Local attractions

No visitor should miss out Glasgow Cathedral as part of their itinerary. At 5 minutes walk from Tartan Lodge, the present Glasgow Cathedral was consecrated in 1197 and has been an active place of worship for more than 800 years. Guided Tours are available during opening hours. Summer opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 9.30 to 5.30 and Sunday from 1.00 to 5.00 (April to September) Winter opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 9.30 to 4.30 and Sunday from 1.00 to 4.30 (October to March)

Adjacent to Glasgow Cathedral is the Saint Mungo Museum of Religious Life and Art, the world’s only public museum dedicated solely to the world’s religions. Like other public museums in Glasgow, entry to the museum is free of charge. The museum stages a programme of events throughout the year from family friendly activities to temporary exhibitions.

Grab a bargain or haggle with one of the market traders at the Barras Market in the east side of Central Glasgow, situated between Gallowgate and London Road. Scotland’s largest flea market, The Barras was established in the turn of the 20th century and has been part of Glasgow’s social history and culture since. You will find the usual bric-a-brac from second hand clothing to toys, games, fruit and veg and antiques. The Barras is easily accessible on foot from Tartan Lodge and is open every Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 to 5:00.

One of Glasgow’s few medieval houses is open to visitors. Built in 1471, The Provand’s Lordship is the oldest house in Glasgow and one of four medieval buildings to survive in modern day Glasgow. Originally part of a hospital in the Cathedral Precinct area of the city, The Provand’s Lordship is a beautifully preserved 15th century house exhibiting a fine collection of 17th century Scottish furniture. Spanning three floors, the rooms and interiors encapsulate the ambience of medieval Scotland between 1500 and 1700.

Housed in a former Grecian style townhouse that once belonged to wealthy Tobacco Merchant William Cunninghame of Laineshaw in the heart of the city centre, The Gallery of Modern Art opened its doors to the public in 1996 to showcase the city’s temporary art collection. The contemporary art collection encompasses a variety of media and artists from the 20th and 21st centuries such as works from David Hockney, Andy Warhol and from Scottish artists, namely Ken Currie and John Bellany.

Set in an architecturally stunning backdrop in the Merchant City, Glasgow’s cultural quarter, Merchant Square is home to mouth watering food, an array of great bars, a cool vibe and hosts an eclectic events calendar all year round. Set in Glasgow’s original fruit market between Albion Street and Candleriggs, Merchant Square is an authentically preserved indoor venue and one of Glasgow’s most vibrant cultural hotspots, lined with sophisticated bars, restaurants, quirky boutiques and cute little galleries.

The city’s oldest park dating back to 1450 when King James II donated land to Bishop Turnbull and the people of Glasgow, Glasgow Green comprises 136 acres of green space in the heart of Glasgow and is the focal point for many events such as the finishing point of the Great Scottish Run, The World Pipe Band Championships in August and Glasgow’s Annual Fireworks Display on Guy Fawkes Night (5th November).

The Glasgow Necropolis is a Victorian cemetery in Glasgow, Scotland. It is on a low but very prominent hill to the east of Glasgow Cathedral (St. Mungo's Cathedral). Fifty thousand individuals have been buried here. Typically for the period only a small percentage are named on monuments and not every grave has a stone. Approximately 3500 monuments exist here.

Glasgow Area

The Lighthouse, Scotland's first, dedicated, national centre for architecture and design, was opened by HM Queen Elizabeth in July 1999. The Lighthouse is the renamed £13 million ($20 million) conversion of Charles Rennie Mackintosh's 1895 Glasgow Herald newspaper office. The centre's vision is to develop the links between art, design and architecture, seeing these as interconnected social, educational, economic and cultural issues of concern to everyone. Since opening, the centre has welcomed over 700,000 visitors.

Built in 1856, the galleries are named after their builder, Archibald MacLellan. Following his death, Glasgow City Corporation bought the building, and it was used as an exhibition space. In the 1980s the galleries were ravaged by fire, but re-opened in 1990, following a £3 million restoration.

When Sir William Burrell and his wife, Constance, Lady Burrell, gifted his collection of over 9,000 works of art to Glasgow, the city acquired one of the greatest collections ever created by one person. William Burrell had been an art collector since his teens, and the collection is made up of a vast array of works of all periods and from all over the world.

The Riverside Museum is the new home to that Glasgow institution, the Museum of Transport. Being one of the most popular museums of transport in the British Isles for many years, it has it's new purpose-built home on the banks of the River Clyde. Designed by world-renowned architect Zaha Hadid, it houses many exhibits of national and international importance. The museum uses its collections of vehicles and models to tell the story of transport by land and sea, with a unique Glasgow flavour. Moored outside the Riverside is The Tall Ship 'Glenlee'.

Scotland Street School Museum presents the history of education in Scotland as a genuine school experience. The museum, designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh between 1903 and 1906, is also an essential destination for Mackintosh enthusiasts and all those interested in the history of design. At the museum you can learn the story of Scotland Street Public School and the developments in education in Scotland.

Glasgow Science Centre is one of the most exciting and challenging projects in Scotland in recent years. The centre aims to promote public awareness of the importance of science and technology.

One of the finest civic collections in Europe is housed within this Glasgow landmark. Here you can explore collections that include everything from fine and decorative arts to archaeology and the natural world. The number of individual items in the natural history department alone is vast.
Recently renovated it’s a great day out for all the family.

Pollok Estate has been the home of the Maxwell family since the mid -13th century. The current house is an impressive 18th century mansion, filled with wonderful collections of Spanish art, antique furniture, silverware and ceramics, and an impressive library. A visit to Pollok House offers a snapshot of life in a country house, yet is only minutes away from the city.

In 1783 William Hunter bequeathed his substantial and varied collections to the University of Glasgow. They were in his words “to be well and carefully packed up and safely conveyed to Glasgow and delivered to the Principal and Faculty of the College of Glasgow to whom I give and bequeath the same to be kept and preserved by them and their successors for ever.... in such sort, way, manner and form as .... shall seem most fit and most conducive to the improvement of the students of the said University of Glasgow”. And so it is.