Heads Up: 16 of the Best Things To Do In Glasgow

For more tips on venues and activities, as well as articles exploring the culture and history of Glasgow, check out the Skinny Guide to Glasgow, available now and updated for 2023.

Charles Rennie Mackintosh trail

Two Mackintosh masterworks – the Glasgow School of Art and Scotland Street School – are undergoing major repair but there’s still ample opportunity to explore the work of this pioneering architect. Have afternoon tea at the Willow Tea Rooms; admire the gothic beauty of Queen's Cross Church; and check out the ornate tiling on The Daily Record Building.

CCA

Glasgow’s arts hub, the Centre for Contemporary Arts is probably one of the best snapshots of the contemporary Scottish arts scene, with exhibitions, film screenings and community events all year round. This summer, don’t miss the annual Glasgow Zine Fest – with stalls and workshops aplenty – from the folks at the Glasgow Zine Library, and a gorgeous, immersive installation by Scottish stained glass artist Pinkie Maclure.

GFT

This art deco gem has been keeping Glaswegian cinephiles up to date with the greatest movies from around the world since the late 1930s. Its three screens show an expertly curated mix of arthouse and indie titles along with regular retrospectives and festivals, including the ongoing (and essential) Scorsese of the Month season.

GFT. Credit: GFT.

King Tut's Summer Nights

King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut is one of the UK’s most iconic venues, having welcomed many bands on the rise to its modest 300-capacity space over the years; most famously, Oasis were signed here in the 90s. For seven weeks in the summer (13 Jul-26 Aug), the venue has its sights set on local up-and-coming talent, with highlights including waverley. (22 Jul) and Chef the Rapper (11 Aug).

Glasgow Women's Library

Located in Bridgeton, GWL is a truly special place – the only accredited museum in the UK dedicated to women’s history, it holds various unique archives alongside a lending library. Their events and exhibitions programme is exciting, visionary, definitely worth a visit. You can also download audio guides to their women’s history walking tours via the website.

People's Palace & Glasgow Green

In the East End, pop into the free entry People’s Palace for an insight into the city’s social history. Featuring objects, photographs and film records of Glaswegians past and present, it tells the story of the people through their own eyes. While you’re there, take a walk through Glasgow Green and along the Clyde.

People's Palace. Credit: Phil Reid.

The Barras

For a tonal introduction to Glasgow, the Barras Market takes some beating. You’ll find decades-old market stalls next to fresh-faced newcomers pitching original artworks or vintage magazines, and everything in between. There will be banter, there will be oddities and head-scratching surprises; you will have a lovely time.

Doors Open Day

Once a year, venues across Scotland throw open their doors to let the public in for a snoop about, and the Glasgow event is the finest in the land. The diverse programme includes theatres, breweries, creative workshops, insights into the city’s social history and much more besides. This year’s festival runs 11-23 September, free.

SWG3

Glasgow’s full of amazing venues, but few work at the scale and ambition of SWG3. The Finnieston warehouse houses four gig and club spaces, from the intimate Poetry Club to the chunky Galvanizers, plus an outside yard for big one-offs and festivals, and space for art exhibitions.

CHVRCHES @ SWG3. Credit: Michael C Hunter

Core. festival, 18-20 Aug

The latest addition to Glasgow’s vibrant music scene, Core. is celebrating all things noise 18-20 August. Taking place between the Maryhill Community Central Halls and The Hug & Pint, Core. features international noise makers like Chat Pile, Deafheaven and Rolo Tomassi alongside excellently named local talent Moni Jitchell and Pïss Bäth.

Queen's Park Open Air Cinema

Not only is Queen’s Park Glasgow’s prettiest green space, it’s also home to free, open-air cinema screenings throughout the summer. The lineup is a mix of family faves (Frozen, The Incredibles), cult films (The Running Man, Bram Stoker’s Dracula) and stone-cold classics (Goodfellas, The Lord of the Rings trilogy). 3-21 Jul.

Tramway

There’s big, there’s very big, then there’s Tramway. The former tram depot in the Southside houses one of the city’s largest gallery spaces, plus bumper live performance rooms and the lovely Hidden Gardens out back. Head this way for the Sonica Surge weekend of audiovisual art (29-30 Sep).

Bonjour

This profit-sharing co-op bar in Trongate has only been around for two years but it’s quickly become Glasgow’s essential queer space. From drag nights to spoken word events to femme- and POC-centric clubs, Bonjour is delivering forward-thinking parties that are inclusive, genuinely radical and cool af.

Bonjour X Mojxmma. Credit: Bonjour

Monorail

If you’re a record collector who’s hoping to add a new slice of vinyl to your collection, there is no shortage of record shops to be found in Glasgow. But Monorail is an institution and should be right at the top of your list. Run by local musicians, with a strong offering of records from local artists too, you’ll also find regular in-stores here as well as gigs in its sister cafe and bar, Mono.

The Stand

The cabaret setup of this basement club in leafy Woodlands makes for the perfect arena for standup comedy. You’ll find comedians of all stripes treading the boards here, from exciting up-and-comers to comedy legends experimenting with new material to total greenhorns taking the plunge at the club’s weekly Red Raw beginners night.

The Stand. Credit: Jay Dawson.

Bard in the Botanics

Experience Shakespeare as he was meant to be experienced – outside, under potential drizzle – with Glasgow’s annual Bard in the Botanics programme, a series of Shakespeare (and other playwrights) performances staged in the gorgeous setting of the Glasgow Botanic Gardens. On the slate this summer is Julius Caesar, Henry IV and The Importance of Being Earnest.