Glasgow West End
Glasgow, GBR
The hip Glasgow West End is where classic and contemporary Scotland collide. Cobbled streets lined with grand Victorian architecture lead to coffee shops, boutique stores, art galleries, leafy parks, and restaurants. Ashton Lane is the area's heart, while Finnieston, Kelvinbridge, and Partick are among the UK’s coolest neighborhoods.
Few leave Glasgow without exploring its West End. The popular area features on most sightseeing tours of Scotland’s second city. Some walking tours focus entirely on the West End and typically visit some of the grandest buildings in the city, such as the University of Glasgow, Kelvin Hall, and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. The culinary hot spot is home to both of Glasgow’s Michelin-starred restaurants: Unalome and Cail Bruich.
The cobbled streets of Glasgow West End make sturdy shoes a must and might pose challenges to travelers using wheelchairs and strollers.
Glasgow West End is home to the Hunterian Museum—the oldest museum in Scotland—which is popular with history buffs.
The family-friendly, free-to-enter Kelvin Hall is a cultural center designed with children in mind.
The fastest and easiest way to reach Glasgow West End from the center is on the subway. Take the Inner Circle route via Kelvinbridge from central stations such as Buchanan Street (10 minutes) and disembark at Hillhead to be in the center of the action at Ashton Lane. For Kelvingrove Art Gallery, take the same line and get off at Kelvinhall.
Glasgow West End bursts to life with a rich cultural program in summer from June through September. A rival to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, West Fest in late June is a feast of comedy, theater, and visual arts performances across more than 60 venues. The Summer Nights festival features a series of concerts in Kelvingrove Park. Glasgow Mela in June celebrates the traditions of the Indian subcontinent.
Culture hounds shouldn't miss Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum in Glasgow. Not only does it boast stunning baroque architecture and an 8,000-strong collection of art and artifacts, but it’s also free. Highlights of its 22 galleries include a suspended Spitfire plane, a stuffed Asian elephant, and Christ of St. John of the Cross by Salvador Dali.
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