Discover Glasgow : Glasgow's neighbourhoods

Glasgow's different districts are easily and pleasantly explored on foot, but you'll probably have to take the bus or subway to get to the West End from the city center. The city is divided into five main districts, named according to their location in relation to the city center: East End (to the east), Southside (to the south), West End (to the west) and North Glasgow (to the north). They all have their own identity and history, and a visit to one will allow you to discover all the facets of the city. Most buses are operated by First and run throughout the conurbation. The easiest way, however, is to take the Underground (ticket £1.80), which has just one line looping around the center and West End. The first services depart daily at 6:30 a.m. from the termini (10 a.m. on Sundays) and the last between 11:15 and 11:30 p.m. (6 p.m. on Sundays).

Center

It's the epicenter of Glasgow, full of life and bustle. Its American-style grid layout can be surprising, and its elegant facades redouble their beauty around every corner. It is bordered by the Clyde to the south, the M8 to the north and west and High Street to the east. George Square, the central square, is the heart of the city center. This is where you'll find the superb City Chambers: the city's town hall. During the September 2014 independence vote, this was the rallying point for "yes" supporters. Between Cochrane Street and Trongate lies Merchant City, a district that belonged to tobacco magnates during the Industrial Revolution and has been redeveloped into a friendly area packed with restaurants, bars, murals and a concentration of the city's LGBTQ addresses. Glasgow Cross, the intersection of Trongate, Gallowgate, London Road and High Street, marks the beginning of the East End. Here stands a ^17th-century tower: the Tollboth Steeple, the only remains of a demolished municipal building. All around Buchanan Street lies Mile Style: the heart of Glaswegian shopping. Don't miss this beautiful thoroughfare of magnificent buildings. Boutiques, galleries and shopping malls attract a constant stream of onlookers, and many street musicians perform here every day. Heading west, you'll discover a quieter, residential part of the center, with small neighborhood addresses and a few offices. Further north, Sauchiehall Street is home to some of Scotland's best nightclubs.

East End

East of High Street, the East End has some interesting sights, but is essentially suburban. In fact, it's often confined to the fringe closest to the city center, where you'll find the attractive Cathedral and Provand's Lordship, the city's two oldest monuments. It's also here that you can discover the mysterious and bewitching Necropolis and two of the region's distilleries. Heading towards the Clyde, the Glasgow Green is a pleasant, vast park, home to the People's Palace and its Winter Garden. However, the area doesn't really boast any good restaurants, bars or accommodation. Strictly speaking, it's not a place for visitors. A little further east, you even come to areas that contribute to the city's bad reputation, such as Calton, where life expectancy is much lower than elsewhere in the country... There are no direct dangers, but it's best to stick to the tourist sites.

Southside

South of the Clyde, this is a historically industrial and predominantly residential area. As in the East End, there's not much in the way of restaurants and accommodation. There are, however, a number of attractions, such as the acclaimed Burrell Collection and Mackintosh's House of an Art Lover. The huge Pollok Country Park is also here, and football fans won't want to miss the Scottish Museum of Football.

West End

West End is to Glasgow what the^5th arrondissement is to Paris. It's logically located in the west of the city, on the other side of the M8. It's an attractive, student district, where people take the time to live, socialize and enjoy trendy bars and restaurants. Crossed by the River Kelvin and its promenade, it is home to two major and popular green spaces: Kelvingrove Park and the Botanic Gardens. But its two stars are undoubtedly the breathtaking Kelvingrove University and the sublime Kelvingrove Museum. Both embody the very best of the city's architecture, and both are major cultural attractions. Their collections are fascinating and unmissable. The two main thoroughfares for restaurants and B&Bs are Gibson Street and Great Western Road. Ashton Lane is an unexpectedly village-like alleyway, accessed from Byres Road. Throughout the district, Victorian buildings are omnipresent and of great aesthetic value. Don't miss this area of Glasgow, which offers a completely different face from the center, too often overlooked for lack of time.