This city is changing, and a lot...
Glasgow is one of those cities that are defined by opposition: Madrid versus Barcelona, Tel Aviv versus Jerusalem, and… **Glasgow versus Edinburgh.**
this battle, traditionally, it has lost it. It has had worse publicity campaigns or fewer monuments than Edinburgh, which has drawn visitors and their praise. Although, luckily and for cosmic and traveling justice, this is changing.
The former second city of the British Empire has never been a destination of first choice. It is a city to which you travel when you already have many stamps in your passport or when a ticket is found at a good price.
His challenge lies in vindicating himself and distancing himself from comparisons with Edinburgh. He's on it. She has enough personality not to need her sister "the beautiful one".
Also, it's so much more fun. Let's not forget the fun factor: trips are to stimulate us and make us have a good time. If not, they are useless.
Let's review some of the attractions of Glasgow.
Take a good look at it, because you didn't plan to visit it
ENERGY. When you travel to Glasgow, because you will travel (we take responsibility for it), you will hear a word often. It is energy, energy. And there is another one that repeats itself: vibe, which can be translated as 'vibe, atmosphere'.
The Scots have a tremendous accent, but these two you will understand. Says Jim Hamilton, a well-known interior designer from the Graven studio during the presentation of his latest work, an attic in the hotel The Principal Blythswood Square Hotel .
This gentleman, affable and talkative, like all the locals, expresses it this way: “Edinburgh is historic, beautiful, the economic center. Glasgow has the energy, the vibe."
Here appears the famous duel between cities and the two little words of yore. You will hear them more times. But why? Let's move on to the next point, which explains something.
**THE UNIVERSITY.** Glasgow is a university town. This means that there is an entire ecosystem dedicated to learning and enjoying. She was born in 1451 and is the fourth oldest of all English speakers. In addition, it appears very well placed in the world rankings. This makes her a place highly desired by students and teachers from all over the world.
The University that attracts students and teachers from all over the world
Its main campus is, at the same time, in nature and in the city. Its central building, designed by Gilbert Scott in neogothic style, it is one of the most symbolic of Glasgow. There are guided tours (the cloister is spectacular) and many leisure and cultural options in the surroundings.
In the same university is one of the most interesting museums in the area, The Hunterian , which includes the Mackintosh House ; but we'll go back to Mackintosh.
Very close, in the heart of the West End, is also the street Byres Road and surroundings, a key leisure spot, where we will also stop.
In the university area you can also take an excellent brunch, which DJ Calvin Harris said was the "best breakfast in the world". The place is called Stravagin and you should try a Bloody Mary there anytime on your trip. Strolling between stone buildings, surrounded by greenery reminds us of Oxford, Harvard or Georgetown. We are not wrong because…
GLASGOW LOOKS A LOT LIKE THE UNITED STATES. The guides do not warn you about this and it surprises you when you arrive. The steep slopes They make us believe that we are in San Francisco. There are downtown areas that, due to the alleys, remind us of those in the lower Manhattan. Industrial buildings take us to TRIBECA and the University to any of the Ivy League. There is even a building, the Beresford, built in 1938 and a great Art Deco work in the city, which takes us to Miami Beach.
Is it San Francisco? Nope! it's glasgow
These associations are not only thought of by us: we also the film producers who have transferred some films and series there located in the United States to be able to shoot at better prices without compromising aesthetics.
An example was World Word Z, starring Brad Pitt who has a special relationship with the city because of his love of architecture. And this brings us to one of his favorite sons (from Glasgow, not Brad Pitt). We talk about… Charles Rennie Mackintosh.
MACKINTOSH, MAN OF THE TIME. This year marks the 150 birth anniversary of this designer, architect and artist. It is one of the most important symbols of the city (with permission from Belle and Sebastian, Franz Ferdinand, Simple Minds, Primal Scream or Texas).
Glasgow throws itself into this macro-birthday that it will celebrate until the end of the year with exhibitions, guided tours, events and reopenings. Mackintosh, with his particular style that crosses Scottish traditions, Art Deco and Eastern aesthetics, remains relevant and modern.
In the Mackintosh year until hotels have their own cocktails inspired by him. Worth a visit is the ** Principal Grand Central Hotel ,** which still recalls the splendor of the city around 1900, and taste any of its rose-inspired menu, one of the most Mackintoshian motifs.
In the Mackintosh year, The Lighthouse is one of the visits of the moment
Anecdote aside, any trip to Glasgow includes a visit to one or more works by Mackintosh.
Can be The Lighthouse , a curious lighthouse in a landlocked city that was one of his first works and houses today, in addition to the tower from which the city can be seen. the Center for Design and Architecture and the Mackintosh Center or Mack Center.
Wave Mackintosh House , already mentioned. This house reproduces the home of the Mackintosh , Rennie and Margaret Macdonalds, also an artist; it's like sneaking into his life. There you can see the charisma of his designs.
We can also go to Kelvingrove Museum , one of the most visited in the United Kingdom that hosts the world's largest collection (on display) of pieces. This year it celebrates, until August 14, the exhibition: Charles Rennie Mackintosh: Making the Glasgow Style . The number of people who visit it gives clues to the city's connection with the designer.
without detracting from the rest, the most interesting visit to Mackintosh is one that cannot be made. It is what leads us to Glasgow School of Art , his masterpiece.
Glasgow School of Art
The school was destroyed by fire in 2014 and, in full rehabilitation, when it was about to be completed, a new fire, even worse, has destroyed it. This has been two weeks ago and the city is still in shock. It is not possible to visit the school, but the modern school building where there is a lot of information about it and, in addition, a store that sells the work of the students who have taken over the area.
To get to know the spirit of the students of Glasgow we can eat at ** Singl-End , a very relaxed vegetarian restaurant,** like everything else in the city. Nearby is also the ** hotel Dakota **, one of the most recent and which has a curious bar. The Jack´s Bar is decorated with photos of characters with that name: Jack Nicholson or JFK. It is a pleasant and secluded place to have a drink at the end of the day.
No matter which Mack visit we choose, there is room for Mackintosh on every trip to Glasgow because this city is linked to good design and good architecture. And here we jump to the next point.
GLASGOW, ARCHDESTINE. First, a little history. This city lived a moment of splendor at the beginning of the 20th century , when it was the sixth city in Europe. Ships such as the Queen Mary or the Queen Elizabeth, from Cunard, were built here, and tobacco and cotton factories, sugar factories, and coal and iron mines were built here.
This brought wealth to the city and that is still perceived in the stately buildings of Merchant City or George Square. That industry declined and Glasgow entered a much more depressed era reaching its lowest point with the crisis of the 70s , when no one wanted to step on it.
It was in the 90s when it began to reinvent itself as a city of services and to go back In 1999 she was elected Capital of Architecture and Design in the United Kingdom . This meant an injection of resources and energy (here we have the famous word) and, once again, the city woke up.
Today, Glasgow is a major center for urban art, It has one of the best art schools in Europe (the aforementioned Glasgow School of Art) and buildings signed by superstar architects.
Foster and Partners, for example, signs two that are neighbors. The SEC Armadillo (El Armadillo) is an amphitheater built in 1997 and functions as a convention center. Next to him is the SSE Hydro Sand , an oval that is inspired by the shipyard tradition of the city and today is a macro space for concerts and events. Music is important in defining this city.
Another great archivist is the Riverside Museum , a work by Zaha Hadid that, like those of Foster, is also part of the contemporary silhouette of the city. The three buildings are where two rivers, the Kelvin and the Clyde, meet. This brings us to the next chapter.
Glasgow is a very river city
GLASGOW, RIVER CITY. Glasgow lives facing the river clyde , which articulates the city. Its two shores are full of life. In the zone Finnieston , in the old Docklands, take place these contemporary experiments , where the latest architecture is found; also here they have been installed experimental restaurants and interesting shops.
It is the place that the hotel has chosen Radisson Red to settle down. This seal of hotels, social, connected with your time, opened last May. It has stirred up the city for two reasons: by being located in an area where no hotel dared and by having the terrace and the bar that everyone wants to go to.
The Radisson Red features bright rooms decorated with artwork by Frank Quitely, a deli breakfast, and details like a macro touch screen in the lobby to take selfies.
Its rooftop bar is the most desired in the city. Serves exquisite cocktails (in the UK cocktail culture is powerful) , offers unusual views over the Clyde and the great architectural icons of the city and is full at any time . At this point we link to one of Glasgow's best kept secrets.
Little is said about how fun its people are
IT IS A VERY, BUT VERY, LIVELY CITY. Nor does anyone tell you before schedules in Glasgow are similar to the Spanish. You can have lunch at 2:30 p.m., have a long chat and be in a full restaurant at 10:30 p.m.
This does not guarantee having a good time, but it gives the clue that the locals are not distressed people who only eat to nourish themselves . It's not a bad track. This is a city of people with slow meals and long after-dinner conversations. Then we will see what they eat and drink and where they do it.
The social life of the city is divided into two axes: Argyle Road and Byres Road. These are the areas to go out for a drink, sit on a terrace, meet friends for dinner and go shopping.
In both areas there are 'substreets' or lanes. It's about some narrow streets that have been rehabilitated and filled with small shops, vintage stores, tea rooms and craft spaces.
One worth a visit is Hidden Lane off Argyle Road , a community of up to a hundred artists who managed to save this alley from being demolished .
another interesting place The Bars . It's a 1930s market Converted into a leisure place that has quite an atmosphere although it is not in the center-centre. It does not matter, in Glasgow everything is close. The restaurant is in The Barras A'Challtainn (do not try to pronounce it) in which it is served Delicious local fish and seafood. The decoration is too. Let's order a plate of linguine with prawns and chili and go to the next point.
Delicious local fish and seafood
GASTROGLASGOW . No one travels to Glasgow to eat. However, once there, the traveler realizes that It eats much better than I expected. Perhaps because he did not expect anything, which is one of the advantages of going to Glasgow: that all are surprises.
There has never been a very sophisticated food scene, but that is changing. There are imaginative places, with personality and wanting to review the local cuisine.
One of the best known is Six by Nico. This restaurant is the project of Nico Simeon , which raises something very unique. He changes the menu every six weeks and during this period he only serves one menu, which also has a single theme that is always related to a memory. Ultimately it was Willy Wonka. The food is delicious, the atmosphere is relaxed and the price is affordable (six courses for 28 pounds).
opposite is The Gannet , which is considered one of the best restaurants in the city. Here you come to eat. It is the favorite restaurant of many locals and they repeat it as many times as necessary. Despite the good level of cooking this is also a relaxed place where no one ever seems to be in a hurry.
A must is A Ubiquitous Chip . Located on Ashton Lane, one of those little streets we mentioned. It is a charismatic place where you can even eat well. In this brasserie with a central courtyard, Somewhat elaborate local ingredients and it's always packed. Almost every traveler who lands in Glasgow ends up passing through here.
The great thing about Glasgow is that we don't have a mental image of it that we have to conform to. We went to her relaxed, without expectations. For this reason, everything good in the city catches us by surprise. Glasgow reminds us how much we still have to see, to learn and to travel.
One of the best restaurants in town