Population: 1.25 million (approx.)
Five Fascinating Facts:
| 1. Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city, used to build 20% of the world’s shipping |
| 2. The 18th century village of New Lanark is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the birthplaces of Britain’s Industrial Revolution |
| 3. In 1789, some 40 years before London, Glasgow became the first city in Britain to establish its own police force |
| 4. Paisley, Glasgow’s next-door neighbour, boasts the highest concentration of listed buildings in Scotland outside of Edinburgh |
| 5. Established in 1783, Glasgow’s Chamber of Commerce is the oldest in the English-speaking world |
Education
The city and region offers a wide variety of top performing schools, both state and private. Included in this list is Glasgow’s Holyrood RC Secondary School, which is the country’s largest school, with more than 2,000 pupils enrolled. If you prefer a more intimate experience, there are also a wide range of small, village schools, Gaelic schools, and single sex institutions to choose from, with classes and courses to suit all ages and abilities.
In terms of higher education, the area also boasts four highly-rated universities, including the historic University of Glasgow. Founded in 1451, the university is one of Scotland’s ‘ancient universities’ and is the fourth oldest in the UK. The region is also home to the world-famous Glasgow School of Art, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the country’s centre for the performing arts and one of the top three performing arts schools in the world.
Find out more about the school system in Scotland
Find out more about universities in Scotland
Local industries:
Once famous as an industrial and mining centre, the city and region has seen a resurgence in recent years with growth in digital technology, tourism and the creative arts. Glasgow is a digital tech heavyweight, boasting a wide range of blue-chip employers in the fintech, e-commerce social networking and software sectors. In recent years, the city has also emerged as one of Europe’s leading financial centres.
Find out more about working in Scotland
Transport:
Glasgow and its outlying suburbs are well served by bus and rail services, while the city centre is looped by the Glasgow Subway – the third oldest underground system in the world. With two main railway stations – Central and Queen Street – Glasgow offers fast connections to the rest of Scotland and beyond.
Glasgow Airport, just 20-minutes by road from the city centre, serves over 100 destinations worldwide, and is Scotland’s principal long-haul airport as well as Scotland’s largest charter hub.
The outdoors:
Glasgow’s name translates from Gaelic as ‘the dear green place’, and with 90 parks and gardens to explore, it more than lives up to that name. From the city centre’s Glasgow Green, which was established way back in the 15th century, to the Victorian delights of the Queen’s, Victoria, and Rouken Glen parks. Add on the ornate glasshouses of the city’s Botanic Gardens and you can see how almost every suburb of Glasgow boasts its own ‘green lung’.
If you would rather get out of the city, there is also a massive range of trails and routes for people of all abilities to enjoy. For hikers, walkers and mountain bikers, the region also offers easy access to the beauties of Loch Lomondside, the Campsie Fells, the Eaglesham Moors, and, at Milngavie, the start of the 96-mile West Highland Way walking route.
Leisure:
Glasgow is sports mad, and in 2018 was rated as one of the world’s top five Ultimate Sports Cities. The city has had the honour of hosting everything from the 2014 Commonwealth Games – which were labelled as ‘the best ever’ – right through to the European Championships and even football’s European Cup Final.
The city benefits from a huge variety of world-class indoor and outdoor sporting facilities, including the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, the Emirates Arena and Hampden stadium. If music is more your thing, then incredible venues like the SSE Hydro,Glasgow Barrowlands and the O2 Academy mean you can enjoy your favourite acts in a unique range of different settings.
The city, which, in 1872, hosted the world’s first international football match, is also home to Hampden Park, Scotland’s National Football Stadium. If art and culture are more your thing, the region is also home to world-class museums and galleries, all free to enter, including the world-famous Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum. As well as this, Scottish Ballet, Scottish Opera, the Royal National Scottish Orchestra, and the Scottish National Theatre all hold regular performances in Glasgow.
Find out more about the outdoors and leisure on VisitScotland.com
Accommodation:
From traditional tenements – Glasgow’s distinctive housing style – to city centre lofts and apartments, grand Victorian villas to modern houses, flats and apartments, there are housing styles and prices to suit every taste and budget. And, being such a compact city, with great transport links, you are never more than a short hop from the city centre action.
if you're just swinging by for a little visit, then you'll also be glad to hear that Glasgow has experienced an impressive growth of hotels around the area, covering everything from budget to boutique.