Weekend in Glasgow, Scotland, one of three ways: on a budget, spending a bit more, or when the getaway calls for a splurge.
Trip tips: The city is morphing into one of Europe's most vibrant cities. Explore the city by foot along various heritage trails (PDF files), www.historicglasgow.com. Some of Scotland's most beautiful coastlines, glens and ancient castles lie just outside the city. Double the Scottish experience with a visit to Edinburgh, located just 42 miles east. Trip planning at www.visitscotland.com. When dialing direct, use the prefix 011 followed by 44 (country code) + phone number shown below.
Getting there: Round-trip rates $1,050-$1,400 for late October-March 2016 departures. Holiday blackout dates apply. Advance purchase varies from seven to 14 days. Most carriers participate. Occasional sale rates from $850 round-trip.
BUDGET
Stay: Argyll Western Hotel features tartan-themed rooms, and some have floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking a leafy terrace and the Great Western Road. Walk to the Botanic Gardens and to the most cosmopolitan and eclectic street in town, Byres Road. Nearby is the pretty cobbled road of Ashton Lane, lined with shops, cafes and bars. Double room rates from $85; $8 for breakfast. 6 Buckingham Terrace, Glasgow. 0141-339-2339, www.argyllwestern.co.uk.
Eat: Enjoy some of Scotland's finest seasonal produce in a busy neighborhood bistro, Fanny Trollope's. House specialties are seafood, Scottish beef and lamb, fowl and game. A main dish of pan-seared scallops, crab and chorizo fritters, pickled carrot and fennel salad, $14. Other mains, $7.50-$38. 1066 Argyle St., Glasgow. 0141-564-6464, www.fannytrollopes.co.uk.
Experience: The 135-year-old Glasgow Central Station is far more than a rail hub for passengers. Take a tour to learn of its historical events through a web of stories of Glasgow and beyond Scotland. Scale the station's glass roof and go below to the site of what was a Victorian village buried beneath underground. The tour is ranked No. 1 on TripAdvisor among all of Glasgow's most impressive attractions. Adults from $20. Gordon Street, Glasgow. 845-748-4950, www.glasgowcentraltours.co.uk/the-tour.
MODERATE
Stay: The hip Citizen M is located in the theater district and a short walk to the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and a subway station. The lobby/living area offers a computer work area, lounge and a 24-hour cafe. Smallish guest rooms (two people max; no twin beds) feature XL king beds, wall-to-wall windows, free Wi-Fi and iPad controls for ambient lights and blinds. Rates average $125. Add Scottish breakfast at the time of reservation ($14.50) or on the same day ($17.50). 60 Renfrew St., Glasgow. 20-3519-1111, www.citizenm.com/destinations/glasgow.
Eat: A lunchtime legend (23rd year) in Glasgow is a beer (wine or soft drink), a Scotch pie (or veggie quiche) and a short play. A series of 50-minute plays are performed in a historic converted church at the West End's Oran Mor pub. Neither posh nor gourmet, be entertained while dining with the locals. $19 Monday-Friday; $21.50 Saturday. Top of Byres Road, Glasgow. 0141-357-6200, http://playpiepint.com.
Experience: Take in the best of Scotland on a full-day escorted trip to historic castles and stunning mountain scenery. Stops include the 18th-century planned town of Inveraray with its distinctive Scottish Georgian architecture. The tour continues to Kilchurn Castle at Loch Awe and a lunch stop in the small fishing village of Oban, the gateway to the western Scottish isles (year-round ferries to 25 inhabited islands). The return route hugs the west coast past Loch Creran to Castle Stalker, to Glencoe and finally for refreshments by a roaring log fire at a 309-year-old haunted inn. Adults, $61, excluding lunch and refreshments (under age 5 not permitted). http://discoverscotlandtours.com.
SPLURGE
Stay: Glasgow's West End luxury bed-and-breakfast hotel, 15, offers five sophisticated rooms ($152-$283) and suites ($207-$330) — some with original fireplaces, working wooden shutters, stained glass, oak paneling and en suite bathrooms with heated floors. Parks, museums, galleries and shops are at the doorstep and Scotrail trains are an eight-minute walk. Rates include Wi-Fi and breakfast served in-room. 15 Woodside Place, Glasgow. 0141-332-1263, http://15glasgow.com.
Eat: Number 16 is a small and often-packed gem featuring an ever-changing Scottish menu. Mains from $20 to $28 (seven-spice roast breast of Gressingham duck with poached rhubarb, shallots and heirloom tomatoes, elderflower dressing and sweet soy). 16 Byres Road, Glasgow. 0141-339-2544, www.number16.co.uk.
Experience: See more of Scotland on a three-day tour that takes in some of the most dramatic and beautiful places in the Highlands and the island of Skye. The tour makes the picturesque harbor town of Portree home for two nights while exploring the wild north of Skye, the mountain pass of the Quiraing and Skye's most westerly point at Neist. Per-person rates for the tour from $167-$244. Meals, refreshments and entrance fees additional. Also additional are accommodations. Choose from a hostel, B&B or a hotel with per-person, per-night rates from $43-$153. www.rabbies.com.
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