre

Eat

Fish & chips: There are dozens and dozens of mostly takeaways with only a few sit-in cafes. Along with "fish suppers" they offer burgers, haggis, pakoras, pizzas and kebabs, and some daunting combinations that would be called "fusion" if they were ten times more expensive. A Munchy Box is a bit of everything and is woozy post-pub fare. The deep-fried Mars Bar is also available: see Stonehaven for its oily social history.

Drink

Pubs were the traditional meeting rooms of the city, where the world was put to rights over a pint and dram or three, be that fitba', weather, politics or the holidays. They were grand welcoming places so long as you were male, white, and of the pub-appropriate religion. They catered to a tribal, tightly-knit society that worked together, lived close together, went to the match together, and in "The Trades" went en masse to the same beach resorts. There was stupid violence, but also camaraderie and quixotic generosity - "It's ma round!"

Stay safe

Glasgow's rough reputation is a thing of the past and you are unlikely to encounter problems unless you're drunk, stupid or very unlucky. The city centre, drinking areas and transport hubs are well-policed especially around match days and pub closing times. Further out are tatty estates (Possilpark, Easterhouse, Drumchapel, Castlemilk, Pollok) with drug-related violence; you have simply no reason to be there. Govanhill (south side) also gets a bad rep. Exercise caution around the 'Four Corners' area (where Argyle Street, Union Street and Jamaica Street intersect); even in daytime, the fast food places at each corner attract a fair number of 'neds' (= non-educated delinquents).