Scotland's biggest city is a bustling hub of activities famed for its universities, shopping and friendly people. The city is undergoing a dramatic revamp as it prepares to host the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The once dilapidated waterfront on the River Clyde, home to the biggest shipbuilding industry in the world during the early 20th century, is now home to flash apartments, offices and eye-catching arts venues.
Although most of the city's medieval architecture has disappeared, the Provand's Lordship, built in 1471 and now a museum, is the oldest remaining house in Glasgow. Glasgow Cathedral, built and rebuilt since the 12th century still stands; both offer a rare insight into the city's past. The majority of the buildings in the city centre are from the 19th century and the area has an expansive selection of Victorian architecture, including the University of Glasgow and the City Chambers.
Many grand structures reflect the wealth and confidence of Glasgow during the 19th century, when it became the second city of the British Empire, with striking architecture that started out in the minds of two extraordinary men. Charles Rennie Mackintosh's love of Art Nouveau is visible across the city, including the Willow Tearooms, Glasgow School of Art, and House for an Art Lover in Bellahouston Park. Alexander "Greek" Thomson's works are notable for their references to ancient Greek and Egyptian masterpieces.
Many contemporary architects have also put their stamp on Glasgow, with such impressive buildings as the Radisson Hotel on Argyle Street, the new BBC headquarters and the Italian Centre. One of the most eye-catching is the Clyde Auditorium, designed by Sir Norman Foster and affectionately known as the Armadillo, due to the obvious resemblance. The Merchant City in the East of the city has also undergone a transformation and now rivals the West End for nightlife, with stylish restaurants, nightspots and music venues aplenty.
This year Glasgow celebrates Homecoming Scotland 2009, a year-long programme of events to honour the 250th anniversary of the birth of the Scottish bard, Robert Burns. The city is hosting a wide range of festivities including arts exhibitions, music festivals and, of course, poetry nights. When the notorious Scottish weather abates, Glasgow, also known as the Dear Green Place, is home to many beautiful parks and is only 30 minutes away from Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park, which features stunning views and excellent opportunities for watersports and fishing.
When you are, however, inevitably subjected to the rain, there are 13 museums and many art galleries in which you can explore the city's heritage and view works by some of the world's most famous artists. The jewel in the crown is the beautiful Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, the largest civic museum and art gallery in the UK. It is home to works by Van Gogh, Matisse, Dalí and Monet. For art enthusiasts with more contemporary tastes there is the Gallery of Modern Art, which opened in 1996 in Royal Exchange Square, in the heart of the city.
It's well worth a visit south of the city to see the Burrell Collection. Art collector Sir William Burrell and his wife, Constance, gifted more than 9,000 artworks from all over the world in 1944 and exhibits on public display in Pollok Country Park include medieval tapestries and stained glass, armour and weapons, paintings by Cézanne and Degas, a variety of works from the Islamic World and antiques from ancient China and Egypt.
Budget With double rooms costing from US$80 (Dh310), the Brunswick Hotel in the Merchant City is a great value for money. It serves rustic Italian cuisine and has 18 individually styled rooms, including the two-floor, three-bedroom penthouse suite with a sauna and two lounge areas. Brunswick Hotel, Brunswick Street, Glasgow (www.brunswickhotel.co.uk; 00 44 141 552 0001). Mid-range Saint Judes is a boutique hotel located on Bath Street, minutes away from the main shopping area of Sauchiehall Street. Having recently completed renovations on the Victorian town house, Saint Judes has five unique rooms and a penthouse and a restaurant and cocktail bar. Its East-meets-West theme combines Zen-inspired motifs with funky modern styling, perfect for a relaxing break or a base for shopping missions. Rooms, which include 32-inch plasma televisions and iPod docking stations, cost from $137 (Dh503). Saint Judes Hotel Bar and Restaurant, 190 Bath Street, Glasgow (www.saintjudes.com; 00 44 141 352 8800).
Luxury The converted Victorian terrace, One Devonshire Gardens, in the leafy West End is a must if you want to splash out (Michael Jackson stayed there). This boutique hotel has 49 rooms and suites, and pampering perks include Egyptian linen sheets, stunning four-poster beds, wet rooms and an award-winning restaurant (it won "Fine Dining Restaurant of the Year" this year at the Scottish Restaurant Awards). It also hosts many art exhibitions in its spacious lounge rooms. Hotel Du Vin, One Devonshire Gardens, Glasgow (www.hotelduvin.com/glasgow; 00 44 141 339 2001).
Breakfast Should you miss breakfast at your accommodation, the Willow Tea Rooms on Sauchiehall Street is the perfect place to refuel and take in some of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's work first hand. Mackintosh had complete control over every aspect of the design of the building's exterior and interior, right down to the teaspoons and light shades. The shop offers a wide variety of teas, naturally, and also some of the finest Scottish food available including a wonderful selection of Angus beef, salmon and farmhouse cheddars.
Lunch Opened in 1971, the Ubiquitous Chip has become a lunching favourite for socialites and students alike. Located in the bustling Ashton Lane near the Hillhead underground station and the University of Glasgow, "Th' Chip" has a fine-dining restaurant, a brasserie and also an area serving bar food, including a legendary burger, venison haggis and a wide range of vegetarian options. Dinner The Scottish chef Brian Maule at Chardin d'Or uses the knowledge he gained while working in Lyon, France, to create a blend of Celtic and Gallic cuisines in his fine-dining restaurant on Glasgow's West Regent Street. You may have to walk up a steep hill to get there, but the culinary delights, such as seared scallops and wood pigeon, are worth the effort.
Return flights on Emirates (www.emirates.com) from Dubai to Glasgow cost from $1,071 (Dh3,935), including taxes.
Times Past: The Story Of Glasgow, an illustrated volume by Russell Leadbetter and Rod Sibbald, includes many previously unpublished photographs of Glasgow and its denizens from local newspaper archives, and allows readers to view the Dear Green Place at the height of its power in the 19th century. msmith@thenational.ae
