When people talk about cities in Scotland, the pretty streets of Edinburgh always seems to steal the limelight. Today, however, I want to shift your attention to Glasgow, the country’s largest city in terms of size and population.
Recently, I visited Glasgow for the first time on a short trip to Scotland. Not wanting to miss out on the nature, I also included a night in Fort William to climb Ben Nevis, and a few nights in Oban to explore the surrounding Isles.
I added Glasgow to the itinerary because I wanted to see some friends. My good friend Clara relocated to the city a few years ago with her boyfriend, and recently they welcomed an adorable baby girl into the world who I couldn’t wait to meet.
While I was happy to visit a new city, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Glasgow, so I guess you could say my expectations of the city were not very high. However, I love being surprised and I’m glad to report back that Glasgow exceeded my expectations.
Glasgow: a city for artistic types
Glasgow has a long reputation for promoting the arts. It attracts students from all around the world to study at Glasgow School of Art which is one of the leading art schools in the UK. There’s also more than just the university attracting creative types to the city. It’s a combination of factors.
Affordably is a big reason with Glasgow ranking as one of the cheapest cities to live in the UK. Furthermore, the city has a wealth of cultural organisations and venues dedicated to performing arts. All of these reasons contribute to the city feeling youthful, ever-changing, and outward-looking. While it might be as beautiful as Edinburgh, and is certainly a little more rough around the edges, it is no less interesting to visit.
To emphasise this, Glasgow was awarded the title of European Capital of Culture (1990), City of Architecture and Design (1999) and in 2019 it was named the UK’s top cultural and creative city by the European Commission.
Adding to this, the creativity of the city can be felt and seen all over the streets of Glasgow in the form of beautiful wall murals.
First impressions of Glasgow
As I mentioned earlier, I was in Glasgow to see my friends and their beautiful baby, but I did manage to squeeze in some sightseeing. I loved the three C’s: the Cathedral, the cemetery, and the culinary scene. The city is a melting pot of different ethnic backgrounds and this has given rise to an eclectic host of tasty restaurants and eateries that burst with flavour.
However, I found my favourite activity in Glasgow was simply roaming down the streets and looking for street art. There’s lots of great street art in Glasgow, like anywhere, some better than others, but when it’s good, it’s really good.
You’d be hard pressed to find someone who wasn’t impressed by street artist Smug. His work stands out above the rest, so I’m going to focus on highlighting his work in this little self-guided walking tour.
I’d seen his work before in Malmo, South Sweden, but his output in Glasgow is a lot greater.
Street art to find in Glasgow by Smug
Australian-born Smug came to live in Glasgow several years ago and he’s been leaving his mark on the city since his arrival. His distinctive style has been praised for its hyperrealism by Glaswegians, as well as his choice of subjects.
St Mungo
His most famous piece depicts a modern day St. Mungo – Glasgow’s patron Saint. You can find this mural on High Street at the side of a Nisa Local shop.
At 25, Mungo began his missionary work on the banks of the River Clyde, near where he built his church which forms part of the Cathedral. In the mural, St Mungo is depicted with a robin, in reference to the pet robin of St Serf which was brought to a life by St Mungo after being accidentally killed.
Enoch and Child
Nearby is another tender work by Smug on the corner of High Street and George Street. This time he has depicted the patron saint of Glasgow, St Mungo, as a young child being breastfed by his mother St Enoch. Noticeable is the robin that features in both of the artist’s murals.
Robins often symbolise renewal, hope, and the arrival of spring, as they’re among the first birds to return after winter, signaling new beginnings. In many cultures, they’re also seen as messengers of loved ones who have passed, symbolising comfort and reassurance that they’re still watching over us.
Honey… I Shrunk the Kids
Wander further into the centre of town to Mitchell Street and you’ll find a girl with a magnifying glass, amusingly named Honey… I Shrunk the Kids. Stretching up four storeys, you can’t miss it. What’s more, catch it at the right angle and it looks as if she’s plucking people off the street!
I tried to see if I could create a funny perspective shot myself, but couldn’t quite achieve it. See if you can do a better job – I blame the photographer! Though I do like how the photo gives you a gist of the sheer size of the mural.
Fellow Glasgow Residents
The last mural I spotted by Smug was a collection of wildlife animals overlooking Ingram Street car park. It was commissioned by Glasgow City Council and it celebrates some of the wildlife that you will see in Glasgow’s green spaces, such as squirrels, foxes and highland cows.
You’ll need a few photos to capture the whole scene of this piece. It’s huge. As the mural suggests, Glasgow is a superb starting point for exploring the famed Scottish countryside. In less that 45 minutes you can be in Loch Lomond the Trossachs National Park.
If you have more time, I also encourage you to get up to Glencoe. It’s such a pretty part of the Scottish Highlands and take approximately 2 hours to reach from Glasgow.
If you’re looking for inspiration, one walk you could go is the Lost Valley Walk. The whole area is like something out of a Lord of the Rings film.
Admiring the public wall murals is an excellent way to get acquainted with the city streets of Glasgow. Don’t miss the opportunity when you’re in town.
Visiting Glasgow
I travelled to Glasgow from London by train. It takes approximately 6 hrs. It’s less than an hour by train from Edinburgh, so I recommend visiting both cities if you have the time.
