ESCÓCIA
GLASGOW
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third largest in the United Kingdom, although as an Urban Area only the fifth most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country’s West Central Lowlands.
HOTELS & RESORTS
ABODE HOTEL GLASGOW
There are 59 bedrooms, rated Comfortable, Desirable, Enviable and Fabulous. Bedrooms have been designed with a sense of luxury and relaxation so the guest can enjoy an ideal night’s sleep, and wake up refreshed and rejuvenated. Bedrooms at all levels are well-equipped: trademark ABode features include Vi-Spring beds; bathrooms; luxury toiletries; personal DVD players and state-of-the-art LCD televisions.
HOTEL DU VIN AND BISTRO
Excellent vintage Hotel.
It’s not every day you get to lie in a bubble bath big enough for four, with a glass of champagne in one hand and the remote control for the plasma-screen TV in the other. But then it’s not every day you get to stay in a suite (with its own sauna, Jacuzzi, gym and, er, putting machine) whose four-poster bed has previously been graced by George Clooney, Pavarotti, Kylie and Robbie Williams, to name but a few.
The price: From £155 for a night in a club room.
GRASSHOPERS HOTEL GLASGOW
Scandinavian styling, Caledonian oak floors, Italian lighting – it may sound like an architectural pick and mix but this new Central Station-side hotel is sleek, stylish, and budget-friendly.
GALLERIES
BYRES ROAD
Byres Road is a mixed commercial, shopping and upmarket residential area consisting largely of traditional sandstone tenements with retail premises on the ground floor and three floors of residential flats above. Its proximity to the University of Glasgow has meant that the surrounding West End of Glasgow is very bohemian, with a large student, academic and artistic population that includes Alasdair Gray, whose mural and ceiling paintings adorn the Ubiquitous Chip and the Oran Mor bars.
Stretching from Great Western Road at the Botanic Gardens in the north to Dumbarton Road at Partick Cross in the south, the road originally ran through a relatively rural area called the Byres of Partick (also known as Bishop’s Byres). The oldest pub in the area is the 17th century Curler’s, originally sited beside a pond used for curling and, legend has it, given a seven-day licence by King Charles II. The legend, ‘Victoria Cross’, on premises at the junction of Byres Road and Dowanside Road recalls a later attempt to rename the street Victoria Road (In the 1891 Census it is marked as Victoria Street) in honour of Queen Victoria. The plans were cancelled following objections by the residents.
Nearby lanes and by-ways, notably Ashton Lane, have benefited from the business of Byres Rd and now contain a variety of small businesses from tapas bars to second-hand record stores.
The North end of Byres Road is served by Hillhead station of the Glasgow Subway, while the southern end is closer to Kelvinhall on Dumbarton Road.
BUCHANAN GALLERIES
Buchanan Galleries shopping centre is in the middle of Glasgow city centre, a city recognised as one of the top retail destinations in the UK. Home to John Lewis in Glasgow, and have over 90 of the best retail names under our roof, from retail giants to small independents.
Buchanan Galleries is owned by Buchanan Partnership, a joint venture between Henderson Global Investors and Land Securities. The centre is managed by Savills.
SAUCHIEHALL STREET
Sauchiehall Street is a name unique to Glasgow and yet known well beyond the city limits. It’s a long street by Glasgow standards and was renowned for its department stores, hotels, cinemas, restaurants and tearooms as well as art galleries and a range of smaller businesses. Much of the street is situated on a hillside that was probably once moorland, parts of which may have been wooded and others later cultivated. The sauchie haugh or willow meadow from which the street derives its name was probably a low-lying area located near what would later become Charing Cross. The development of Sauchiehall Street was part of the westward growth of the city spurred by the desire of wealthy merchants to own property on the outskirts.
RESTAURANTS
WHERE THE MONKEY SLEEPS
This coffee and sandwich shop vibrates to a soundtrack of vintage heavy metal, rather than Norah Jones or Katie Melua – and its lovingly assembled menu is equally different. The “kurgan” (a regularly changing special) might be a Newcastle Brown ale moistened burger with mature cheddar, or a bagel of fish fingers, chorizo, homemade pea puree and tartare sauce. Steak II sandwich was excellent: tender medium-rare steak, with a punchy farmhouse cheddar and spicy red onion chutney
FIFI & ALLY
Located in the upmarket Princes Square shopping arcade, this one-time lifestyle store – now just a daytime cafe – offers refuge to Glasgow’s shopped-out middle class parents and their designer-clad kids. It’s all very stylish in a rather sterile and predictable way, but the kitchen shines. There are good quality sharing boards, soups and salads with an emphasis on fine Scottish produce. A self-assembly bagel arrives with a mound of robustly flavoured hot smoked Salar salmon and a generous pot of zingy fresh cream cheese.
DESIGN CENTERS
MERCHANT CITY AREA
Merchant City is a local enterprise initiative company supported by funds from Scottish Enterprise and local businesses in the neighbourhood of Glasgow’s Merchant City.
Glasgow’s historic and ancient heart THE MERCHANT CITY is seconds from the bustle of Glasgow’s busy shopping precincts, Buchanan Street and Argyle Street. An oasis of stately architecture, it offers laid back shopping, dining and cultural pursuits.
One of the oldest quarters of Glasgow and the cultural heart of the city, the area is characterised by buzzing bars, luxury apartments, tenement flats, award winning restaurants, design shops and artist galleries. Each street offers a variety of interests for every pocket and taste
GREAT WESTERN ROAD
The majority of shops on the Great Western Road are independent outlets making this a great place to track down a few original items. Lifestyle store Galletly & Tubbs is stacked with art, one-off furniture pieces and attractive things to adorn your mantlepiece. Timorous Beasties, across the road, is design duo Alistair McAuley and Paul Simmons’ only shop in the UK. Felix and Oscar is great for gifts, with shelves full of Alessi and Kath Kidston products and handmade Shetland soaps. For a vintage clothes rummage, visit Watermelon with rails of second-hand treasures to sift through – pick up a Lily Allen-style prom dress for next to nothing.
MUSEUMS
THE BURRELL COLLECTION
The Burrell Collection is an art collection in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated in Pollok Country Park on the south side of the city.
The eclectic collection was acquired over many years by Sir William Burrell, a wealthy Glaswegian shipping magnate and art collector, who then gifted it to the city of Glasgow Corporation in 1944. The gift was made on the condition that the collection was to be housed in a building 16 miles (26 km) from the centre of Glasgow, to show the works to their greatest advantage, and to avoid the damaging effects of air pollution at the time. The trustees spent over 20 years trying to find a suitable ‘home’ for the collection, one which met all the criteria set out in the Trust Deed, without success. Eventually, when the Pollok Estate was gifted to the city in 1967, the Trustees had certain terms of the deed waived, which allowed the current site, 3 miles (5 km) from the city centre and within the city boundaries, to be chosen for the collection.
THE HUNTERIAN MUSEUM
Founded in 1807, The Hunterian is Scotland’s oldest public museum and home to one of the largest collections outside the National Museums. The Hunterian is one of the leading university museums in the UK and its collections have been Recognised as a Collection of National Significance. It is one of Scotland’s most important cultural assets.
Built on Dr William Hunter’s founding bequest, The Hunterian collections include scientific instruments used by James Watt, Joseph Lister and Lord Kelvin; outstanding Roman artefacts from the Antonine Wall; major natural and life sciences holdings; Hunter’s own extensive anatomical teaching collection; one of the world’s greatest numismatic collections; impressive ethnographic objects from Captain Cook’s Pacific voyages and a major art collection.
The Hunterian continues in its Age on Enlightenment mission to be a central resource for research and teaching in the arts, humanities and natural and medical sciences, attracting scholars and visitors from around the world.
SHOWROOMS
KING TUT’S WAH WAH HUT
King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, also known as King Tut’s, is a live music venue and bar on St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Scotland. It is owned and managed by Glasgow-based gig promoters DF Concerts. With a capacity of only 300, King Tut’s intimate atmosphere has helped it win many awards in its relatively short history including the title of “Best Live Venue” in the UK from Radio 1 in 2002. The live music venue also serves food, and features a monthly comedy night which has seen comedians like Phil Kay, Lynn Ferguson and Fred MacAulay perform. King Tut’s also holds a 1AM license, allowing performances to go on much later than most other music venues in Glasgow.
The Glasgow live music venue takes its name from a club in New York, which hosted music, comedy and performing arts events in the 80s.
CELTIC PARK
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, and is the home ground of Celtic Football Club. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,355, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the seventh-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford, the Olympic Stadium (London), Twickenham, Wembley and the Millennium Stadium. It is commonly known by Celtic fans as either Parkhead or Paradise.
COUNTRY CLUB LIVING
GLASGOW BOTANIC GARDENS
Glasgow Botanic Gardens is an Arboretum and public park located in the West End of Glasgow, Scotland. It features several glasshouses, the most notable of which is the Kibble Palace. The gardens were created in 1817, and run by the Royal Botanic Institution of Glasgow (founded by Thomas Hopkirk of Dalbeth), and were intended to supply the University of Glasgow. William Hooker was regius professor of botany at Glasgow University, and contributed to the development of the Botanic Gardens before his appointment to the directorship of Kew Gardens in London. The gardens were originally used for concerts and other events, and in 1891 the gardens were incorporated in to the Parks and Gardens of the City of Glasgow.
The site was once served by a railway line, and Botanic Gardens Railway Station remains today in a derelict state as a remarkable example of a disused station. It is hidden behind some trees and a metal fence blocks access to the platforms. Kirklee railway station also lies just inside the gardens.
THE BUFF CLUB
Funk, soul, disco and northern soul club hidden away from the neon student filled barns on Sauciehall Street. Always has a fantastic atmosphere with a very diverse clientele and it’s just the right side of sleazy for a great night.
LUXURY PROPERTIES
THE HOUSE FOR AN ART LOVER
The House for an Art Lover is a building based on a design produced in 1901 by Charles Rennie Mackintosh with his wife, Margaret MacDonald. The building is situated in Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, Scotland. Construction began in 1989 and the house was finally opened to the public in 1996. Mackintosh’s original designs were interpreted and realised by John Kane and Graeme Robertson (up to 1990) under Andrew MacMillan, with contributions by many contemporary artists. Original portfolio designs are displayed in each room to allow comparisons.
The house was originally designed for an ideas competition set by the German design magazine Zeitschrift für Innendekoration for a “Haus eines Kunstfreundes” (Art Lover’s House). Despite disqualification due to late entry, the portfolio was awarded a prize for “pronounced personal quality, novel and austere form and the uniform configuration of interior and exterior”.
CELEBRITY HOMES
THE BURRELL COLLECTION
The Burrell Collection is an art collection in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated in Pollok Country Park on the south side of the city.
The eclectic collection was acquired over many years by Sir William Burrell, a wealthy Glaswegian shipping magnate and art collector, who then gifted it to the city of Glasgow Corporation in 1944.[1] The gift was made on the condition that the collection was to be housed in a building 16 miles (26 km) from the centre of Glasgow, to show the works to their greatest advantage, and to avoid the damaging effects of air pollution at the time. The trustees spent over 20 years trying to find a suitable ‘home’ for the collection, one which met all the criteria set out in the Trust Deed, without success. Eventually, when the Pollok Estate was gifted to the city in 1967, the Trustees had certain terms of the deed waived, which allowed the current site, 3 miles (5 km) from the city centre and within the city boundaries, to be chosen for the collection.
ART SHOWS
GLASGOW FILM FESTIVAL
Glasgow Film Festival is co-curated by the film fanatics at Glasgow Film Festival and the music buffs at The Arches, and celebrates the long, strange and wonderful relationship between music and cinema with an exciting programme of performances, rockumentaries, live soundtrack events and AV explorations.
Glasgow Youth Film Festival is Europe’s most innovative film festival for young audiences. GYFF is selected by a team of young programmers aged 15–21, their 2013 programme comes complete with an exciting line-up of film previews, workshops and special events.
SWG3
SWG3 is a multi-discipline arts facility, providing studio space to a community of over 120 creative practitioners including but not exclusive to visual artists, curators, photographers, performance artists, musicians & dancers. The building also produces a visual art exhibition program and a live music and electronic music events program.
POINTS of INTEREST.
GLASGOW SCHOOL ART
Founded in 1845 as the Glasgow Government School of Design, it changed its name to The Glasgow School of Art in 1853. Initially it was located at 12 Ingram Street, but in 1869 it moved to the McLellan Galleries. In 1897, work started on a new building to house the school on Renfrew Street. The building was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, chosen for the commission by the school’s director, Francis Newbery, who oversaw a period of expansion and fast-growing reputation. The first half of the building was completed in 1899 and the second half in 1909.
The school has produced most of Scotland’s leading contemporary artists including, since 2005, 29% of Turner Prize nominees and three recent Turner Prize winners: Simon Starling in 2005, Richard Wright in 2009 and Martin Boyce in 2011. The School of Architecture is highly rated by the architecture profession ranked the top school in Scotland and top five in the UK and top ten in the world by the Architects’ Journal and Graduate Architecture respectively.
CATEDRAL of GLASGOW
The first stone built Glasgow Cathedral was dedicated in the presence of King David I in 1136. The present building was consecrated in 1197. Since that same period the Cathedral has never been unroofed and the worship of God has been carried out within its walls for more than 800 years.
The splendid achievements of the architects and builders of those far off days can be studied and admired. Not everything, however, is old and the Cathedral has one
of the finest post-war collections of stained glass windows to be found in Britain.
The Cathedral has a regular and active congregation, and no visitor should leave the city without making a visit.
Unusually, the church is Crown property and is cared for by Historic Scotland on behalf of Scottish Ministers. Historic Scotland have written a souvenir guidebook, and
provide expert interpretation to help bring the medieval Cathedral to life – after all, this is the best preserved example of a large church to have survived from the medieval period in Scotland.
