Margaret M. Johnson

Glasgow - Scotland With Style and More

Glasgow, Scotland was named "European City of Culture" and "UK City of Architecture and Design". More recently, Glasgow was voted as one of the UK's top shopping destinations (second only to London); tagged "Scotland withStyle" by fashionistas, artists and designers.

Surprisingly, the accolades were not for elegant Edinburgh, the Scottish capital, but for Scotland's largest city, Glasgow, the "dear green place" that boasts more than 70 parks and gardens along with some of the best culture and style the country has to offer. Who knew?

Certainly not me, at least not until I planned another visit to Scotland after enjoying Edinburgh so much a few years earlier. Built mostly on the north bank of the River Clyde, Glasgow gets its modern name from "Glaschu," a Gaelic word that translates to "dear green place." It bears another moniker as well -- Merchant City -- and the place truly is a major shopping destination.

Glasgow's designer malls such as Buchanan Galleries, Princes Square, St. Enoch Center, the Merchant City area), and the three streets known as the "Golden Z" -- Argyle, Buchanan and Sauchiehall (pronounced "socky-hall") -- offer enough retail therapy to keep Glasgow's visitors busy for several days, especially if you've got Scottish pounds to spend.

If not, Glasgow's public art galleries and museums, most of which are free of charge (www.glasgowmuseums.com), are more financially friendly and most assuredly worth a visit. The world-famous Burrell Collection (2060 Pollokshaws Road in the heart of Pollok Country Park) was left in trust to the city in 1944 by one of its most famous sons, Sir William Burrell. It includes more than 8,000 works in collections of Oriental art, 17th- and 18th-century Dutch masterpieces, and 19th-century French paintings and sculpture.

Glasgow's Gallery of Modern Art (Royal Exchange Square) houses four floors of contemporary painting, sculpture, and international works, and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (Argyle Street) is thought of as Glasgow's favorite building. The Kelvingrove re-opened after a multi-million pound restoration project and houses an enormous variety of objects ranging from Dali's iconic "Christ of St. John of the Cross" to ancient weapons and medieval suits or armor.

At the University of Glasgow, whose campus is worth touring for its stunning architecture and a glimpse into Scottish student life (tours are conducted Wednesday to Saturday at 11 a.m.), you'll find two other outstanding museums. The Hunterian Museum, located in the Gothic-style Main Building, is the oldest public museum in Scotland. It celebrated its bicentenary in 2007, and its permanent exhibition covers 4,500 million years of evolution of our planet. The Hunterian Art Gallery, next to the University Library, holds a collection of works by Rembrandt, Pissarro and Rodin along with works by Scottish colorists. It also houses Europe's largest display of works by American James McNeill Whistler.

Best yet, the most significant collection of original works by Glasgow's favorite artist son, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, is on display here. Known as the founder of the "Glasgow Style," Mackintosh was a leading figure in the 19th-century Art Nouveau movement and one of the original "Glasgow Boys" group of artists. A reconstruction of the principal interiors of his home is a permanent part of the Hunterian Gallery, the only one of the city's major galleries to charge an admission fee.

A look into the rough and tumble life of 19th-century Glaswegians can be found in a museum-of-sorts simply called The Tenement House (145 Buccleuch Street), operated by the National Trust for Scotland (www.nts.org.uk). For years, Glasgow was an industrial hub that attracted newcomers from poverty-stricken places such as the Highlands and Ireland, and overcrowded tenement living was the norm. While most of the buildings were eventually torn down, the home of Miss Agnes Toward, who lived in the Buccleuch Street from 1911 to 1965, remained nearly untouched. Today, it's a virtual time capsule of life in Edwardian and Victorian Glasgow.

When you're tired from museum going, a walking tour of the West End of the city along its main thoroughfares -- Byres Road, Hyndland Street, and Great Western Road -- is an interesting way to spend some time. The Bohemian neighborhood is filled with boutiques specializing in vintage and contemporary clothing and jewelry (Timorous Beasties' or Galletly & Tubbs, 384 and 431 Great Western Road respectively); kitsch and retro furniture (Felix and Oscar, 459 Great Western Road); and bric-a-brac (Relics, Dowanside Lane). It's also home to some of Glasgow's best cafés and delis (La Patisserie Francaise or Heart Buchanan, 138 and 380 Byres Road respectively, and I.R. Mellis Cheesemonger, 392 Great Western Road).

A hop-on/hop-off bus tour (City Sightseeing Glasgow) takes you farther afield to enjoy Glasgow's beautifully preserved Victorian architecture, as well as some of its ultra-modern buildings like Clyde Auditorium, known as "Armadillo." Tours begin at George Square, site of the City Chambers building, the municipal headquarters. A proud statement to Glasgow's position during the 19th century as "Second City of the Empire," you can take a free guided tour of the building weekdays at 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

A short walk east to Cathedral Square, you can also tour the beautiful medieval Glasgow Cathedral and the Saint Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, which, contrary to its appearance, was only built in the 1990s. A short walk west to busy Sauchiehall Street will bring you to the Willow Tea Rooms (217 Sauchiehall Street; www.willowtearooms.co.uk), one of the best places in the city to have a cup of tea or lunch in the only surviving tearoom created by Charles Rennie Mackintosh. At the turn of the century, Miss Kate Cranston, a celebrated restaurateur of her time, commissioned the well-known artist/architect to design her tearoom, so a visit here is nearly obligatory. Order one of the meringues with strawberries and whipped cream!

And speaking of eating, when it comes to visiting a foreign country, I always do my best to eat like the locals. In Glasgow, this means haggis (a sausage of spiced sheep's innards and oatmeal that sounds worse than it tastes), fresh and smoked salmon, game in season, local cheeses, shortbread, marmalade, Scotch whisky, and lots of beef. I like to make part of my daytime touring a scouting mission for potential restaurants or pubs for dinner, and during our recent visit, we found loads of exceptional places that specialize in local Scottish fare. I even loved the haggis.

Where To Eat in Glasgow

Stravigin, 8 Ruthven Lane (and a second location at 28 Gibson Street; 334-2665) has as its motto "think global, eat local," an ethos upheld by an Australian chef who fuses Scottish dishes and ingredients with influences from Moroccan, Spanish, Thai, and Indian cuisines. Diners can start with spicy nibbles like "kick-ass" olives or "chili wok'd" greens and move on to Thai-spiced Aberdeen Angus beef carpaccio or Rajistani-roasted Scottish seafood. Stravaigin has a daily "soup of the moment" and offers an amuse bouche or starter portion of house-made haggis with traditional "tatties" and "neeps" (mashed potatoes and turnips). Two- and three-course lunch and pre-theater specials are offered daily as is a special wine-of-the-day. A la carte dinner for two with a glass of wine costs about 54 pounds. Phone 334-7165 or visit www.stravaigin.com.

Arisaig, 140 St. Vincent Street, offers a dinner menu divided into the "The Land" and the "The Sea," with emphasis on the freshest of Scottish ingredients, including haggis, Stornoway black pudding, Shetland monkfish, South Uist smoked salmon, and Buccleuch beef. Choices for the daily two-course lunch special (9.95 pounds) range from fishcakes with tomato and seaweed sauce to haggis and oatmeal fritters. Interesting selections on the a la carte dinner menu are venison sausages with kale mash and ale sauce, Shetland cod, or roast Chicken with haggis herb crust and whisky cheese sauce. Traditional Scottish desserts like Clouti Dumpling and Cranachan make for a tempting finish. More than 140 single malt whiskies are available, and wines are offered by the bottle or in two glass sizes, 175 and 250 ml. Dinner for two with the larger glass of wine costs about 95 pounds. Phone 204-5399 or visit www.arisaigrestaurant.co.uk.

The Sisters Restaurant, 36 Kelvingrove Street (and a second location at 1a Ashwood Gardens; 434-1179) is the brainchild of Irish sisters Pauline and Jacqueline O'Donnell, who combine both Scottish and Irish ingredients on their menus. Choices for the two- or three-course lunch menu (14.95 or 16.95 pounds respectively) include Irish-inspired Limerick ham with tatties and cabbage, local mackerel with pumpkin and beet salad, and chicken with the ubiquitous haggis, neeps, and tatties. A la carte dinner specials offer a wide range of meats and seafood along with imaginative vegetarian dishes such as Scotch rarebit on homemade soda bread or beet rosti with Balsamic roasted vegetables. Homemade desserts come from the deft hand of pastry chef Pauline. Dinner for two with a glass of wine costs about 90 pounds. Closed Monday. Phone 564-1157 or visit www.thesisters.co.uk.

Where To Stay in Glasgow

Hotel du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens, 1 Devonshire Gardens (off of Great Western Road), is set in a tree-lined terrace in Glasgow's West End. Occupying a row of five Victorian town houses, the 49-bedroom five-star property retains all the original features, including ornate corniced ceilings, sweeping staircases, and stained glass windows. Recent refurbishments to the bedrooms brought stylish black and dark green furnishings, Egyptian linens, and 21st-century bathrooms. Its oak-paneled restaurant, The Bistro, serves classic and modern Scottish cuisine. Phone 339-2001 or visit www.hotelduvin.com.

Radisson SAS, 301 Argyle Street, is a perfect venue for people visiting the city who want to be in the heart of the shopping area. The stylishly modern hotel was named Glasgow Hotel of the Year in 2004 and continues to be a favorite with business travelers. The hotel has 250 bedrooms and suites featuring state-of-the-art technology, floor to ceiling windows, and nicely decorated interiors, two restaurants and two bars. Phone 204-3333 or visit www.glasgow.radissonsas.com.

Millennium Hotel, George Square, occupies an impressive position in the heart of the city across from City Chambers and Queen Street railroad station. If location, location, location is important for your stay, you can't go wrong here. Each of its 117 rooms is decorated in a pleasant contemporary style, and you can enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the Brasserie, or cozy up for a drink in the Lounge or Georgics Wine Bar. Phone 332-6711 or visit www.millenniumhotels.co.uk.

Glasgow Visitor Information

For tourist information on Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com; for Glasgow, visit www.seeglasgow.com. The Glasgow's tourist information office is located at 11 George Square, near the City Chambers. Here you can get street maps, hotel and museum information, and book tours. The currency in Glasgow is the Scottish pound, but British pounds are also accepted. All phone numbers are for local calls; from the U.S., dial 011+ 44 + 141+ local number.

Glasgow - Scotland With Style and More - Vacation Planning

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