A perfect day in Glasgow

Catch the Clockwork Orange (slang for Glasgow’s underground system) to Kelvinbridge and grab a sausage roll from the Cottonrake Bakery. Stroll through Kelvingrove Park to see the Salvador Dalí at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

Pay tribute to the River Clyde, Glasgow’s sullen grey heart. With the mood set, press on to the Necropolis, the Victorian cemetery whose thousands of varied monuments truly deserve to be called a ‘city of the dead’. You can take in the stunning view of Glasgow, alive as always.

Finnieston is the neighbourhood to head to if you want a taste of the city’s burgeoning food scene. Alchemilla’s colourful Mediterranean fare has fast become a local obsession, while Crabshakk’s fruits de mer takes the Glasgow fish supper to a new level. The Glasgow School of Art has proven to be tragically flammable in recent years, but architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s designs are still celebrated at tea room Mackintosh at the Willow. Really hungry? Eat chicken tikka masala at Shish Mahal, which claims to have invented the dish.

Time for a wee swallie. Head to The Winged Ox at Saint Luke’s for live music in a converted church or settle down in The Scotia, possibly the city’s oldest pub. Twin bars Mono and Stereo are alt-institutions, with vegan food and links with bands such as Belle And Sebastian. Òran Mór packs it all under one roof: it’s another converted church, with a bar upstairs and a gig space in the basement.

There’s upscale shopping district Merchant City but for a more authentic experience, try the Barras in the East End. The iconic weekend market’s warren of stalls is also home to BAaD (Barras Art and Design), a hipsterish mix of record shops, shipping containers and street food.

Glasgow is built along the Clyde, but it’s music that runs through its veins, so you can’t leave without having a boogie. Barrowland Ballroom‘s neon sign is almost as famous as the acts who have appeared on its stage. King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut was where Oasis were discovered. If you just want to get sweaty, there is always music bar Nice N Sleazy.