Glasgow Amongst Top Twenty Destinations Worldwide for 2016

Think of world-class visitor destinations in Scotland and you may think of the wilderness of the Scottish Highlands, the Isle of Skye, Loch Ness and the wonderful city of Edinburgh; well now you should think of Glasgow too as the city was last month named among National Geographic’s top twenty worldwide destinations to visit in 2016!

As regular visitors to Glasgow, here at adeo Travel we need no convincing of the unique attraction that the city holds for tourists. However, due to its close proximity to the internationally renowned destination of Edinburgh (around an hour by car), it’s little wonder that Glasgow has, in the past, been slightly overshadowed.  Following its selection by such a highly-regarded international travel magazine for its prestigious destinations list, Glasgow might now receive the recognition it deserves.

Glasgow has recently seen a steady rise in profile having played host to a number of prestigious sporting events including the Common Wealth Games in 2014 and several tennis ties this year which saw Britain progress to win the Davis Cup Trophy for the first time in almost 80 years.  However, it is primarily for its music and arts scenes that Glasgow has found recognition by National Geographic – last year the city hosted the MTV Music Awards and renowned stars including Beyonce and One Direction have performed at the SSE Hydro venue in the heart of the city; events which reinforce Glasgow’s status as a UNESCO world city of music (one of just nine across the globe).  And, already home to cutting-edge exhibitions and galleries at the Kelvingrove Museum and the Burrell Collection, amongst others, Glasgow’s art scene is only set to grow as it welcomes the Turner Prize to the Tramway arts venue in early 2016.

Music and arts however are just the tip of the iceberg of what Glasgow has to offer its visitors; the city boasts a number of historic attractions including the gothic 12th century St Mungos Cathedral, some of the finest Georgian architecture in Britain and sites on the banks of the Clyde related to the city’s shipbuilding industry.  Glasgow was recently voted the friendliest city in the UK, the Merchant City area is renowned for its quality restaurants and there are two distilleries in or just outside the city if a dram of Scotland’s “Water of Life” is your tipple.  And whilst Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city in terms of population, the great outdoors is still right on your doorstep with the bonny banks of Loch Lomond and the stunning landscapes of the Trossachs National Park just a short drive from the city centre.

So, with a long-established and diverse appeal alongside this more recent and well-deserved recognition, why not make Glasgow just one of many highlights on your 2016 trip to Scotland.

Visit Glasgow by car, rail or coach on one of our recommended itineraries:
Scotland Explorer Tour
Explore Scotland by Rail
Best of Scotland
Scottish Dream