Glasgow: Scottish gem

Glasgow is one of Europe’s most important cultural centres, a heady mix of grand Victorian and sensuous art nouveau, and wonderful museums, galleries and concert halls.

Voted UK City of Architecture and Design in 1999, and European City of Culture in 1990, the city has a concentration of art nouveau masterpieces by design genius Charles Rennie Mackintosh, such as the House for an Art Lover, with a permanent exhibition of decorative rooms; the Glasgow School of Art and the Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Architecture, housing varied exhibitions and featuring the award winning Mackintosh Centre. There is also a medieval cathedral, many stunning contemporary buildings, including the Clyde Auditorium, affectionately known as the Armadillo, and a plethora of fine Victorian edifices. Visitors can take in much of all this by sampling the panoramic view of the city afforded from the top of the Lighthouse.

Glasgow is home to Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera and the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, and popular entertainment is equally well served, from stand-up comedy and rock music, to pantomime.

The city’s public art collections are among the best in Europe - most offer free admission - and include the Burrell, housed in an award-winning building in Pollok Country Park, and the Gallery of Modern Art, set in the neo-classical elegance of the former Royal Exchange. The Art Gallery and Museum at Kelvingrove will reopen following current refurbishment in 2006, but the best of the collection is on show at McLellan Galleries, including works by Botticelli, Turner, Rembrandt, Reubens, Mackintosh and Whistler.

For those of a more scientific bent there is the Glasgow Science Centre, with up-to-the-minute interactive displays and an IMAX cinema.

A great seaport, in the past Glasgow had a pivotal role in shipbuilding and other industries. The story of the city’s industrial past, and of how this affected the often grim and short lives of its inhabitants is vividly retold in the People’s Palace, a collection covering everything from tobacco trading to the temperance and women’s Suffragette movements.

Another symbol of Glasgow's seafaring past is the Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour. Built in 1896, the on-board displays tell the story of this magnificent sailing vessel, evoking the epic trading voyages that created the city's wealth.

Shopping and eating are other pleasures that Glasgow has to offer in abundance. There are enough stylish shops to satisfy even the most dedicated shopaholic - the city is Britain’s second largest retail centre after London - and for bargain lovers there are the weekend flea markets of the ‘Barras’ and plenty of quirky boutiques.

Glasgow's compact city centre, underground railway and grid-like street layout make it easy to navigate. Large malls such as the Buchanan Galleries and the St Enoch Centre are just a short stroll from the elegance of the Italian Centre and Princes Square, as well as the speciality shops of the Merchant City. The mews and lanes of the city’s bohemian West-End are a treasure-trove for anyone hunting antiques, rare books and individual pieces of jewellery and crafts.

And after a hard day enjoying yourself? The city has bars and restaurants to please the most cosmopolitan of tastes. You can quite literally eat your way round the world as the café culture espouses the latest trends in global cuisine, from the style and noodle bars of the Merchant City to the restaurants and brasseries in the cool West-End.

So whether you prefer traditional Scottish food, including the local ‘haggis and bashed neeps’, ethnic cuisine or the very latest in fusion and Pacific-Rim, you’ll find something to savour.

Glasgow is a night-life paradise. Nightclubs, discos and late bars abound, and the hardest thing is choosing where to go. The scene changes often, so to find the latest hotspots, check with the tourist information office. In fact, at any time of year, Glasgow seems to be celebrating something.

With its own international airport and direct rail and motorway links with the rest of Britain, Glasgow is easy to reach. It is also an excellent gateway to the rest of Scotland by rail and road: along the ‘bonnie’ banks of the River Clyde; to Loch Lomond, the country’s first national park; or deeper into the heather-clad Highlands.

A quiet place for walking, thinking, photography, relaxation. For more information go to: Papa Westray