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Nobody knows a city like the locals, so we've asked our team to make their recommendations of great places to visit, restaurants, walks and districts that might just be exactly what you're looking for!
"The best live music venue in the country?""For me (and a great many other people), there is no better live music venue than the famous Barrowlands (or the Barrowland Ballroom to give its formal title). It may not be the most glamorous of places but you'll find a great atmosphere, a bizarrely springy floor and excellent acoustics. The capacity is also small enough to feel like you're in a intimate gig but you'll see some of the biggest musical acts in the world here. Tickets tend to sell out pretty quickly so make sure you get yours early and you'll have a fantastic time."- Lesley-Ann, Marketing Manager " 'ello, 'ello, 'ello. What's all this then?""The City of Glasgow was the first in the world to have a police force and the well-hidden Glasgow Police Museum charts the history from the 1700's. There are all sorts of things to look at and the museum is staffed by volunteers who can answer almost any question about the police force that you care to ask! I took a couple of Australian police friends here (Victoria Police) and they particularly liked the collection of international uniforms."- Mary Scott, Deputy General Manager "Tunes and eats""Maggie May's is just round the corner from the Police Museum and is well known in the city for live music. Don't let that put you off if it's not your thing, the food in Maggie's Kitchen (at the back of the bar) is really tasty. If your group cannot agree on what type of food to eat go here - there is almost everything - with a particular emphasis on local produce."- Mary Scott, Deputy General Manager "Calories? What calories?""3 Steps 2 Heaven is an ice cream parlour located on Byres Road (opposite Hillhead subway station) in the West End of Glasgow and is a must for those with a sweet tooth and a love of ice cream. Offering a wide variety of ice cream flavours from vanilla through to Irn Bru (yes, Irn Bru flavoured ice cream!), the three steps to heaven comes in the form of their ‘Cold Stone Creation’ – you choose 2 flavours of ice cream, 2 toppings (the choice of toppings is endless – marshmallows, smarties, popcorn, jelly babies, fudge, blueberries…) and this is covered with a sauce of your choice (I went for the warm melted chocolate) – yummy! Just forget about the calories and enjoy! They also do a selection of cakes, teas, coffees etc."- Celia Hague, General Manager "A fun day for any football fan""As a Celtic supporter, it might seem a bit odd to recommend this, but I was recently dragged on a tour of the Rangers stadium, Ibrox and actually really enjoyed it. Highlights for me included visiting the manager’s office and dressing rooms – a fun day for any football fan!"- Donna O’Hanlon, Guest Service Manager "One for the beer lovers - West brewery, bar and restaurant" "Take a tour through the brewery sited in the famous Victorian Templeton Carpet Factory and sample beers brewed in accordance with the Reinheitsgebot, known as the German Purity Law. West serves simple, tasty food alongside a wide selection of European beers. Enjoy the live music including Jazz on Sunday afternoons or relax in the beer garden, if the weather allows!" - Amanda "A taste of Italy in Glasgow""Glasgow has a large Italian population and some fabulous, unpretentious restaurants for fans of pizza and pasta. My particular favourites are Qua in the Merchant City, Bella Napoli in the South Side and Sarti on Bath Street in the city centre."- Lesley-Ann, Marketing "Check out the Merchant City""For a wide selection of bars and restaurants head towards the fashionable Merchant City area of Glasgow just a five minute walk from the hotel. For cocktails, go to The Metropolitan in Merchant Square, for live music head to Blackfriars on Bell Street and for something a bit grander head to my personal favourite, Citation located in the former Sheriff Court building on Wilson Street. In terms of restaurants the Merchant City really does offer something for everyone, from Mongolian, Indian, Seafood, Scottish, Italian - the list goes on. To highlight a couple, Café Gandolfi on Albion Street is a Glasgow institution and deservedly so and Russian restaurant Cossachok (King Street) offers something a bit different. It certainly takes more than one evening to fully experience the delights of the Merchant City."- Celia Hague, General Manager "Follow the Clyde Heritage Trail" "The Holiday Inn Express is located just yards from the River Clyde so why not check out the Clyde Heritage Trail?Follow it in its entirety or stop off at a couple of key riverside places of interest such as Glasgow Green, a beautiful park and home to the People's Palace Museum, or the nearby Broomielaw where Glaswegians used to queue in their thousands to board the paddle steamers for their annual summer holiday to the Clyde coast's villages and islands. " - David Liddle, Sales Manager "The beautiful game up close""All three of Glasgow’s football stadiums offer a stadium tour – if you only have time for one I’d recommend visiting Scotland’s national stadium Hampden Park as it not only involves a tour of the stadium, but also access to the Scottish Football museum which is packed full of information on the history of the game in Scotland and the best bit – proving you have the best shot out of your friends by having the speed of your shot electronically measured!"Stephen Gray, Guest Service Assistant "Take time out to visit the West End" "Make time to explore Glasgow's West End, a thriving part of the city with an eclectic choice of restaurants, bars and shops as well as the world-famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. Hop on the Subway (locally known as the Clockwork Orange) at St. Enoch (just a few minutes walk from Holiday Inn Express Glasgow City Riverside) and get off at Kelvin Hall stop. Exit the Underground onto Dumbarton Road and turn left. Continue ahead for about 5 minutes and you'll see the breathtaking Kelvingrove Museum on the left hand side. Take the time to browse its many attractions for free or just enjoy the view! Walk along the Kelvin Way, a charming tree-lined boulevard, turning left at the end to walk up the hill alongside the stunning architecture of Glasgow University. Continue along the road until you reach Byres Road, the hub of West End life, and cross the road at the main junction to visit Glasgow institution Little Italy, a busy restaurant and takeaway, where you can grab a slice of pizza and watch the world go by. Hillhead Underground Station is just a few minutes further along Byres Road, but before making your way back to the City Centre pop into Ashton Lane for a choice of cool, buzzing bars and take in a movie at the Grosvenor Cinema." - Lesley-Ann, Marketing Manager "My pick for a great day out - The People's Palace and Winter Gardens""The People’s Palace is the social history museum for Glasgow located in Glasgow Green. Covering the period from 1750 to present day it tells the story of the city and its people. The museum has lots of interactive learning, films and historical artefacts; visit the “single end” and see how a 1930’s family lived in a one bedroom tenement or take a trip to “the steamie” to get the clothes washed. Then why not have a cuppa in the beautiful Victorian glasshouse, amongst the tropical plants and temporary art exhibitions."- Amanda The views and opinions expressed in the contents above are those of the individuals mentioned and do not necessarily reflect the views of Holiday Inn Express or assosciated organisations. We do not guarantee the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of, or otherwise endorse, these views, opinions or recommendations. The content contained in the recommendations is presented for informative purposes only. |
