The City of Glasgow
Access to the great outdoors
http://www.visitscotland.com/
Very few cities can combine an exciting urban agenda with such easy access to the outdoors. Glasgow's exceptional location means you are just 25 minutes from the Clyde coast and 40 minutes from Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and routes to the Highlands and the Cairngorms. You will have access to some of the best hillwalking, climbing, sailing and golf in the world and, in the right conditions, skiing and snowboarding slopes are within three hours' drive. Closer to home, the city boasts over 80 parks and green spaces.
Architecture
Glasgow boasts a medieval cathedral, an exquisite Georgian square and the finest collection of Victorian civic architecture in the UK. Add to this the unique style of Charles Rennie Mackintosh combined with the ultra-modern Armadillo of the Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre and Glasgow Tower and you have a city proud of its heritage but with a firm foot in the new century.
Culture
Glasgow has a range of cultural choice which outranks many a capital city. The Scottish Opera, the Scottish Ballet, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra are all resident here; theatres include the famous Citizens', the Tron, the Arches and the Tramway as well as more traditional favourites such as the Theatre Royal, the Pavilion and the King's Theatre. Concert venues include the Scottish Exhibition & Conference Centre, the Royal Concert Hall and the newly-renovated City Halls and Fruitmarket - all internationally renowned venues in their own right. The city's artistic community is also thriving, with Douglas Gordon and Jim Lambie both recent prizewinners.
Festivals
Only 48 minutes from Edinburgh by train, access to our neighbour's International and Fringe Festivals couldn't be easier. But Glasgow's own festivals are up-and-coming in their own right and are increasingly making a name for themselves around the world. These include: the Glasgow International Comedy Festival, the International Festival of Contemporary Visual Art, Celtic Connections Folk Festival, the International Jazz Festival, Glasgay and the West End Festival... in fact, it is rare for a month to go by without something happening.
Food
With its richly diverse and multicultural population, Glasgow supports all types of cuisine. You can quite literally eat your way round the world in Glasgow as the city's café culture espouses the very latest trends in global cuisine, from the style and sushi bars of the Merchant City to the restaurants and brasseries in the hip West End, all celebrated annually in Gourmet Glasgow week.
Nightlife
Glasgow has one of the liveliest club, pub and live music scenes outside London. The city is home to venues which include King Tut's Wah Wah Hut - the launch pad for major acts such as Oasis, Mogwai, Snow Patrol and Travis and the 13th Note Club and Café which has nurtured local talents Belle and Sebastian, Bozilla, Franz Ferdinand, Keane and the Delgados. Other venues include the famous Barrowlands Ballroom, the ABC and Carling Academy.
People
Glaswegians have a reputation for friendliness and always providing a warm welcome. Wherever you come from, you'll soon treat Glasgow as your second home.
Scenery and wildlife
In just a few hours' travel from Glasgow, you can find yourself in some of the world's most awe-inspiring landscapes and wild places. Scotland is home to some wonderful wildlife and, if you are patient enough, you can find whales, dolphins, porpoises, seals, red deer, golden eagles, sea eagles, ptarmigan and otters.
Shopping
Glasgow's shops are renowned as the best in the UK outside London. You can stroll round the designer shops in Princes Square, succumb to temptation in Buchanan Galleries and Sauchiehall Street, visit the renowned Italian Centre in the Merchant City or sample local colour in the famous Barras market.
Sport
In Glasgow, sport is an important part of our culture. Home to Celtic and Rangers football clubs, as well as local team Partick Thistle, the city has facilities for all types of sport and will host the Commonwealth Games in 2014.