Edinburgh may have top billing in travel guide but Glasgow can still rival capital

The city is mentioned for Charles Rennie Mackintosh architecture, art treasures at Kelvingrove Museum, the necropolis and the People’s Palace.

Edinburgh has almost double the number of unmissable attractions with seven and takes the top spot in the UK for the Festival Fringe, which is currently under way in the capital.

The new list comes as the Evening Times revealed that council-owned attractions in Glasgow had a record year with 18m visits bringing in more than £660m last year.

However, the city has far more events and attractions that bring people to the city and we think it can rival Edinburgh in the culture stakes.

The Festival Fringe takes top spot in the Lonely Planet list as Edinburgh is transformed for the month of August with artists and street performers from around the world converging on the city and every available space is turned into a venue for the thousands of shows.

Glasgow also has its own cultural festivals but runs them separately through out the winter months with one running into the other.

Celtic Connections in January, bringing the best in Scottish, Irish and traditional folk and world music to venues around the city is now an established festival after its 26th year in 2019.

The International Film Festival takes place in February with premieres and providing a showcase for new writing and production talent.

Aye Write, the city’s book festival, in March, based at the Mitchell Library brings big names and up and coming writers to Glasgow.

The Comedy Festival also takes place in March with hundreds of acts taking to the stage.

All the culture you can handle and you won’t need to spend a month’s wages on a B&B for a weekend.

Arthur’s Seat is listed as a must do in Holyrood Park in Edinburgh at a lofty number 19.

While Glasgow can’t boost a mini mountain in the middle of the city it has proper hills in abundance on its doorstep, with the Cathkin Braes to the south, with the mountain biking centre, the Campsie Fells to the north and the Kilpatrick Hills to the west all with numerous wonderful walks and trails.

Greyfriars Kirk home of the famous Greyfriars Bobby tale brings tourists to Edinburgh comes in at number 334 on the list and Mary King’s Close and the ghost tours is also included.

Glasgow’s necropolis is listed too (197) with stunning views of the city and the monuments and tombs of the many merchants and industrialists on which the city’s wealth was built.

Glasgow also has the Southern Necropolis, in Gorbals, where in the 1950s local children, armed with stakes, hunted a seven-foot tall vampire after a rumour swept the area.

Not as cuddly a tale as Greyfriars Bobby but it takes more than a giant blood sucking monster to scare Gorbals children.

The Royal Yacht Britannia, berthed at Leith, (so, not really Edinburgh) is a Lonely Planet must see at number 270.

While you gape in awe at the majesty of the yacht, just remember who built the thing.

Like so many other maritime marvels it was built on the Clyde, at John Browns in Clydebank, (So not really Glasgow, but you get the point).

And at Fairfield’s Heritage Centre, a few miles upstream in Govan, you can discover the history of shipbuilding on the river in the wonderfully restored A -listed shipyard HQ.

Glasgow has developed as a tourist destination in recent decades and has a wealth of attractions all year round with music venues from the Kelvingrove Bandstand to the Hydro and sport with Glasgow Warriors competing in European rugby’s elite, and Partick Thistle and Queen’s Park as well as Celtic and Rangers providing excitement on the football park.

Theatres, famous pubs, fine restaurants, parks and shopping the city has something for everyone. And with the cities less than one hour apart there is of course the perfect opportunity to visit both.

There is however, one great thing Edinburgh has that Glasgow doesn’t. The train to Queen Street.