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TOURS (examples)
1. AYRSHIRE & BURNS COUNTRY TOUR           

2. GLASGOW CITY TOUR

3. CHARLES RENNIE MACINTOSH TOUR

FURTHER DETAILS   Booking Information

GLASGOW CITY TOUR

Glasgow was awarded the City of Architecture award in 1999, with good reason.

Suggested Tour of Glasgow City Centre:

Tour One – half day 

Meet you at your hotel. This tour includes an overview of the city of Glasgow with visits to Glasgow Cathedral and the Burrell Collection. Should you wish to extend your time with a visit to a Highland Malt Whisky distillery in the area this could very easily be arranged.

Tour Two – whole day

Meet you at your hotel. Enjoy an overview of the city of Glasgow. Visit Glasgow University and while in the area take in the Hunterian Art Gallery with its excellent collection of James McNeil Whistler paintings (second only to the Freer Gallery in Washington).  Also worth a visit is the Mackintosh House.  Follow this with a visit to Glasgow Cathedral.  We then continue to the People’s Palace and trace the history of the city. After a break, travel to the south side of the city and enjoy the Burrell Collection.

There are still lots of things to visit .  Perhaps the Transport Museum or the Kelvingrove Art Gallery or  the Maritime Museum?  Or even, most fascinating of all, Provands Lordship ( this is Glasgow’s oldest house and dates back to 1471)?

KELVINGROVE ART GALLERY

This building was completed in 1901 and is one of the most visited museums in Scotland. The outside is of red sandstone while the interior is local blond Giffnock stone. According to legend, the Gallery was built back to front and the architect was so upset, he committed suicide by jumping from the tower.

This Museum contains many interesting paintings gifted to Glasgow by wealthy inhabitants of the city.  It is also a favorite venue for our younger population who enjoy the Egyptian items, the natural history exhibits and suits of armour. Also worth visits are the Glasgow Room and the Scottish Room.

GLASGOW CATHEDRAL

The first stone-built Cathedral was dedicated in 1136, sadly this cathedral was destroyed by fire. The building which you visit today was consecrated in 1197 and completed in the 15th Century.

In the Lower Church stands the shrine of St Mungo, patron saint of Glasgow, who died in 603. In 1451 the Pope decreed that a visit to Glasgow Cathedral was of equal merit as a visit to Rome so thousands of pilgrims made their way to this building.

CITY CHAMBERS

Built between 1883 and 1890, this building was the inspiration of a London Scot, William Young, who envisaged bringing a taste of Venice to Glasgow!  It is situated in George Square and is a wonderful example of Victorian architecture.  It was opened by Queen Victoria in 1888. 

The interior is very opulent with its Grand Staircase and lots of alabaster - paneled walls, polished marble and mosaics.
This is where our local councilors meet.

GLASGOW UNIVERSITY

Glasgow University was established in 1451, the second university to be established in Scotland, St Andrews being the first.

The original Glasgow University was in the east end of Glasgow but there was a serious outbreak of cholera and the city fathers decided to move the University to the West End of the city, to Gilmorehill. In 1886 Sir George Gilbert Scott was the architect chosen to design the new University building. The building houses the Hunterian Museum which exhibits some of the collections of William Hunter.

Bute Hall and the Lion and Unicorn Stair are both of great interest.

THE CLYDE AUDITORIUM

Completed in 1997, this is Glasgow's Conference Centre designed by Sir Norman Foster and Partners. Known locally as the Armadillo, it consists of 8 overlapping aluminium-clad shells and is a very distinctive landmark in the city. The auditorium itself is capable of seating 3029 people on three tiered levels.  Many people see its similarity to the Sydney Opera House.

The Burrell Collection

The Burrell Collection, comprising over 8ooo items was gifted to the City of Glasgow in 1944 by Sir William Burrell and his wife Lady Constance Burrell.  As a successful shipping agent, Sir William and his brother made a lot of money which they invested shrewdly. Sir William retired from his business in 1918 and devoted the rest of his life to amassing his art collection.

When Sir William gifted his collection to Glasgow he made several stipulations on where the collection would be housed. It must be16 miles from Glasgow, since at that time the city of Glasgow was an industrial city and suffered much pollution.  Therefore Sir William Burrell wanted a rural setting.

Sadly, no suitable site was available at the time of at his death in 1958.

In 1967 in a wonderful act of generosity Mrs. Anne Maxwell and her family gifted Pollock House and 360 acres of Pollock Estate to the City of Glasgow and this was the answer to the problem. Visit the award-winning building and enjoy Sir William's collection in a wonderful setting.