Glasgow

Scotland’s largest city is a thrilling hub of creativity, the birthplace of such eclectic talents as Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Billy Connolly, with a palpable energy to its Celtic tinged culture that ripples through the grand Georgian and Victorian streets. It is a dynamic and diverse metropolis, where the new forest of glass and steel reflects medieval cathedrals, and 19th century merchant houses vie for attention with avant garde creations. This wealth of architecture is home to world-class galleries and museums, chic cafés and stylish restaurants, as well as what the famously stylish Glaswegians insist is the finest choice of shops in the UK outside London. Glasgow did not even have a tourist office until the 1980s, but the ‘Glasgow’s Smiles Better’ campaign in 1983 and European City of Culture in 1990 propelled it into the spotlight and today the self-styled ‘Scotland with Style’ is emerging as one of Europe’s hottest city break destinations. The Commonwealth Games in 2014 marks yet another milestone in this thrilling city's remarkable rebirth, with the year also seeing the city become a hub of Homecoming Scotland 2014 and host the MTV Music Awards, making it arguably the biggest year in Glasgow's history.

Cool Places aims to celebrate the glorious diversity of the UK, promoting the very best places to visit, sleep, eat, drink, shop and much more. We particularly love the independent businesses that make the UK unique, from the tiniest B&B to the grandest boutique hotel, as well as the extraordinary British landscape and its amazing sights and attractions. Our guides cover most of the major towns and regions of Britain – for more information, visit www.coolplaces.co.uk