Where to Stay in Glasgow, Scotland
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Glasgow is one of the coolest, most underrated cities in Europe. I was lucky enough to spend four weeks there this year (after visiting it a few times pre-Covid), and spent most of my time exploring and eating and drinking my way around a few neighborhoods. That’s the best way to get to know a city am I right!
Who doesn’t love a pub under the bridge?! Inn Deep pub in Glasgow
Most travelers heading to Scotland will only see Edinburgh (pronounced Ed-in-bruh, not “burgh” like “Pittsburgh” — believe me, you WILL get ridiculed by anyone from the UK if you pronounce it incorrectly) and the Highlands and either skip Glasgow or only give it a day.
But if you’re like me and like to explore fun cities you could actually see yourself living in, you’d be doing yourself a disservice by skipping Glasgow. You can get there SO easily from Edinburgh via ScotRail for ~$20 depending on when you go or fly directly there from NYC.
So, if you’re heading to Glasgow and wondering where you should stay, here’s my guide broken out by each type of traveler and trip. I can’t guarantee sunny weather, but I can guarantee you will eat and drink and well and meet a lot of great people. ~ Enjoy ! ~
Rémy and I did a great job at finding the best Guinness pours around Glasgow
West End: Best for First-Timers, Groups, and Culture Lovers
I can’t believe my college in Big Rapids, Michigan didn’t look like this :(
The cloisters at Glasgow University
If you’re going with friends and it’s your first time in Glasgow, I absolutely recommend staying in the West End, specifically in the Partick neighborhood. And while technically the West End is mostly comprised of Kelvingrove, Hillhead, Finnieston neighborhoods, Partick is right next door and most people get it.
It’s a safe, extremely walkable neighborhood close to Glasgow University, Kelvingrove Park (which includes the amazing Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum), and tons of amazing restaurants, pubs, and shops.
The Hunterian Museum is a MUST visit — go see old gynecological tools!
Make sure you get tickets to the HOTTEST concert in town, the famous organ performance at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum at 1pm!
Because this is the University neighborhood, there are a lot of affordable Airbnb options as well as hotels in the area. We stayed on Dumbarton Road, which was perfect for 3 weeks. While I wouldn’t necessarily recommend our Airbnb, we did love that it was close to the subway station and by our favorite coffee shop, Amulet.
Amulet plays the best music, has great coffee, and they also sell bouquets of flowers
Best pour over coffee in Glasgow
You can also get to any other location around Glasgow very easily via the subway, bus, or Uber. This was a great base for the first part of our month-long Glasgow stay.
City Centre: Best for Parents, Business Travel, and Short Stays
Caught a rare glimpse of the Tolbooth Steeple Clock Tower at Glasgow Cross in the sun!
St. Enoch Subway Station
City Centre, which is just north of the River Clyde, is where you’re going to find the most commercial shops, hotel options, and largest train stations. Glasgow Central Station and Queen Street Station are in this area, providing access to all different parts of the city as well as other parts of Scotland and the airport, making it very convenient to see and do a lot in one or two nights.
Side note – the Glasgow Central Station is recently recovering from a tragic fire that happened next to the station, but as of March 2026, trains are running normally. Many local businesses were lost, so be sure to check out fundraisers here to help.
City Centre is also where you’re going to find a lot of name-brand and boutique hotels and Airbnbs.
We love a shopping day!
A bunch of old men watched me eat a Scotch Pie before this photo!
I recommend an aparthotel by Native Glasgow; we stayed here two nights and the room was super spacious, had laundry, a kitchen, and a large bathroom with a high water pressure shower. Not always a given with EU bathrooms! But something I desperately need.
Within City Centre you’ll find Merchant City, the area with all of the shopping, from luxury brands to boutique shops and multi-story malls. There are also a lot of restaurants and some late night bars and clubs. If you’re a light sleeper, check to see if there are any late night spots by your desired hotel or Airbnb. This is never a problem for me since I could probably continue sleeping even if fireworks were going off next to my ear.
Don’t forget to check out the Duke of Wellington statue, which always has had at least one cone on it at all times since the 80’s. When the city tried to stop this from happening, the locals actually protested and started a Save the Cone campaign back in 2013. It worked.
Idk I think they could get more cones on there
Southside: Best for Longer Stays and the Real Local Experience
Just south of the River Clyde is the largest of the three areas, Southside. This is where most of the Glaswegians we met lived. It’s more affordable, it’s near Queen’s Park, and there are a ton of incredible places to eat and drink and shop, you may just need to travel a bit further to find them.
While there are fewer options for hotels and Airbnbs in this area, they tend to be more affordable. We stayed in this gorgeous Airbnb in a Victorian tenement building for 5 days and honestly we wish we stayed here longer.
The light! The plants!
Can only imagine how many people saw us through these beautiful victorian windows!
Plus, it was a 15 minute walk to The Laurieston, our favorite pub in Glasgow. Not saying that’s why we chose this Airbnb… but yeah, yeah it is.
They let me ring the bell at closing here one time. Laurieston forever <3
If you are searching for places to stay in Southside, I recommend anywhere that’s located around Queen’s Park such as Shawlands (the most restaurants and bars), Strathbungo (Victorian charm, named one of TimeOut's coolest neighborhoods in the world), and Pollokshields or Govanhill (more diverse, great food). All of those areas are safe and walkable to train stations, buses, pubs, restaurants, and cocktail bars. Plus, the park itself is beautiful! My friend and I took long walks in the park every day. Dogs walk off leash (something I’m NOT used to living in NYC), there are swans to feed, and you can walk to the top of the hill to see all of Glasgow and beyond. We didn’t check it out at night, so use your best judgement there!
It’s like I never left Central Park!
Not pictured, my heavy breathing walking up this hill.
You can also take a bus down to Pollok Park to see the highland cows! The cows had recently had baby calves when we visited, and they were SO CUTE. The Burrell Collection is there as well, a beautiful museum you can get lost in for hours.
We have the same bangs!
Getting around Glasgow
The third oldest underground subway in the world, baby!!
ScotRail— The national train of Scotland. Routes go through Glasgow and can bring you to Edinburgh, the highlands, and beyond. Download the app before you go to buy and activate tickets. Train conductors will scan your ticket on the train and you need to scan your ticket to leave most stations.
Glasgow Subway — The best way to get all around Glasgow. It’s also known as the Clockwork Orange because of its shape and orange branding. Google maps makes it easy to navigate. The lines are broken out by Inner and Outer lines depending on which way you’re headed. Use your phone to tap in and tap out of the subway; it charges you based on distance.
Glasgow Bus — Wherever the subway doesn’t bring you, you can probably get there by bus. The bus system is pretty extensive and frequent; a lot of busses are double deckers as well! Tap in and tap out when you leave because this will also charge you by distance.
Ride share Apps — Uber was super reliable but there is also GlasGo as well as normal taxis, especially in the more popular tourist areas in City Centre.
Walking — Get those steps in! We walked a TON in Glasgow, mostly through parks and to and from pubs but hey it counts!!
Rémy clocked at least 500K steps walking in this park I swear
My fave exploring pal!!
FAQ’s:
Is Glasgow safe to visit? Yes! Glasgow is generally very safe for tourists, though like any big city, use normal awareness at night. As two women who are usually night owls, we felt safe the entire time.
How many days do you need in Glasgow? I'd say 3-4 days minimum to do it right. That’s enough to see the West End, hit a Southside pub, and explore Merchant City.
What's the best neighborhood to stay in Glasgow for first-timers? The West End — specifically Partick or Hillhead — is the best base for first-time visitors thanks to its walkability, great food and pubs, and easy subway access.
While there are tons of neighborhoods within these areas, this should be a great guide to get you started.
What to Pack, Where to Eat and Drink, and What to Do guides for Glasgow coming soon!!
Comment, reach out, or slide into my DMs with any questions!
