Glasgow Half-Day Historical City Tour

Join us for this half day tour of Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city. Let your professional guide lead you around the highlights of the city. Discover the history of Glasgow, from its boom during the industrial revolution, through to its transformation to a centre for education and culture today. Your guide is packed full of knowledge and stories to bring your tour to life, while you experience the best Glasgow has to offer.

Meeting Point

voco Grand Central Glasgow, an IHG Hotel

99 Gordon St, Glasgow G1 3SF, UK

Your Guide will meet you outside at the entrance of Grand Central Hotel, next to the Firefighter statue. Your Guide will be holding a sign showing the lead customer name.

What's included:

• Blue Badge guide

Not included:

• Food and drinks

What to expect:

Duration: between 3 hours, 30 minutes and 4 hours

Glasgow Central Station

79 Gordon Street, Glasgow, G1 3SL

The tour starts at the Central Station Hotel
Built in the late 19th century, this was once one of Glasgow’s most prestigious hotels, hosting guests such as Winston Churchill and Frank Sinatra. In 1927 a new world record was set as John Logie Baird transmitted Television pictures from London, some 438 miles (705km) away, to the Central Hotel.

10 minutes

Buchanan Street

Glasgow

Buchanan street
This is the one of the main shopping streets in Glasgow and ranks as the sixth most expensive street for property rental in the UK. Named after Andrew Buchanan, one of the Tobacco Lords, who operated from the Merchant City. Glasgow was recently named the UK’s second best shopping destination, with the variety on offer before you it's not hard to see why!

15 minutes

George Square

Glasgow, G2 1DH

George Square
Named after George III, this is the main square in the city. Lets walk around and admire some of the statues, from Queen Victoria, to Scotland’s own famous poet Robert Burns. The square has played host to many events over the years from commonwealth games medal ceremonies and political protests to the set for Hollywood movies.

10 minutes

Gallery of Modern Art

111 Queen Street, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow, G1 3AH

Gallery of Modern art
Next we approach one of the most iconic sights in Glasgow, its hard to imagine the Duke of Wellington without a traffic cone on his head now! For many years the council removed the cone, only to find another one in place the following day. The 18th Century Neoclassical building hiding behind Wellington and his cone, is the gallery of modern art. Home to contemporary pieces from artists such as David Hockney and Andy Warhol, the gallery also many temporary exhibits.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included

Merchant City

, , Glasgow

Merchant City
As the name suggests this area used to be the cities trading hub, tobacco, sugar and tea were popular commodities in the 18th century. Scattered amongst the warehouses for goods were some fantastic grand houses, owned by the Merchant Lords. Today you can still find many of these impressive buildings but now they host shops, restaurants, boutiques and galleries.

15 minutes

Glasgow Green

Greendyke Street, Glasgow Green Play Area, Glasgow, G1 5DB

Glasgow green
We reach the oldest park in the city. Today we would expect to meet dog walkers, runners or maybe see children playing. In the past if we’d have faced a very different sight, a swampy area used for grazing animals, drying fishing nets or bleaching linen. Over the years the green has been saved, by public vote, from several attempts to mine coal under its surface. Finally in 2014, as part of the legacy of the Commonwealth Games, the future of the space was safeguarded for public recreation.

15 minutes

Provand's Lordship

3 Castle St., , Glasgow, G4 0RH

Provands Lordship
Now we’re transported back in time to the 15th century, this “auld hoose” is one of only four surviving medieval buildings in Glasgow. It is believed to have been built for the master of the nearby hospital, today it houses a fantastic museum. Step inside and imagine what life was like over 500 hundred years ago.

30 minutes

The Necropolis

2 Castle Street, , Glasgow, G4 0UZ

Glasgow Necropolis
Over 50 thousand people are buried here at Glasgow Necropolis. The cemetery was established in the 19th century as the result of a new law, which allowed to burials to be performed for profit. Most graves are unmarked as was common practise, however it also home to some stunning tombs, monuments and mausoleums some belonging to famous names.

30 minutes

Glasgow Cathedral

Castle Street, Cathedral Precinct, Glasgow, G4 0QZ

Glasgow Cathedral
Welcome to this beautiful Kirk. Don’t be puzzled by this word, as you can probably guess, Kirk is another word for a church. More than a Church in fact, a Cathedral dedicated to the patron of the city, St Mungo. This is the oldest building in the city, as well as the oldest Cathedral in mainland Scotland, let your guide point out the many hidden treasures.

30 minutes