After spending Hogmanay in Edinburgh last year, we spent New Year’s Day and January 2nd (also a holiday in Scotland!) in Glasgow, Scotland. And while Glasgow may have somewhat of a “rough reputation”, especially compared to other Scottish destinations, we spent two nights here because (1) we needed to take the train from Glasgow to London to catch our flight home, (2) many things are closed in Scotland on January 2nd (in addition to the 1st!), and (3) our friend’s grandparents met in Glasgow, so he wanted to see a bit of the city. Glasgow surprised me in a good way in that it had much more to offer than I expected, and I wish that we’d had a more time (or more normal time when things weren’t closed for Hogmanay) to explore the city. This post highlights my favorite things that we did in Glasgow, in no particular order. It, however, excludes our a wonderful food tour that we took, which you can read about here!

THE IRISH INFLUENCE IN GLASGOW (& KITTY O’SHEA’S PUB)

The most interesting thing that I learned about Glasgow is that there is a very strong Irish presence there. In fact, I learned that my friend’s Irish grandparents met in Glasgow, despite being from Ireland (and no, not Northern Ireland), and we were in town for the show down between the local Celtics (Catholic/Irish) football team and the local Rangers (Protestant/Unionist) football team.  That match was a big deal, with lots of police out and about to deter the inevitable bar fights. And, we visited an authentic Irish pub called Kitty O’Shea’s, which is right next to Glasgow Central station. Kitty O’Sheas is extremely Irish, and it pours a delicious Guinness. Our waitress was even from Ireland and provided some more background on Irish influence and culture in Glasgow. Super fascinating.

GLASGOW’S DUKE OF WELLINGTON STATUTE

Another fun thing about Glasgow is its infamous Duke of Wellington statute.  The Duke of Wellington is a statute of the First Duke of Wellington on a horse outside Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art. Since the 1980s, the Duke always finds himself with an orange traffic cone on his head, compliments on drunk passers-by. The Duke is unofficially the mascot of Glasgow. You can find him on magnets, t-shirts, etc., LOL.

OLD GLASGOW

Another favorite of mine in Glasgow was the old part of town in the city center. While not nearly as old as Edinburgh, or even other European cities, the historic center of Glasgow is filled with pretty buildings and photographable things. Definitely worth a stroll.

GLASGOW’S HOLIDAY MARKET

Another highlight of our brief visit was Glasgow’s holiday market, or “Winterfest”, which is located on George Square and St. Enoch Square, right in historic Glasgow. While small (especially compared to Edinburgh’s holiday market, Winterfest offers a few rides, some of which seemed pretty terrifying, a handful of shopping stands, and several food stalls. I had a wonderful Cadbury Hot Chocolate at the Winterfest!

GLASGOW’S STREET ART

Another fun surprise – Glasgow’s street art. Street art is abundant in Glasgow, and it was so fun to see on the street as were exploring. I am certain there is probably a more structured tour of Glasgow’s street art, but I was satisfied observing it as we walked through town.

SO MANY CRAFT BREWERIES

Glasgow is home to several breweries, including multiple locations of the very famous Innis & Gunn and BrewDogs (somewhat controversial in recent years), in addition to numerous other craft breweries. We visited both Innis & Gunn and Brewdogs on our short visit. Both had pretty good food and great selections of beer, from both themselves and other Scottish breweries. BrewDogs particularly had an excellent selection of beer. We also saw lots of locals at these establishments. Also, pro tip, they both kept relatively decent hours on January 1st and 2nd if you are looking for an open restaurant.

THE SMOKIN’ FOX RESTAURANT

We dined at the Smokin’ Fox our second night in Glasgow. We had a great time, the food was tasty, and the restaurant was filled with locals. It was also conveniently located across from Kitty O’Sheas pub. Recommended for a fun night out – I am sad that I didn’t take more pictures.

STEAL OUR TRIP

Kitty O’Shea’s: 15 Waterloo St, Glasgow. Open daily 3:00 PM – 3:00 AM, 12:00 PM – 3:00 AM on the weekend.

Glasgow Winterfest: This is the Winterfest Facebook page. Winterfest was open January 1st and 2nd; I believe it closes shortly thereafter.

Innis & Gunn Brewery Taproom Glasgow City Center: 22-24 W Nile St, Glasgow.

Brewdog Glasgow Merchant City: 99 Hutcheson St, Glasgow. Open daily 12 – 11, longer hours Wednesday – Sunday. Reservations suggested.

The Smoking Fox: 6-8 Waterloo St, Glasgow. Open daily 12 – 11, longer hours Thursday – Sunday. Kitchen closes daily at 9 PM. Reservations suggested.