Why go now?
Glasgow is the perfect city break destination - great restaurants, shopping, arts and culture, and a vast selection of bars and clubs as cool as any in Britain. But on 25 January, Burns Night - which this year is the 250th anniversary of the national poet's birth - will see the city party even harder than usual. In addition to celebrating with the traditional feast of haggis, neeps, tatties and whisky, a massive ceilidh is being held in the city's Royal Concert Hall to mark the occasion.
Checking in
For true luxury, one address has always stood out from the rest, the iconic Hotel du Vin at One Devonshire Gardens (1 Devonshire Gardens; 0141 339 2001; hotelduvin.com; standard rooms from £150). Winner of countless awards and set in a tree-lined Victorian terrace in the hip West End of the city, the hotel is spread over five townhouses. Similarly stylish but with a city centre location is Malmaison (278 West George Street; 0141 572 1000; malmaison-glasgow.com; from £109). Built in a former Episcopal Church, lovers of architecture will marvel at its huge vaulted ceilings and magnificent iron sculpted staircase. There is also plenty of affordable, comfortable accommodation to choose from, such as the friendly Brunswick Hotel (106-108 Brunswick Street; 0141 552 0001; brunswickhotel.co.uk; from £50), in the Merchant City part of town.
Hit the streets
Start the day with a stroll through Kelvingrove Park, one of more than 70 parks within the city boundaries. Visit Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (glasgowmuseums.com) - like all the city's main museums and galleries, entry is free. Dominating the Argyle Street end of the park in its Victorian red sandstone spendour, it has one of the finest civic collections in Europe and it would be easy to while away an entire day here. But the best way to appreciate Glasgow and in particular its stunning and varied architecture is to walk. From Kelvingrove head towards majestic George Square in the city centre - a great place to sit and people watch - then further east to Glasgow Cathedral and the city's oldest house, Provand's Lordship in Castle Street, built in 1471. It's also worth visiting the fast-developing Harbour area, with its famous shipyard cranes, innovative Science Centre (glasgowsciencecentre.org) and beautiful, squinty bridge.
Coffee break
Glaswegians have always heartily embraced cafe culture. One of the most popular is Kember and Jones (134 Byres Road), which offers great coffee and cake but can be very busy. There are countless others. Try the Hidden Lane Café/Gallery (1103 Argyle Street), which is tucked away in the corner of a cobbled lane, and serves great value salads and sandwiches.
Neighbourhood watch
Glasgow is always transforming itself and worth visiting are Trongate and adjacent Saltmarket. Once neglected areas in the east end, they are fast emerging as thriving visual arts hubs, with numerous galleries, workshops, studios and cafes.
Retail therapy
The city ranks second only to London for its selection of designer retailers, high street stores and shopping malls. Princes Square in Buchanan Street (princessquare.co.uk) is not your average mall. It's an architectural showpiece and features a host of designer outlets, upmarket restaurants and galleries. For a selection of distinctive boutiques take a stroll up Byres Road and then along Great Western Road. Favourites include Pink Poodle (181 Byres Road) for quirky clothes and sparkly jewellery, and Galletly & Tubbs (431 Great Western Road) for unique and well-priced gifts.
Worked up an appetite?
It wasn't always this way, but Glasgow now has the most complete restaurant scene outside London. The venerable media and arts hangout Ubiquitous Chip (12 Ashton Lane) and Rogano (11 Exchange Place) remain firm favourites with visitors and locals alike, but have been joined by numerous other excellent choices. Gamba (225a West George Street) is hard to beat for seafood, while Stravaigin (28-30 Gibson Street) serves the best burgers in town found in the lively university area.
Big night out
A good place to start is by checking out what's on during the city's popular Celtic Connections festival (celticconnections.com), which runs throughout the last fortnight in January, and is now in its 16th year. Start the night in The Black Sparrow (241 North Street). Recently voted the most stylish bar in Scotland, it's a Charles Bukowski-inspired moody space, with huge leather booths and an open fire. For drinks, dancing or live music into the wee hours try Oran Mor, a converted church at the top of Byres Road, which is always packed to the gills.
Escape the city
One of the best things about Glasgow is its proximity to the countryside. Within 30 minutes of leaving the West End of the city you can be at Loch Lomond. Loch Lomond Shores (lochlomondshores.com) in Balloch offers leisure activities and shopping. Or even better, drive up the east side of the loch, past Balmaha, or The Balmahamas, as it is affectionately known, and bask in the breathtaking natural beauty of the mountains.
Loch Lomond. Loch Lomond Shores (lochlomondshores.com) in Balloch offers leisure activities and shopping. Or even better, drive up the east side of the loch, past Balmaha, or The Balmahamas, as it is affectionately known, and bask in the breathtaking natural beauty of the mountains.
Lorna Martin
• Lorna Martin lives in Glasgow and is the author of 'Woman on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown'.
