Join us for this private half day tour of Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city. Let your professional Blue Badge Guide lead you through the best of Glasgow, see how the city changed from an industrial hub to a cultural centre of the North. Together we’ll explore the city’s famous places, such as the Necropolis, St Mungo’s Cathedral, George Square and of course the world famous Duke of Wellington statue, complete with his traffic cone! This tour is a fantastic taster of what Glasgow has to offer for both tourists and locals alike.
Welcome to this beautiful Kirk. Don’t be puzzled by this word, as you can probably guess, Kirk is another word for a church. More than a Church in fact, a Cathedral dedicated to the patron of the city, St Mungo. This is the oldest building in the city, as well as the oldest Cathedral in mainland Scotland, let your guide point out the many hidden treasures.
Over 50 thousand people are buried here at Glasgow Necropolis. The cemetery was established in the 19th century as the result of a new law, which allowed to burials to be performed for profit. Most graves are unmarked as was common practise, however it also home to some stunning tombs, monuments and mausoleums some belonging to famous names.
Originally built in the late 1700’s with around 100 beds, the Royal has grown to into one of Scotlands largest teaching hospitals with space for around 1000 patients. Over the years some extraordinary people have worked here, paving the way for modern medicine, let your guide introduce you to a few.
Now we’re transported back in time to the 15th century, this “auld hoose” is one of only four surviving medieval buildings in Glasgow. It is believed to have been built for the master of the nearby hospital, today it houses a fantastic museum. Step inside and imagine what life was like over 500 hundred years ago.
Making our way west towards the city centre leads us into Glasgow’s learning quarter, home to several of the cities colleges and universities. With students making up around 20% of Glasgows residents its hard not to notice their influence on the city, you don’t have to look far to see the many bars, restaurants and venues that cater to students. The city is not just centred on nightlife though. Glasgow was City of culture in 1990 thanks to its many museums, galleries and live events. 30 years later that trend continues, the European Commission recognised it as the cultural and creative capital of the UK.
As the name suggests this area used to be the cities trading hub, tobacco, sugar and tea were popular commodities in the 18th century. Scattered amongst the warehouses for goods were some fantastic grand houses, owned by the Merchant Lords. Today you can still find many of these impressive buildings but now they host shops, restaurants, boutiques and galleries.
Next we approach one of the most iconic sights in Glasgow, its hard to imagine the Duke of Wellington without a traffic cone on his head now! For many years the council removed the cone, only to find another one in place the following day. The 18th Century Neoclassical building hiding behind Wellington and his cone, is the gallery of modern art. Home to contemporary pieces from artists such as David Hockney and Andy Warhol, the gallery also many temporary exhibits.
Named after George III, this is the main square in the city. Lets walk around and admire some of the statues, from Queen Victoria, to Scotland’s own famous poet Robert Burns. The square has played host to many events over the years from commonwealth games medal ceremonies and political protests to the set for Hollywood movies.
This is the one of the main shopping streets in Glasgow and ranks as the sixth most expensive street for property rental in the UK. Named after Andrew Buchanan, one of the Tobacco Lords, who operated from the Merchant City. Glasgow was recently named the UK’s second best shopping destination, with the variety on offer before you it’s not hard to see why!
Built in the late 19th century, this was once one of Glasgow’s most prestigious hotels, hosting guests such as Winston Churchill and Frank Sinatra. In 1927 a new world record was set as John Logie Baird transmitted Television pictures from London, some 438 miles (705km) away, to the Central Hotel.
As we come towards the end of our tour, we reach the oldest park in the city. Today we would expect to meet dog walkers, runners or maybe see children playing. In the past if we’d have faced a very different sight, a swampy area used for grazing animals, drying fishing nets or bleaching linen. Over the years the green has been saved, by public vote, from several attempts to mine coal under its surface. Finally in 2014, as part of the legacy of the Commonwealth Games, the future of the space was safeguarded for public recreation.
The price for your group is £404
Grand central Hotel
99 Gordon St, Glasgow G2 6QB, UK
Mon – Sun 9:00am, 2:00pm
Your Guide will meet you outside at the entrance of Grand Central Hotel, next to the Firefighter statue. Your Guide will be holding a sign showing the lead customer name.
