When lockdown restrictions eased, and the freedom to travel became a reality once again, Scottish Citylink sent me off on a wee adventure on the 900 bus service, to spend one day in Glasgow and re-discover all my favourite things about the city. This is my take on a perfect day trip from Edinburgh to Glasgow.
Visiting Glasgow is like catching up with an old friend; the city is welcoming, down to earth and comfortably familiar. I hold fond memories of returning from Glasgow in my younger years laden with either new clothes or a nasty hangover (the shops and nightlife have always been better than Edinburgh – in my opinion!) and over time I discovered the many other faces of Glasgow, and what lies out-with the short radius of the city centre, where I always spent most of my time.
Now, when I think of Glasgow, I think of vibrant murals, delicious food, friendly faces, talented buskers, museums in abundance, and the mark that Mackintosh has left on the city. These are my favourite things about Glasgow and no visit to the city is complete without them.
This is my one day itinerary for Glasgow, which can be followed from start-to-finish, or cherry-picked to suit your own interests and timescale. Let’s go!
Glasgow One Day Itinerary
Morning
Begin the day on Buchanan Street, Glasgow’s main thoroughfare, and take a moment to listen out for nearby buskers, before beginning your city centre exploration on foot. Walk through George Square – which, interestingly, starred as Philadelphia in a scene in World War Z (2013) – on your way to Glasgow Cathedral.
Keep an eye out for the city’s incredible street art along the way, and use the Glasgow City Centre Mural Trail map to give you more information about the murals and the artists behind them. Local artists can apply for funding from Glasgow City Council for new installations, as part of an initiative to revamp the city streets and improve the visitor experience. How amazing is that?!
As you turn to walk up High Street, you will come across two gable-end murals by street artist Smug, which are modern day depictions of St Enoch breastfeeding a child and St Mungo: the latter is my ultimate favourite piece of street art, ever. Continue on to Glasgow Cathedral.
Glasgow Cathedral was constructed between the 13th and 15th century, making it the oldest of Scotland’s mainland cathedrals, and is said to be built on the site where St Mungo was buried in 612 AD. Venture inside to marvel at the towering arches and the riot of colours in the stained glass windows.
Afterwards, take a walk through Glasgow Necropolis, a vast and impressive Victorian cemetery set upon a hill overlooking the cathedral. This quirky and peaceful place is well worth a wander, even just out of curiosity alone, before you return to the Mural Trail.
Make an optional stop at Drygate Brewery for a local beer or continue on to Ingram Street Car Park for another impressive display of street art from Smug, this time featuring an adorable array of woodland creatures. Afterwards, it’s time for a well-earned lunch, so head to Platform for a street food style scran in the historic arches under Glasgow Central Station.
Formerly a much-loved nightclub, The Arches, which I knew very well back in the day, Platform has more recently played host to an indoor market of street food stalls, however under the current climate it has re-opened as a café for now. Be sure to take a peek at the ‘Honey I Shrunk the Kids’ mural by Smug on Mitchell Street before you get there, and if you’re stuck on what to order, the bao buns are delicious!
You can view your walking route for the morning here
Afternoon
After lunch, go to St Enoch Subway Station and buy a day ticket for the subway (cost = £4.20 per adult) so that you have the option to take multiple journeys. Hop on the subway towards Kelvinhall and enjoy the novelty of travelling on this retro-looking mode of transport. You can view the subway route map here. When you arrive at your destination in the West End area of the city, one of Glasgow’s most popular museums is just a short walk away.
The Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum is a beauty from the outside, thanks to its Spanish baroque style and red sandstone building. The real treasure, however, lies within. The Centre Hall is as grand an entrance as they come; an elaborate, jaw-dropper of a space, complete with an iconic organ, which is best viewed from one of the balconies above.
My highlights in the Kelvingrove are the animal displays (including Sir Roger the Elephant, of course), the Expressions exhibit, the Ancient Egyptians, the Mackintosh collection, Salvador Dali’s famous Christ of Saint John of the Cross, and the evocative Thomas Faed painting, The Last of the Clan, which depicts a scene from the Highland Clearances.
Next, walk up to the nearby University of Glasgow, one of the world’s oldest universities, to admire the enchanting architecture from the internal courtyards; you can just imagine Harry Potter and his wee pals flying around on broomsticks! The university has no claim to Harry Potter fame, however the campus and its beautiful cloisters starred as Harvard University in the filming of Outlander.
If you have time to squeeze in one more museum, The Hunterian sits across the street from the main University of Glasgow campus, and is home to The Mackintosh House; a reconstruction of the home (and its original features) where Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret lived. For more information about Mackintosh and the various sites you can visit around Glasgow, check about my blog from his 150th birthday here.
Evening
Sightseeing complete, it is now time to reward yourself with some refreshments and dinner. Stroll down to the picturesque Ashton Lane for drinks in the old cinema building at The Grosvenor and at the Innis & Gunn Brewery Tap Room. For dinner, Vietnamese delights await in the colourful Hanoi Bike Shop or for something more special, and seasonally Scottish, go to the gorgeous Ubiquitous Chip.
You can view your walking route for the West End here
For alternative dining options, wait until you have returned to the city centre on the Subway from Hillhead station to Buchanan Street, where, if you haven’t already eaten, you can choose from some more of my favourite dining spots: ‘BABS for Mediterranean scran and posh kebabs, Paesano Pizza for perfect Napoletana woodfired pizza, or Obsession of India for outstanding curry (the smoked chicken karahi in particular). Aye, international cuisine is the running theme here, because Glasgow does it so well!
Post-dinner, go on a pub crawl in Merchant City or catch some live music at King Tuts. If your visit falls on a weekend, book in to see some live comedy at Glee Comedy Club (super close to the bus station).
And THAT, is my ideal one day in Glasgow. Time for a wee nap on the bus home, I think.
Getting to Glasgow
I travelled to Glasgow on the Citylink 900 bus from Edinburgh. The service operates 24 hours a day and transports you from one city centre to the other within 1 hour and 20 minutes. Tickets costs a very reasonable £10 return. Booking your ticket online in advance is recommended and you can view the current timetable here.
The journey is quick and comfortable, and I was really impressed by the new fleet of modern double-decker buses. These are the things which really stood out:
- The seats all have USB charging points, wee seat tables, phone holders and coat hooks. There are two proper tables on the lower deck.
- Most of the seats recline and my other half was asleep within minutes on the journey to Glasgow!
- The interior was sparkly clean and it is swiftly cleaned each time it arrives into Edinburgh or Glasgow, before new passengers embark.
- There is a toilet on board which was also very clean and fresh smelling (not something I’ve experienced very often on public buses).
- The buses and bus stations were relatively quiet and passengers were adhering to social distancing. Masks are currently required on board.
- Our driver was a really friendly and helpful Glaswegian – this always makes a difference!
