10 Must-Visit Hidden Gems in Glasgow

Though well-known to locals, visitors to Glasgow might easily miss the charms of Ashton Lane if they don’t keep their eyes peeled! Hidden away in the city’s West End, this picturesque cobbled street is adorned with fairy lights and is home to a number of great bars and restaurants, including Innis & Gunn, The Grosvenor and the famous Ubiquitous Chip.

Opened in 2003, the Hidden Gardens is the perfect outdoor oasis to escape the busy bustle of Glasgow's city centre. Discover its diverse plant collection or take a leisurely stroll along the flowery meadow, home to a mix of beautiful Scottish wildflowers.

Scots love a good cup of tea, and few places offer more variety than Tchai-Ovna. This charming, slightly ramshackled little cafe is housed in a former 19th century stables, tucked into a cobbled lane in the city’s West End. In addition to dozens of types of tasty leaf tea, they serve delicious vegan and vegetarian food.

Glasgow is synonymous with Charles Rennie Mackintosh. The seminal Scottish architect, designer and artist left a legacy which can be enjoyed across an array of locations, including House for an Art Lover. This elegant country retreat in Bellahouston Park was built according to drawings Mackintosh drafted for a design competition in 1900. Feast your eyes on the exquisite interior which makes ingenious use of natural light and space, packed full of fine art. The house regularly hosts art exhibitions in its restaurant, where you can dine al fresco in the summer months. 

Inspired by the famous Père Lachaise in Paris, Glasgow’s Necropolis is a remarkable Victorian cemetery adorned with some 3,500 monuments. Amongst the most notable graves are a monument to Protestant Reformation leader John Knox, and a Celtic cross designed by influential Glaswegian architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens are ideal for a peaceful walk or relaxing break between shopping and sightseeing. Make sure you don’t miss Kibble Palace, the striking greenhouse designed by inventor and engineer John Kibble, which features fine marble statues surrounded by vivid flowers, tropical palms and the National Collection of Tree Ferns.

Glasgow is home to a number of magnificent churches. Amongst the most impressive is St Aloysius’ Roman Catholic Church, which boasts an opulent Renaissance design based on the Church of the Gesù in Rome and houses a copy of the famous Our Lady of Montserrat statue, one of only two outside Catalonia.

Victorian vaudeville gets a new lease of life at the Britannia Panopticon, the world’s oldest surviving music hall. Built in the 1850s, the theatre has seen real legends of entertainment tread its boards: Stan Laurel made his debut here, and Cary Grant once entertained Glasgow crowds with his acrobatic skills.

Part of the distinctive Templeton on the Green, WEST Brewery creates German-inspired beers with a unique Glasgow flavour. Tuck into currywurst, wiener schnitzel or burgers in the WEST restaurant. Beer fans should be sure to sample a locally-produced pint from Drygate Brewery, Clockwork Beer Co. and the Kelburn Brewing Co., amongst others.

Founded by sculptor-mechanic Eduard Bersudsky and theatre director Tatyana Jakovskaya in St. Petersburg in 1989, Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre has been captivating Scottish audiences since settling in Glasgow almost two decades ago. Its enchanting performances star hundreds of carved figures controlled by steampunk-style machinery, combining with lights and music to tell haunting, beautiful stories.

In addition to its ‘Style Mile’ and countless designer and high street stores, Glasgow is home to a wealth of vintage and second-hand clothing shops, each overflowing with clothes and accessories from across the decades. Located in King’s Court, Mr. Ben is a treasure trove of retro style, stocking everything from antique wedding dresses to military regalia – a must for fashion fans.

Scotland's oldest public museum is a splendid temple to the wonders of art, science and history. There's a lot to see here, but amongst its vast collections, must-see exhibits include a permanent gallery dedicated to the Antonine Wall, one of the world's finest collections of the works of James McNeill Whistler, iconic artworks including Rembrandt's Entombment, objects connected with revolutionary scientific discoveries, and a plethora of zoological, paleontological and geological specimens.