Glasgow has long lived in Edinburgh’s shadow when it comes to Scottish city breaks, but spend a weekend here and it quickly becomes clear why the country’s biggest city is earning a reputation of its own.
From grand architecture and leafy parks to characterful neighbourhoods, world-class culture and an increasingly exciting food and drink scene, Glasgow has plenty to tempt visitors. Then there are the Glaswegians themselves – famously warm, witty and always ready with recommendations.
Edinburgh may still lead the way, attracting more than 5 million overnight visits in 2024, but Glasgow is catching the attention of those looking for something a little different. In the same year, the city welcomed more than 2.6 million overnight visitors and was named the UK’s friendliest city in Condé Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Awards. In 2025, consumer champion Which? ranked Glasgow among the UK’s best cities for food and drink, as well as one of the top five large UK cities for a short break.
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It also ranked above Venice and Nice in the annual Resonance Consultancy’s best European cities, considered to be the world’s most comprehensive city ranking.
