Glasgow Tourist Information And Travel Guide

There are few better places to enjoy a taste of Scotland’s charm than in our largest city, Glasgow. With a population of 620,000 people situated in 68 square miles of west central Scotland along the banks of the River Clyde the city occupies much of the lower Clyde Valley incorporating suburbs – with an overall population of 1.4 million people – which extend into surrounding districts.

If shopping is your thing, you've come to the right place. Glasgow's reputation for retail shopping is well deserved - and, whatever your taste, you are sure to find something to suit. Buchanan Street, Buchanan Galleries, Argyle Street and St Enoch Centre are full of the big high street names. Princes Square, the Italian Centre and the Merchant City have a more design-led offering. And for something a little bit different, pop into the West End. Byres Road and surrounding streets offer an eclectic mix of the new and the antique - perfect for an unusual gift or a lazy afternoon's browsing.

Glasgow's cosmopolitan nature is steeped in the city's heritage. Glasgow's international reputation for shipping and industry brought considerable wealth to the city, as can be seen from stunning architecture - a rich tapestry of styles and influences, with Victorian sandstone rubbing shoulders with gothic spires, and classical edifices beside contemporary structures.

Unsurprisingly, a number of the city's museums celebrate Glasgow's architectural heritage or the cultural wealth amassed during the shipping heyday. The Museum of Transport, The Burrell Collection, Glasgow School of Art (and the city's many other Macintosh treasures) and Kelvingrove art gallery and museum contrast nicely with the more contemporary: The Lighthouse, Gallery of Modern Art and the Science Museum.

Forget those nasty rumours - Glasgow offers a wealth of different cuisines, to suit a range of different budgets. From award-winning restaurants to noodle bars, brassieres to old fashioned tea rooms, the only problem you will have is deciding where to go.

If you are just popping out for a drink, choose from coffee shops, style bars, wine bars or good old fashioned pubs. Many lay on music or entertainment, especially during one of the festivals, and Oran Mor (Byres Road) even offers one-hour plays at lunchtime!

Gyms and healthclubs are scattered throughout the city, as are facilities for racquet sports, field and track, swimming, football, rugby and ice skating.

If you enjoy skiing, there are dry slopes at Bearsden and Bellahouston, and the upcoming real snow slope at Xscape at Braehead. A few hours in the car will take you to ski resorts at Aviemore, Glencoe or Glenshee - amongst others.

Golf is also available throughout the city, and the world famous courses at Troon, Loch Lomond and St Andrews are within easy reach.

Some of the country's best sailing waters are just outside the city, with marinas at Ardrossan, Largs, Inverkip and Rhu.

Hillwalking, climbing, mountain biking, horse riding, canoeing, windsurfing, clay pigeon shooting and other sports and activities can all be found in Greater Glasgow and surrounding areas.

Some of country's most beautiful scenery is within easy reach of Glasgow. Loch Lomond National Park and The Trossachs are within 30 minutes' drive, whilst the West Highland Way begins at Milngavie, just outside the city's northern limits. The Ayrshire coast or New Lanark make for good family days out.

Pop through to Edinburgh by car or on the train - the journey is less than an hour - to visit the castle, or travel further afield to explore the Highlands and Islands.

Whether you are interested in eating out, shopping, sports, architecture or art, Glasgow will have something for you to enjoy during your visit. A warm welcome awaits all the tourists.

This is my first guide covering all the places that a tourist should visit in Glasgow. In my second article I will provide more information as well as a little bit of history. Watch this space!

Galway Tourist Information & Travel Guide

Galway, the largest county in the province of Connacht, lies in the centre of the western seaboard of Ireland. It covers nearly 6,000 sq. kms, (with over 2000km of highly indented coastline) and is divided by Lough Corrib, Ireland’s second largest lake. It has two distinct landscapes - the vast mountainy land of Connemara to the west of Lough Corrib and the rich farming plains of Galway East. The population of the County (all the areas outside of Galway City) is estimated at just over 143,000. The County is predominantly rural with just over 15% living in towns of more than 1,500 people.

Galway City is one of the fastest growing cities in Europe, often referred to as the bi-lingual capital of Ireland, Galway city is the perfect mix of old and new.  A bustling shopping centre with wonderful little boutique cafes along the pedestrianised streets and plenty of craic at night with a host of live music venues to choose from.

For a taste of the “real” Ireland Connemara is a must. Gaeilge is the predominant language of choice here and the people are warm and friendly with a typical Cead Mile Failte Irish welcome. The beautiful rugged landscape is as yet unspoilt by progress.

Take in the majestic splendour of the Twelve Bens mountain range in the north as you make your way further south to the well knows seaside resort of Salthill. Something for everyone here from the landmark Leisureland complex with its indoor and outdoor childrens activities to the quieter restaurants and bars further back from the sandy seafront and promenade.

Galway County Council recently lead a project to create a Galway East Ecclesiastical Trail. The Trail features over 40 sites of interest to ‘culture and heritage seekers’. This area also features Portumna Castle on the banks of the Shannon and Coole Park and Thoor Ballylee associated with literary legends W.B. Yeats and Lady Gregory founder of Ireland’s National Theatre.

There are four main inhabited Islands off the coast of Galway including the world renowed Irish speaking Aran Islands and Inisboffin. In total there are 18 inhabited islands in County Galway. It is worth a visit across to the islands to enjoy such activities as walking, cycling, swimming, horse-riding, diving, basket-making and learning a little of the Irish language and culture. Inis Mor, the largest of the Aran Islands, is home to the world famous Dun Aonghasa monument and the islands heritage centre is wonderfully informative of the lives of previous inhabitants. An overnight stay is highly recommended in order to sample the traditional night life.

The Summer Festival Race Meeting at Galway Racecourse is renowned worldwide. Veteran race goers, and indeed those who simply love the atmosphere, travel from around the world for this unique experience.

The Festival runs for seven consecutive days starting from the last Monday in July each year. There are special race days, such as, Ladies Day, The Big Bash and Mad Hatter’s Day which add fun and excitement to the event. A record number of people, 220,000, attended the Summer Festival Meeting in 2006.

In addition to good road access, Galway is increasingly well serviced by over 100 direct flights a week to Galway Airport, Shannon and Ireland West Airport (Knock) as well as daily train services from Dublin through Galway East to Galway City provided by Iarnrуd Eireann. Bus Eireann services the area with regular coaches to and from the rest of the country.

Fife Tourist Information & Travel Guide

Wherever you are from, we wish you a warm welcome from Citylocal Fife, ‘the business directory in Fife’ based near the Royal Burgh and City of Dunfermline and covering all the ancient Kingdom.

WELCOME to the Kingdom of Fife!

If you are visiting Fife by road from the North or South, then we apologise for taking your money for the privilege of crossing the bridge(s); and rest assured we wouldn’t do that if Dunfermline were still the Capital of Scotland instead of the young upstart, Edinburgh.  It does however indicate that the Scottish Parliament places more value on Fife than Edinburgh.

Dunfermline is a city with many easily accessible and interesting attractions, from its ancient 12th-century Abbey to the restored 15th-century Abbot House where you can enjoy a snack and drink in its cosy cafe, or you can choose to explore the bustling High Street and once you have finished your retail therapy you can relax and absorb the atmosphere in ‘Oolahs’, a modern and well appointed cafe in the High Street.

Andrew Carnegie the world famous industrialist and philanthropist was born in Dunfermline in 1835, and as you explore the City you will find his ‘ghost’ is everywhere, no more so than in his family home, a humble weaver’s cottage which been preserved and extended to include a museum of his life.

Only a few minutes drive from Dunfermline, you will find several villages worth visiting, Culross (another Royal Burgh)  to the West,  is in my view the most interesting, and when you walk along the narrow cobbled streets you can imagine yourself back in the 16th or 17th century. The village is kept in first class order, and the pan-tiled houses with their crow-step gables have been sympathetically restored.  There is plenty to see and do for both adults and children, and if time is short I would suggest that your priority is The Palace (built between 1597 and 1611) which was the home of Sir George Bruce, an enterprising merchant and coal baron. Its original interiors feature some magnificent painted woodwork and ceilings, and it has mediaeval gardens to the rear. The Palace has its own first class tea rooms, and ‘The Red Lion‘, a local pub, has an excellent restaurant with a varied and very reasonably priced menu.

Limekilns and Charlestown although not on the same scale as Culross are also both picturesque coastal villages, with their own character and history, and are well worthy of a visit, especially in the summer months. There is a good selection of beer and meals available at the ‘Ship Inn’ in Limekilns, and ‘The Elgin Hotel’ in Charleston is also worth a visit.
In our next edition we will cover the towns of Aberdour, Burntisland, Inverkeithing Kinghorn and Kirkcaldy as we move up towards the East Neuk  on the way to St Andrews.