Things to Do in Glasgow

A self-guided walking route around the city centre and Merchant City, featuring over 30 large-scale murals by local and international artists. Highlights include the 'Smiley' by Smug on High Street and 'St Mungo' on Mitchell Street.

🕐 Accessible 24/7; best viewed in daylight

💡 Start at the City Chambers in George Square – there's a free downloadable map on the council website. Go early on a weekday to avoid crowds in alleys. The murals change regularly, so some you saw online might be gone – part of the fun.

One of Scotland's finest medieval buildings, a largely 13th-century cathedral with stunning Gothic architecture and a crypt dating from the 1100s. It sits on the site of St Mungo's original church.

🕐 Mon-Sat 09:30-17:00, Sun 13:00-17:00 (closes 16:00 in winter)

💡 Combine your visit with a walk through the adjacent Glasgow Necropolis – a Victorian cemetery with fantastic city views and no entry fee.

A 37-acre Victorian cemetery laid out in the 1830s, with over 50,000 burials and hundreds of elaborate monuments. It's essentially an outdoor sculpture park and offers sweeping views over the cathedral and city centre.

🕐 Daily 07:00-16:30 (gates lock an hour later)

💡 It's steep in places – wear sturdy shoes. The best views are from the top around the John Knox statue. Benches are scarce, so bring a compact picnic if you want to linger.

The city's oldest public park, dating from the 15th century. It's a large open space with the People's Palace museum, the Doulton Fountain (the world's largest terracotta fountain), and sports pitches.

🕐 Open 24 hours daily

💡 On a sunny weekend, grab food from a nearby deli and sit on the grass near the fountain. The People's Palace museum inside the park is free and tells Glasgow's social history well – its Winter Gardens glasshouse is a surprisingly good spot for a cuppa.

A vast civic museum and art gallery with 22 themed galleries, displaying everything from natural history specimens to Old Masters. The building itself is a striking red sandstone landmark.

🕐 Mon-Thu & Sat 10:00-17:00, Fri & Sun 11:00-17:00

💡 Pop into the cafe on the ground floor for decent coffee and cakes. The organ recital at 1pm daily (except Sundays) is a free bonus.