You lot were unbelievable.
The Tartan Army descended on Boston for the World Cup and you welcomed them like long-lost family – you drank with them, marched with them to Fenway, and let them put a traffic cone on your statues. That last bit, by the way, is very much a Glasgow thing. It started here in the ’80s, when someone decided the Duke of Wellington outside the Gallery of Modern Art needed a wee orange hat. He’s had one on ever since. Boston, you passed the test.
And now, in one of the more surreal footnotes of World Cup 2026, your mayor signed a twinning agreement with Glasgow – inside a pub, wearing a Scotland shirt. So it’s official. We’re basically the same city.
Which means you’ve got no excuse not to visit. Here’s where to start.
See the cone for yourself
The Duke of Wellington statue on Royal Exchange Square is Glasgow’s most photographed landmark and the council has given up trying to remove the cone. It comes back every time. It’s the perfect summary of this city’s relationship with authority – affectionate defiance. Start here, get your photo, then walk ten minutes in any direction and you’ll stumble into something worth your time.
Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum
Free entry. A Spanish Baroque building. A Spitfire hanging from the ceiling. Ancient Egypt next to Scottish Colourists next to a stuffed elephant called Sir Roger. Kelvingrove shouldn’t work as a concept and yet it absolutely does. Allow two hours minimum and go on a Sunday afternoon when the pipe organ plays. Yes, really.
The Burrell Collection
Glasgow’s answer to the MFA. Sir William Burrell spent his life accumulating over 9,000 objects spanning 6,000 years of history – and then gifted the whole lot to the city. It’s housed in Pollok Country Park in the Southside, which means you get world-class art surrounded by ancient woodland. Take the train from Central Station, it’s 15 minutes.
Ashton Lane
The cobbled lane tucked behind Byres Road in the West End is Glasgow’s worst-kept secret. Fairy lights, converted mews buildings, outdoor heaters, a boutique cinema. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to stay for one more drink every single time. Head there in the early evening, grab a table outside and watch the city do its thing.
The Clydeside Distillery
Boston, you drank 70 kegs of Sam Adams in four days. Respect. Now let us show you something better. The Clydeside Distillery sits right on the River Clyde in a restored Victorian pump house and does single malt Scotch whisky the Glasgow way – properly, without the fuss. The guided tour ends with a tasting. Book ahead.
Discover the Clydeside Distillery Tour on GetYourGuide.
The Glasgow Mural Trail
Glasgow has been covering its walls in world-class street art for over a decade and the Mural Trail pulls it all together into a self-guided walking route through the City Centre. It’s free, it takes a couple of hours if you do the full thing, and it’s one of the best ways to understand the city’s character – proud, creative, a little bit anarchic.
Finnieston
Finnieston is where Glasgow goes to eat and drink right now. Argyle Street is packed with independent restaurants, craft beer bars and cocktail spots. If you want to eat well without planning too hard, just walk down Argyle Street and see what takes your fancy. You won’t go hungry.
Loch Lomond
You’re 45 minutes from one of the most dramatic landscapes in Europe. Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park is right on Glasgow’s doorstep and completely unlike anything you’ll find in New England. Take a day trip, get on the water if you can, and try not to be completely overwhelmed by how beautiful it is.
Discover sight seeing in Loch Lomond on GetYourGuide.
A Scottish Highlands day trip
While you’re here, go further. Full-day tours from Glasgow take you to Loch Ness, Glencoe and Fort William – proper Highland scenery, the kind that makes you understand why Scots are so attached to this country.
Discover the Scottish Highlands Tour on GetYourGuide.
One more thing
Glasgow is a globally recognised City of Music. Any night of the week you can find live music – from tiny basement venues to the Hydro. If you’re visiting in late July, the city is also hosting the Commonwealth Games. The energy is going to be something else.
Boston, you were a ten out of ten. Come see us. We’ll have the drinks in.
