Glasgow in 3 Days: Museums, the West End and the Clyde

Start with the medieval cathedral, whose lower church surrounds the tomb of St Mungo. It stands at the eastern edge of the centre, beside the path up to the Necropolis.

Continue south to the city’s oldest public park and the paths beside the Clyde. Look for the Doulton Fountain and the McLennan Arch before heading back towards the centre.

Finish the central route at GoMA in Royal Exchange Square, with changing contemporary-art exhibitions inside a former merchant’s mansion. Entry is free, and the square gives the museum a natural place in the walk.

Start the West End day on the paths beside the River Kelvin, with the university buildings above the park. Continue to Kelvingrove Museum at the park’s southern edge.

Continue into the red-sandstone museum for paintings, natural history and Glasgow’s collections. The permanent galleries are free; choose a few collections rather than trying to see every room.

Walk up through the university campus to the museum for Roman objects from the Antonine Wall. The separate art gallery is nearby, with the paid Mackintosh House interiors beside it.

Finish north of the university among the garden paths and the Kibble Palace glasshouse. The grounds and glasshouses are free, giving the afternoon an outdoor stretch after the museum visits.

Start beside the Clyde with Glasgow’s transport collection, from trams and buses to a reconstructed street. The museum is free and sits directly beside the Glenlee, so the two visits work together.

Continue to the south bank for the hands-on science displays, the main paid visit of the afternoon. The planetarium and cinema have separate programmes, so choose those in place of part of the exhibition visit.

Finish the riverside route at the Clyde Arc, usually called the Squinty Bridge for its diagonal crossing. The arch and surrounding riverfront make a short final walk beside the Science Centre.

Choose the Burrell instead of one of the central museum days for art, tapestries and objects collected from across the world. It lies in Pollok Country Park, south of the centre, and is free to visit.

Pair the woodland paths and open lawns with a visit to the Burrell Collection. This is a separate half-day south of the centre, not an extra stop on the West End walking route.

Book a distillery tour for whisky production in a former dockside pump house. It stands between the Riverside Museum and the centre; substitute it for the Science Centre if whisky interests you more.

Choose this four-room Garnethill flat for everyday life in early twentieth-century Glasgow, preserved through Agnes Toward’s belongings. It works as a smaller paid alternative to a major art museum.