Why I love the Glasgow Cathedral

Glasgow cathedral

It’s no secret that Europe is full of historic churches and cathedrals. Since moving to Europe in the fall, I’ve explored my fair share of cathedrals. However the Glasgow Cathedral is the one that had me stunned. It’s the one that had me going “wow!!” What can I say … I’m stunned by old, gothic arcitecture.

The history of the cathedral

The cathedral was first stone built in the year 1136 while King David I was in power. The current structure that is standing today was constructed in the year 1197. It’s so cool to explore buildings that existed so long ago! It’s truly amazing.

The cathedral played an important role in the Battles of Glasgow in 1544 and 1560. The University of Glasgow originally held classes in the precinct of the cathedral. Now the University is located on literally the exact opposite side of town.

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4 Glasgow local beer spots

Glasgow local beer

I drank lots of beer on my trip to Glasgow, Scotland. My trip to Scotland was planned rather last minute and to be quite honest, I had no real itinerary upon arrival. And I loved it that way. I prefer to roam and stumble upon things. In Glasgow, that ended up being beer. Everyone thinks of Scotch Whisky when they think of alcohol in Scotland. I did of course try my fair share of Scotch too. But the beer … that was quite the pleasant surprise.

I was missing beer

In my home country of the United States, we’ve really come to love beer. And no, I’m not talking about Budweiser. I’m talking about microbreweries. My hometown of Cincinnati has at least five that I can think of. That always blows Spaniards minds when I tell them that and the fact that a normal bar in the United States has at least seven different types of beer on tap. What can I say … we love variety.

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7 free things to see in Glasgow

free things Glasgow

I was very fortunate to spend several days in Glasgow, Scotland a few weeks ago. While it was very cold, I managed to find a good amount of things to do that cost me nothing. When traveling, I do believe that you can save money. Luckily in Scotland, many of the historical sites are free to the public. I spent my three days there touring the city this way. So without further ado, here are 7 free things to see in Glasgow, Scotland.

7. The Glasgow Necropolis

The Glasgow Necropolis sits up on a hill just above the Glasgow Cathedral. From here, you get some of the best views of the entire city. What’s a Necropolis? It’s a Victorian-era garden cemetery. I don’t know about you, but for me, there’s always something neat and calming about wandering through a cemetery.

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