Glasgow is a city continually in flux: its animated culture, and its impressive architectural splendors of sandstone and steel, makes it shine despite dark urban realities.

Glasgow is something of a Renaissance city. Like a proud fighter who refuses to be knocked down, this bustling, Scottish city is once again busy reinventing itself. Born as a fishing village on the slopes above the meandering River Clyde, Glasgow has been, in turn, a market town, an ecclesiastical center, a seat of learning, a city of merchant adventurers, a gateway to the New World, an industrial powerhouse of the British Empire, and a European cultural capital. 

With a population of around 585,000, the city has its own orchestras, opera, ballet, and numerous other music and theater ensembles. Glasgow is situated about a half-hour drive from the Scottish Highlands, which offer many outdoor recreational pursuits. Once known as “The Second City of the British Empire,” Glasgow remains the best-preserved Victorian city in Great Britain. Recent restoration and cleanup efforts have been recognized internationally, and Glasgow was designated the European Community’s City of Architecture and Design in 1999.