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5 things to do in Glasgow

If you're in Scotland for the Commonwealth Games this year, here 5 things you must do in Glasgow according to Saylee Sholapurkar

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Charles Rennie Mackintosh walking tour
No, he has nothing to do with the MAC products (computers and cosmetics), but Charles Rennie Mackintosh, who was a Scottish architect, designer, water colourist and artist, is still known as the pride of Scotland.  Born in Glasgow, he was a designer in the post-impressionist movement and the main representative of Art Nouveau in the United Kingdom. Glasgow boasts numerous buildings depicting the uniqueness of Mackintosh architecture and a walking tour showcasing these buildings is highly recommended if you are art, architecture or history lover. You can chose to follow the path yourself or join one of the organized tours. Make sure that you leave plenty of time to visit the attractions on the way including the Glasgow School of Art, a building considered to be Mackintosh's masterpiece; Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, home to the Mackintosh and the Glasgow Style Gallery, which features the gesso panel, The Wassail which Mackintosh created in 1900; and Scotland Street School, where the towers had conical roofs and walls of glass with narrow stone mullions and straight staircases instead of spiral ones.  The total walk can take about 4 hours and covers approximately 13 km within the Glasgow City Centre. Other famous works of art and architecture of Charles Rennie Mackintosh include House for an Art Lover at Bellahouston Park, Mackintosh Church at Queen's Cross, Ruchill Church Hall at Shakespeare Street, a side road off Maryhill Road and Hill House at Upper Colquhoun Street, Helensburgh.

Visit to Willow tea rooms
The world famous Willow Tea Rooms, regarded by many as one of the 'must-visit' destinations in Glasgow gives a warm Scottish welcome to anyone who wants to spend a relaxing afternoon here.  Designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh in 1904, the Willow Tea Rooms in Sauchiehall Street is still used for its original purpose. The name 'Willow' comes from Sauchiehall, which in Scottish Gaelic means alley of the willows and the 'willow' theme features throughout the building. Centrally located on Glasgow's Style Mile, they provide a mouth-watering range of traditional food and drinks; an ideal way to relax after a shopping spree. Ty their famous Willow Meringues, choose from a delicious selection of homemade sandwiches, scones with strawberry jam and cream, homemade buttered shortbread, and pick out a cake from the cake cabinet, all served with tea or coffee. The afternoon tea is served on a traditional three-tiered cake stand.

If you've liked something you've tried, go ahead and ask for the recipe; they will be delighted to share it with you. To carry home your happy memories, visit the gift shop, which boasts a great collection of Mackintosh and Glasgow products, many of which are designed in-house. The range includes jewellery, tote bags, scarves, candles, glasswear, household products, gift sets, pens, pill boxes, mugs, cards, books and much more.

Visit the Auchentoshan Distillary
‘When in Rome do as the Romans do’ and when in Scotland, drink like the Scots’or at least learn what makes Scotch so special. A visit to Scotland is incomplete until you visit a ‘Scotch’ Whiskey distillery and have a whiskey-tasting experience. Auchentoshan (Ock-un-tosh-un) is a Lowland distillery that rests at the foot of the Kilpatrick Hills, overlooking the famous River Clyde. The closest distillery to Glasgow (barely 20 minutes from the city centre) and the only Single Malt Scotch Whiskey to triple distil every drop,  Auchentoshan, means 'corner of the field'. They produce a delicate, smooth and light Single Malt Whisky. The subtle aroma and flavour of its spirit is achieved by the unique Triple Distillation process, whereby the spirit is not distilled twice, as elsewhere in Scotland, but instead, distilled three times producing even greater refinement to its character. You can take a guided tour of the distillery, sample a wee dram, and browse around the gift shop, which stocks a full range of Auchentoshan Lowland Single Malt Whiskies and a selection of branded merchandise. Auchentoshan offers in-depth distillery tours and whisky masterclasses for all those whiskey enthusiasts. And another attraction at the distillery is a chance to meet Hamish-the Highland cow, and her family.

Escape to nature at Loch Lomond and The Trossachs
It might not be as famous as the Loch Ness, but it portrays the natural beauty of Scotland perfectly. The largest inland stretch of water in Great Britain, Loch Lomond is one of Scotland's first boating and watersports venues and is 40 minutes away from Glasgow city centre. Open to kayaks, canoes, wind-surfers, jetskis, speedboats and cruisers, its not just water sports that you can engage in here; you can also go for a walk or cycle, explore the National Park and if you're not the adventurous type, you can shop at the Farmer's Market, enjoy local ales in a country pub, fly in the seaplane, visit local attractions and then relax with a round of golf or a soak in the spa.
To the east of Loch Lomond is the Trossachs–a delightful landscape of forests, lochs and hills that has long been known as Scotland in miniature. You can go on an easy rambles with the entire family or through longer, strenous hikes to ascents of the major Munros.

Shopping at  Buchanan Galleries
For the shopaholics, the main shopping streets are made up of Sauchiehall Street to the north and Argyle Street to the south. These two are connected by Buchanan Street, which forms a Z shape and is known as the 'Golden Z'. At the junction of two well-known shopping streets (Buchanan Street and Sauchiehall Street) in Glasgow, the shopping centre is ideally located and is easily accessible. It’s home to around 90 of the best retail names, including John Lewis, Mango, River Island, NEXT and H&M. It even has stores you won’t find anywhere else such as Fred Perry, Thomas Sabo and Korres. So if you’re looking for fashion, beauty, something for the house, or the latest gadget, they’ve probably got it! But if at all you want something Glaswegian or Scottish then make sure you visit one of the souvenir shops located on Buchanan Street to check out the lovely range of Pashmina sweaters, Tartan scarves and if you feel adventurous, probably a kilt.

 

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