8 alternative things to do in Glasgow

Eight of the best unusual and alternative things to do in Glasgow, with new ideas to inspire you once you’ve visited Kelvingrove Art Gallery, walked along the Clyde and had tea at the Willow Tea Rooms.

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There’s a real buzz about Glasgow – from its music and culture to its modern riverside buildings. And although it has plenty of impressive museums, galleries and architectural gems, it’s also one of those places that embraces the quirky and the unusual.

So here’s my pick of the best unusual and alternative things do to in Glasgow for your next visit. Whether you’re a repeat visitor who’s already walked along the Clyde, done a tour of the Clydeside whisky distillery, seen the artworks at Kelvingrove and had tea at the Willow Tea Rooms. Or you’re a first-time visitor looking for something different to do.

Alternative things to do in Glasgow

Seen the artworks at Kelvingrove? Check out the Glasgow mural trail

The red sandstone Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum is a treasure trove of world-class artworks. Among them are paintings by Van Gogh and Salvador Dalí, as well as works by the Glasgow School. This group of Art Nouveau artists and designers in the 1890s and 1900s included Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his wife Margaret MacDonald.

Or for a more modern take on Glaswegian art, check out the City Centre Mural Trail. This public art project began in 2008 and now has 28 works by different local artists. They decorate the walls of buildings big and small, featuring giant spacemen, floating taxis and Glasgow icons from the city’s patron saint St Mungo to comedian Billy Connolly.

A couple of my favourites are ‘Fellow Glasgow Residents’, which features the wildlife living in the city, and the colourful ‘Are ye dancin?’ tunnel. There’s a map to show you where to find them all, with most concentrated in the city centre and Merchant City.

Visited Glasgow Cathedral? Don’t miss the atmospheric Necropolis

Glasgow’s 12th-century cathedral is one of Scotland’s most impressive medieval buildings, named after its founder St Mungo. Inside you can see his tomb in the vaulted crypt as well as the carved Blackadder Aisle and some beautiful stained-glass windows. But cross over the bridge behind the cathedral and you’ll find the Glasgow Necropolis.

Over 50,000 people are buried in this hillside Victorian cemetery, which opened in 1833 and was modelled on the elegant Père-Lachaise cemetery in Paris. A cemetery doesn’t seem the most obvious place to want to spend your time, but the Necropolis’ 37 acres of parkland are more like an outdoor museum with decorative tombs and ornate monuments.

It’s a peaceful escape from the city and is extra atmospheric around sunset. And if you want to find out more about its history and the stories of the people who are buried there, you can sign up for a guided walking tour (though book well in advance).

Been to the University of Glasgow? Tour the Glasgow City Chambers

The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the UK, founded in 1451. Its impressive main campus north of Kelvingrove Park features Gothic-style buildings designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, with fairytale turrets, cloisters and vaulted arches.

Or why not take a look inside another of Glasgow’s most impressive buildings – the Glasgow City Chambers on George Street. The chambers are the headquarters of Glasgow City Council, but this is not your usual boring municipal building. Free tours run twice a day Monday–Friday and let you get a glimpse of its architectural highlights.

Along them are mosaic floors and ceilings made up of over 1.5 million individual tiles, a banqueting hall decorated with paintings by members of the Glasgow School, and Western Europe’s largest marble staircase, built with Carrera marble from Italy.

Walked along the waterfront? Take a boat trip on the Clyde

Running right through Glasgow, the River Clyde has been at the centre of the city’s growth. Glasgow was a port for tobacco and cotton shipping and a centre for shipbuilding that saw everything from warships to the Royal Yacht Britannia built along its banks.

After damage in the Second World War, the shipyards went into decline, but the area’s been regenerated with some striking new architecture like the SEC Armadillo, OVO Hydro and Glasgow Science Centre. A walk along the waterfront is a good way to see how it’s developing, but for a better view you can take a boat trip along the Clyde.

Head back in time on board the Waverley, the world’s last sea-going paddle steamer. She was built on the Clyde in 1946 and now does day trips on routes around the UK, including back in her old home of Glasgow. Or for something a bit more high-octane, Seaforce Powerboats run 20-minute Clyde Ride speedboat trips along the river.

Strolled though Kelvingrove Park? Explore Pollok Country Park

Just a short walk from the city centre, Kelvingrove Park has been a popular spot for both Glasgow residents and visitors since it opened in the 1850s. But it’s not Glasgow’s only green area – three miles to the southwest is Pollok Country Park. To get there you can take the train from Glasgow Central to Pollockshaws West or the First Bus 57/57A.

Pollok Country Park is the biggest open space in Glasgow, with over 361 acres of parkland and woodland to explore, as well as a stately home (which is currently under renovation until late 2025), formal gardens and a ‘fold’ (rather than a herd) of Highland cows.

Like Kelvingrove, Pollok Country Park is also home to an art gallery. The Burrell Collection is based on the collection of shipping magnate Sir William Burrell. Among its 9000 objects are Cézanne paintings, Rodin sculptures, medieval tapestries, Chinese and Islamic art.

Caught a train from Central Station? Go behind the scenes

Glasgow Central Station opened in 1879 and has become the busiest train station in Scotland, with around 21 million passengers passing through each year. If you’re travelling across Scotland by train, chances are you’ll have been one of them. But if you want to get an insight into what goes on behind the scenes, why not take a guided station tour?

This two-hour tour reveals some of the station’s hidden secrets against the backdrop of Glasgow’s history. Taking you from the glass roof to a forgotten Victorian village buried underground, you’ll see rooms used as a First World War mortuary, an old boiler house that was the site of a 1930s murder and an original Victorian platform.

Seen a show at the Hydro? Experience the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre

Glasgow is a brilliant city for live music and theatre, from big-name artists at the OVO Hydro to up-and-coming bands at King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut, classical orchestras at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall to the annual Christmas panto at the King’s Theatre.

But if you’re looking for quirky things to do in Glasgow, don’t miss the Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre. This steampunk-style exhibition is the creation of a Russian-born sculptor and a theatre director. Elaborate clockwork contraptions and models made from scrap come to life, and are combined with lights and music to tell beautifully haunting stories.

Been whisky tasting? Relax at a gin spa

After a 100-year absence, single malt whisky-making has recently returned to Glasgow. You can take a tour around the Clydeside Distillery* in Glasgow’s Queens Dock to learn about their industrial heritage, how it’s made and taste their whiskies. Or choose from hundreds of whiskies from across Scotland at bars like The Pot Still or Bon Accord.

If gin is more your tipple of choice, you can learn to make or blend your own at the Crossbill Gin Distillery next to the Barras Market in the East End. Or for something a bit different, head to the Gin Spa in Merchant City – the world’s first gin-inspired spa.

Their treatments use the botanicals used in gin-making for juniper foot soaks and aromatherapy facials. Each of the treatment rooms is sponsored by a different Scottish gin brand. And once you’ve been pampered and pummeled into complete relaxation, you finish off with a gin and tonic (or a non-alcoholic mocktail) from their seasonal menu.

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