Travel guide to Glasgow, Britain

The third largest city in Great Britain, Glasgow is the industrial capital of Scotland. In addition to its traditional shipbuilding and tobacco industries and colorful 200-year history, it also has a long university tradition dating back to 1450. The University's art gallery is one of the finest in Scotland. Opera lovers will be fascinated by the superb Scottish Opera Company, performing at Glasgow's Theatre Royal.

This earthy and at the same time spirited city is well-known for its variety, lively atmosphere and vibrant night-life, being one of the most cosmopolitan destinations in Europe. The city was reborn as an example of splendid Victorian architecture, and became a center of style and vitality.

Glasgow boasts world-renowned art collections, and most of the galleries and museums have free admission. There are over twenty of them, including the world's first Museum of Religion, the renowned Burrel Collection and the contemporary Gallery of Modern Art. In Glasgow, each and every gallery, library and hotel seems to be a historical landmark or exhibition. Don't make the mistake of missing the Museum of the Barrens, containing historical exhibits from a five-county area, a doll collection and a genealogical library. Antique and craft shops are stocked with unique crafts, furniture and collectibles.

No visit to Glasgow would be complete without seeing Scotland's unique Art Nouveau style. Charles Rennie Mackintosh, considered the best local architect, constructed attractions such as The Lighthouse, the Glasgow School of Art and the House of an Art Lover.

Glasgow is very proud of its Scottish heritage, and shows it every year at the Glasgow Highland Games, in which people from all over the world participate.

Glasgow is known to be the best shopping center in the United Kingdom, outside London. The High Street stores, designer labels and specialty outlets with welcome pit - shops in the first-class café culture around the Italian Center, Merchant Square and others are an outstanding experience, even for the fussiest customers.

As a Victorian city, Glasgow was a sandstone city, drawing some of the best building stone from outcrops immediately below the built-up area. The introduction of stone from Stirlingshire, Ayrshire and County Durham saw a variety of colors and textures. In recent years, exotic foreign granites have been added to the native Scottish stones, so a full range of rock types and something like a world tour confront visitors as they walk down Glasgow streets, truly making it a destination that deserves your attention.