Hidden Treasures Map of Glasgow
The 20 Gems not to miss in Glasgow
“It is not down on any map; true places never are” — Herman Melville
The original plan was to fly from London to Lion, France to visit a friend and family. This idea was compromised and I flew to Glasgow, Scotland instead. This trip was a rollercoaster of emotions — from feeling safe and at home, to feeling like a total outsider and misunderstood. Glasgow is a city for the youth, with new buildings, friendly people and international streets. However, Scotland is by no means the best destination for Digital Nomads or long travels. Security and travel flexibility are the strengths here, but the cost of living, remote work accessibility and public transport reliability are not the greatest.
My Hidden Treasures Maps focus on highlighting the best underrated, unique places on each location. These places are often hard to find and most were suggestions made by the locals, others found by chance! They aim to offer off-the-radar places to visit to spice up the main attractions already on your travel list!
📍Glasgow, Scotland, UK
⭐️ Solo Digital Nomad Rate: 6/10
Attractions🪂
- Find the Police Box #1! — Is it a phone box? Is it a police box? Spoiler alert: It’s a time capsule!
- Follow the Glasgow Mural Art Trail via this link and discover the story behind each art piece! It’s also a fantastic way to explore the city and discover secret spots of your own
- Doulton Fountain & St Andrew’s Suspension Bridge at the Glasgow Green park — Water feature? Check! Everywhere I travel to, water needs to play a part within the scenery. It’s a safe spot… It’s, without a doubt, in my genes! Water brings me peace, I can’t help it! These are the places that make me reflect on my journeys, connecting the miles together, recreating the World map all over again…
Food Spots🍴
- Cafe Gandolfi and Mharsanta — loved by the locals, these places have a rustic feel and the tastiest Scottish dishes
- Nuku Nuku — for the most authentic Japanese food with the best sushi & poke bowls
- Sugo Pasta — for the most authentic Italian food, loved by the locals
- bramble — the full British experience is not complete without a Breakfast or a Brunch! Look no further, this is the place to visit! They have the freshest ingredients, the most diverse plant-based options and beautiful cakes! Be aware, however, that they only accept walk-ins but you can pass by, leave your name and number and they’ll call you as soon as a table is free!
- Ox and Finch — call me spoiled, but treating myself at the best restaurants and just ignore the ‘price tag’ for at least 1 night of my itinerary is always on the to-do list. Now, this not mean choosing the most expensive place to eat! Take it from experience, the most expensive place I’ve dined at was not that impressive, given its 3 Michelin Stars. Definitely, Ox and Finch is way above many others within the Michelin Guide (in quality and price)! I strongly recommend you dine at this restaurant when in Glasgow! I promise it won’t compromise your wallet either.
Places to Work From📶
- iCafe (Merchant City or Kelvingrove) — Perfect for Digital Nomads, students and for anyone wishing to enjoy the rare sunny days of Glasgow on the terrace or simply some light bites and a beautiful ice cream
- Tinderbox — great place for Digital Nomads and professionals. You’ll see less students here than at a iCafe. There are plenty of seats in the upper level and they have the tastiest coffee, pastries and light bites
Hidden Treasures 🐾
- Find The Tall Ship Glenlee at the western side of the city! Many locals don’t even know this vessel exists and it’s just next to the Riverside Museum — the must-go attraction for all the transport & technology savvy minds
- Watch an Organ Concert at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum — timetable varies so make sure to get to the museum as it opens to know when’s the next performance. Have a coffee/tea and a seat at the dinning area for the best views! The museum itself is also great (and free)! Unlike other museums, the descriptions actually teach you and provide value, without being boring
- Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre — an intricate theatre with machinery and hundreds of handcrafted figures that dance as one with haunting music and synchronized light. Created in the old Soviet Union, each piece illustrates Russian stories in a tragi-comedy fashion, highlighting the distressed truth about the circle of life and inevitable death
- King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut — this is the place to find the next big music acts before they break! In fact, many stars have been found here, including the Oasis! Over the course of 30 years, huge names have also performed here like the personal favorites Skunk Anansie, No Wave (with Gwen Stefani), Snow Patrol, Biffy Clyro, Muse, Florence + the Machine, Paloma Faith, Hozier, Tom Odell and the list goes on and on! This is the gem of the gems for music lovers and anyone the music industry! And Yes — I visited in half-work mode, what can I say… The pizza is also delicious here!
Honorary Mentions⛳
- Watch the phenomenal world-renowned BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra live at the City Halls!
- Visit the House for an Art Lover and its Victorian Walled Garden at the Bellahouston Park — a venue and otherwise country house and art centre built as a posthumous interpretation of the Scottish architect and designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh’ unrealized design “Haus eines Kunstfreundes” (Art Lover’s House).
- Glasgow Necropolis — There should have been a saying in royal land that’d go “When in the UK, visit it’s Graveyards”! It may sound spooky, but they are beautiful, full of nature and nicely decorated gravestones that can date back to the Victorian times, often older! Just make sure not to visit them at night ;)
You may also like: Hidden Treasures Map of Edinburgh
Disclaimer: All of these suggestions are unaffiliated and I’ve not been offered any compensation or deals to mention these places on this blog. The aim of these guides is to show my journeys, travel suggestions, wins and fails to enrich your own adventures!
About me: My name is Vanessa, I’m a Female Solo Digital Nomad, working in the Music Industry and traveling the world hunting hidden gems🐾 for you to get inspired and follow these treasure maps! You can read a bit more about how this journey started and how I handed over the keys to my apartment and unlocked the world!
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