About Glasgow

Top 10 Things to do in Glasgow

Glasgow epitomises the perfect combination of tradition and history mixed with a vibrant and innovative modern twist. Glasgow is a city steeped in history and tradition: This is evident in the magnificent medieval architecture that dots the landscape. If you are looking for a thriving music scene or you are a culture buff, Glasgow offers entertainment that ranges from the renowned Glasgow Ballet to an underground club scene that will have you partying into the wee hours.  Whatever your interest, glorious Glasgow has something for everyone. 

The ECI committee looks forward to welcoming you to Glasgow in September 2012. One of the reasons, ECI is taking part in Glasgow is due to the heritage, and attractions on offer. We do hope you take time to explore the wonders of Glasgow. We therefore thought it would be useful to recommend the committee’s top 10 attractions. 

1. Kelvingrove Museum - The building houses one of Europe’s great civic art collections. Since the refurbishment in 2003-2006 the museum has been the most popular free to enter visitor attraction in Scotland and the most visited museum in Britain outside of London.

2. House For An Art Lover- House for An Art Lover is an unusual house which is well worth a visit. The building is based on a design made by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret but was not built until 1989. It opened to the public seven years later and houses an art gallery. Originally built for a German competition for ‘An Art Lover’s House’ it failed to be completed in time but was nonetheless acknowledged for its design by the organisers.

3. Loch Lomond - A short and very inexpensive train ride takes you to the shores of Loch Lomond, one of Scotland’s most famous lochs. From the station it’s possible to take a trip around the Loch, which is Britain’s largest freshwater lake. The boat trip gives excellent views of the Trossachs and Ben Lomond, the most southerly of Scotland’s Munro peaks.

4. Burrell Collection - Originally the collection on display was given on the condition that it is housed no closer than 16 miles from the centre of the city so as to avoid damage from industrial pollution. The collection comprises medieval art, Islamic art and Impressionist work from Degas and Cezanne, all collected by the industrialist Sir William Burrell.

5. David Livingstone Museum – Found in an old mill in Blantyre, about eight miles from Glasgow City Centre, this was the childhood home of the Livingstone family along with 23 other families. The building is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland and houses the museum dedicated to celebrating the life and work of Britain’s greatest explorer and missionary. His colourful life is mapped out across the exhibits and the whole museum is an excellent insight in the man and what drove him.

6. Royal Troon Golf Club – Royal Troon Golf Club is an Open Championship course having hosted the championships eight times over the years. It is home to the shortest and longest holes in the entire list of Open courses. Originally founded in 1878 it only had five holes but they have expanded today to the full championship eighteen holes known as ‘The Old Course’.

7. Curry Capital of the UK – Glasgow is officially recognised as the curry capital of the UK because of the large numbers of Indian restaurants in the city, higher per capita than anywhere else in the country. The reason given for this is the large number of Bangladeshi immigrants who moved here to work in Glasgow’s factories in the fifties and sixties.

8. Peoples Palace and Winter Gardens - Opened in 1898 the People’s Palace and Winter Gardens were gifted by the Earl of Rosebery to the poor people of Glasgow to help those suffering in the dirt and pollution of the city’s slums to visit somewhere healthy and pleasant where they could sit in clean air and talk to friends. The building housed reading and recreation rooms, a museum and an art gallery to stimulate the minds of the poor.

9. Gallery of Modern Art - Currently home to modern art exhibitions and facilities for the less well off in Glasgow to have access to the internet and a lending library. It is most famous for its statue of the Duke of Wellington outside the museum which invariably sports a traffic cone.

10. Scotland Street School Museum – Scotland Street School Museum is a museum showcasing school education in Scotland over the centuries. It has a number of classroom displays set up in the manner of schools over the years and hosts events for schools to participate in role play classrooms from another time. The building is also worth a mention having been designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and built between 1903 and 1906.

ECI Committee SPECIAL attraction in Glasgow:

11. Ibrox - Inaugurated in 1899, Ibrox Stadium is the home of Glasgow Rangers football club, one of the city’s two top teams, the other being Celtic. The magnificent all-seater stadium has a capacity of 50,400 and is one of only 12 football grounds in Europe to have been awarded the highest 5-star rating by UEFA, footballs’ governing body. Visitors can take a tour of the ground as well as viewing the museum and the coveted Trophy Room that opened to the public in 1959.

Interested in watching a game during your visit to Glasgow? Call 0141 580 8500 for ticket enquiries

WE LOOK FORWARD TO WELCOMING YOU TO GLASGOW AT ECI 2012