So, you only have 24 hours (or less) to be a Glasgow tourist and not much money to spend? You’re in luck – not only is the city easy to navigate with most things in easy walking distance, but lots of the most popular Glasgow tourist attractions are free of charge, too.
Pack your camera and put on your most comfortable pair of walking shoes – here’s a day’s itinerary that will give you the opportunity to experience a lot of the city’s history, culture, and character at virtually no cost!
10am: Start the Glasgow Tour With History
Begin your day of Glasgow travel at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Located on the Kelvin River in Glasgow’s popular West end, the Kelvingrove is the most visited museum in the United Kingdom outside of London, England. With everything from artwork to animals, the Kelvingrove is an impressive (and free of charge) museum housed within an even more impressive building. Allow yourself at least 90 minutes to wander through the seemingly endless collections.
At around 11:30, leave the Kelvingrove Museum and wander North through Kelvingrove Park until you hit the University of Glasgow’s main building (a 10-minute walk). Founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world. Its main building is a stunning structure worthy of the big screen (many students fondly refer to it as Hogwarts from the Harry Potter series).
Have a short wander around the Hunterian Museum (housed in the main building) and be sure to take photos of the incredible architecture before heading East on University Avenue to Gibson Street, where you can choose from a large variety of restaurants for your lunch. There’s something to suit everyone’s tastes here, from a quick coffee and soup-and-sandwich at Offshore to a vegan meal at Tchai Ovna, to a delicious Falafel sandwich at Falafel.
1pm: An Afternoon in Glasgow’s City Centre
Once you’ve recharged your batteries at lunch, head East to city centre. Get there by catching the number 44 bus on University Avenue to Sauchiehall Street (the fare will be approx. £1.25) or by walking in a straight line down Gibson Street and Woodlands Road before crossing the M8 freeway (this is a more strenuous walk of approximately 30 minutes).
From here, take a stroll down Sauchiehall Street (pronounced ‘sucky-hall’) until it hits Buchanan Street. Turn right onto Buchanan Street and keep walking South, browsing the shops, absorbing Glasgow’s busy city centre atmosphere, and maybe even stopping to watch a few buskers perform live music. At the end of Buchanan Street, you will find yourself on Argyle Street, another main road in the city centre. Turn left and walk East for approximately 20 minutes until you reach the beautiful Doulton Fountain, which stands in front of Glasgow’s People’s Palace.
The People’s Palace is another free of charge museum – this one, however, is dedicated to telling the story of life in Glasgow during harder times. Its contents are largely informed by oral history, and it is here that you will really get a feel for Glasgow and where its current atmosphere all began. Allow yourself at least an hour to see everything, and if you need a break, stop in at the Winter Gardens, which are located at the back of the museum.
5pm: End the Day at Glasgow Cathedral
If you’re still eager to see more of Glasgow, leave the People’s Palace and retrace your steps West until you hit High Street. Turn right and head North until you find yourself at Cathedral Square (approximately 20 minutes). Absorb the beauty of Glasgow Cathedral and Necropolis, both of which are free of charge. Make sure you visit the crypt of the cathedral, where St. Mungo’s tomb is located.
From here, you can catch a bus or walk back into town for dinner or to catch a train out of town. You will have certainly earned an evening of rest and relaxation after all of the walking you will have done, but it will be worth it to see so much of a city that has so much to offer.
Andrea Beca - Andrea has a BA (distinction) in English and Creative Writing from the University of Alberta, and an MLitt (distinction) in Dramaturgy and ...
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