A Comprehensive Guide about Living in Glasgow

Life in Glasgow

Culture and Leisure in Glasgow

Glasgow is today a vibrant and dynamic part of the United Kingdom, full of contrasts and culture. Scots are enormously proud of their heritage and will happily talk about their homeland, offering those just arriving to Glasgow some invaluable first hand advice and information.

Glasgow became a huge influence during the Scottish Enlightenment and as such, boasts a legacy of impressive architecture and a diverse history of art and music.

Modern Glasgow is also home to many impassioned football followers, with the two most popular teams being Glasgow Rangers and Celtic. They demonstrate a rivalry that has spanned over a hundred years, as a result of their Protestant and Catholic roots.

The West End of the city offers visitors and locals a selection of pubs, bars and clubs that represent the old and new within the city and are a lesson in Glaswegian history and culture. While the Glasgow’s expatriate community may be smaller than that of London or even Edinburgh, the fiercely proud inhabitants offer an infectious enthusiasm for their city. Any expatriate who chooses to settle there will soon be sharing this same passion for life in Glasgow.

Transportation in Glasgow

Glasgow is serviced by many rail and road links, as well as three international airports that are within a 45 minute drive; this makes it ideally placed for commuters, businesses, tourism, and trade. The main motorway route is the M8 motorway. It connects the city center to the M73, M77 and M80 motorways and the wider UK motorway network.

The city center itself is well serviced by both bus and rail; it possesses the most extensive urban rail network in the UK, outside of London. This is complemented by the city’s impressive subway system, the world’s third-oldest completely underground railway.

Bus and rail services run regular routes into and out of the suburban areas of Glasgow and are the preferred modes of transport for commuters; driving into the city is also possible, but parking spaces can be hard to find and prices high.

Education in Glasgow

Glasgow is home to some prestigious educational establishments and has earned a reputation as a major center for academic research and higher education. Glasgow has four universities within 10 miles of the city center, as well as three further education colleges in the city itself. Over 50,000 full time students attend the city’s universities and colleges, making it one of the largest student populations in the United Kingdom.

Glasgow also offers three specialist schools; the Glasgow School of Sport, the Dance School of Scotland and the Glasgow Gaelic School, which is the only secondary school in Scotland to teach in Gaelic (Scotland’s ancestral language).

The city council provides 149 primary schools for children between 4 and 11 years old and 29 secondary schools for children up to the age of 18. These schools are operated within the government funded education system. Glasgow also offers a number of independent schools, including one of the oldest schools in Britain, Hutchesons’ Grammar School, founded in 1639.