When visiting Glasgow, what better place to start than the city centre, and the Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) in Royal Exchange Square. The GoMA is the second most visited contemporary art gallery in the UK and houses an appealing combination of old and new architecture.
Also whilst in the city centre, look out for one of the many Charles Rennie MacIntosh buildings dotted around. The Willow Tea Rooms on Sauchiehall Street, or the Scotland Street School Museum, are perfect examples of Charles extraordinary architectural elegance.
The Provands Lordship is another building, again in the city centre, that it is worth finding the time to visit. Dating back to the 1400s, this is the oldest building in the whole of Glasgow, and the beautiful medicinal garden at the back of it is an ideal spot to sit and relax for half an hour.
Those with a keen interest in history might like to take in the exhibitions on Glasgow’s social history (dating back to 1790) that can be found at the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens. After finding out how Glasgow and its people have changed over the years, you can then have some coffee and cake in the adjoined Victorian Glasshouse which looks out onto a park.
Moving on from the central area of the city, a trip to the west end is recommended. It is a pleasant walk there, and it gives you the opportunity to visit the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, which is on the way. Amongst the wide range of interesting artifacts and pieces of art on display there is the renowned ‘Christ Of St John of the Cross’ by Salvador Dali.
In the west end of the city, you will find the Glasgow Museum of Transport, which is a real treat for mechanical and engineering enthusiasts, but everyone will find it interesting. It houses the finest collection of Scottish-built cars in the world, along with various examples of public transport and bicycles from the past hundred years.
Now, lets move to the south side of Glasgow, where you can see Charles Rennie MacIntosh’s ‘House For An Art Lover’. Charles, and wife Margaret MacDonald, entered their design for a house for an art lover into the competition in 1901 and it was eventually built in 1996, an inspiration for hundreds of contemporary artists.
Finally, if you want a little break from the hustle and bustle of the busy Glasgow streets, you should check out Pollok Country Park, which, despite being just 5km from the city centre, is a peaceful woodland area. As well as nature, it is also the site of the Burrell Collection, which is an exhibition of various artifacts, ranging from medieval trinkets to impressionist works of art.
Cheap Hotel Chains’ price compares all the latest cheap hotel deals across the world, ensuring that you find the very best deal for your chosen hotel and destination. This month they are running a feature on Glasgow, the cosmopolitan capital of Scotland. They currently have 142 cheap hotels in Glasgow featured on their website.
