Glasgow

In Gaelic, Glasgow means "the Dear Green Place," a fitting title for the city with more parks per square mile than any other in Europe. The city has changed dramatically over the years, from prosperous Victorian hub to world shipbuilding center to depressed urban area.

Today a re-energized Glasgow is thriving, famous for its passion for football (soccer) and fabulous shops that beat those in Edinburgh hands-down. Its distinguished university is over 500 years old and worth a visit, as is Kelvingrove Park, the vibrant meeting ground adjacent to it. Glasgow is very proud of its buildings by two great homegrown architects, Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Alexander Thomson.

Trendy cafés and well-preserved pubs, some with live music, are a refuge for those interested in more local, thirst-quenching activities. Most impressive, though, are the Glaswegians, so genuine that their warmness and lyrical way of speech stay with you long after you leave Scotland. Yes, the city has some rough patches; drugs and poverty tie areas like the Gorbals and East End together, but major cleanup efforts have been made. True, you're guaranteed rain, but you don't have to worry about armies of tourists in Scotland's largest and friendliest city.

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