Edinburgh and Glasgow are the two premier cities in Scotland and two of the most visited cities in the United Kingdom. Edinburgh is the capital city and Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland. This is the ultimate guide to whether you should visit Edinburgh or Glasgow.
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Edinburgh or Glasgow Overview
Edinburgh
Edinburgh has a population of 500,000 people and has been the capital of Scotland since the 1400s. It is the second most visited city in the United Kingdom, only behind London. The city has been a center for banking and finances for hundreds of years.
Edinburgh has been referred to as the “Athens of the North” because of Castle Rock overlooking the city, similar to the Athenian Acropolis. One of the first things you will notice is the Gothic Revival architecture made with sandstone with a dark stain still visible from Edinburgh’s heavy industrial days. People come to Edinburgh to explore its museums, galleries, castles, and grand churches.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the most populous city in Scotland with 1/3rd of Scotland’s population living in Glasgow’s metro area. It is also the 5th most visited city in the United Kingdom. The city has been known for being a port city and a major city in during the Industrial Revolution.
During the 19th century, Glasgow was known as the UK’s “Second City”. Like many cities in the United Kingdom, Glasgow went under massive renovations during the 20th century to modernize the city. Most of the Medieval architecture is no longer around and has been replaced with beautiful Victorian and contemporary styles of architecture. Today, Glasgow has over 20 museums and is considered to be the best city for concert-goers in the UK, only behind London.
Things to See
Edinburgh
Edinburgh Castle has overlooked the city since the 12th Century.
Calton Hill has some of the best views of the city and has many monuments on it.
Scott Monument, located in Princes Street Garden, is one of the city’s most iconic monuments.
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is the official residence of the Queen in Scotland.
St. Giles Cathedral was originally constructed in the 12th century and is one of Scotland’s most famous cathedrals.
Glasgow
Glasgow Cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in Glasgow and one of the few Medieval cathedrals in Scotland.
George Square is Glasgow’s most famous city square.
Glasgow Riverside Museum was named European Museum of the Year in 2013.
Buchanan Street is the largest shopping street in Scotland.
Glasgow Science Center is one of Scotland’s most visited attractions.
Food
Edinburgh
Haggis is considered Scotland’s National Dish. It can be a scary dish to try for someone who has never seen or heard of it before but it is quite good. One signature dish of Edinburgh is Cullen Skink. The word skink initially referred to meat in Scotland, but it has now evolved to also mean soup. This thick and hearty soup is traditionally made from smoked haddock and potatoes, along with many other flavorful ingredients.
Glasgow
As with other Scottish cities, if you’re going to visit Glasgow, you must try Scotland’s most famous dish: Haggis. Haggis is a pudding made from the intestines of a sheep or calf, which are then mixed with oatmeal, suet, and seasonings. You should make your way over to Partick Farmer’s Market to explore all of the food typical Glaswegians would eat.
Getting Around
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is not a huge metropolis so you can walk around the city center with ease. You can cover a lot of the city within a 30-minute walk. Buses and trams can get you pretty much wherever you want to go. Some bus routes go all night and the trams have wifi, so public transportation here is quite friendly. You should definitely utilize the buses and trams if you are traveling outside of the city center. Uber and taxis are also options.
Glasgow
The center of Glasgow is laid out in a grid-system so it is easy to navigate on foot. Buses and the metro are your best options if you need to use public transportation. Another way to easily see the city is to get on the Hop on Hop off sightseeing bus which goes by many of the city’s top sights in just 1.5 hours. Renting a bicycle would not be a bad idea, especially if you plan on riding alongside the riverfront areas.
Nightlife
Edinburgh
Edinburgh offers quite an experience when it comes to nightlife. The area around The Royal Mile is easily the best part of Edinburgh to check out for a night out. The Royal Mile is lined with pubs, breweries, and bars with live music. If you are into live music, Edinburgh has no shortage of options. You should check out The Liquid Room, Sneaky Pete’s, La Belle Angele, Opium, and The Mash House. If you want to go clubbing, there are options for that as well.
Glasgow
Glasgow may not be the capital of Scotland but it is the capital of Scotland in terms of nightlife. It is even one of the best clubbing cities in the United Kingdom. The city is also known for being one of the best places in Europe to see live music. The city center, West End, and Merchant Street are going to be the best parts of the city to go to for nightlife. Pub crawling is part of the experience here, in Glasgow so don’t be afraid to see multiple bars and pubs in one night. Sub Club, The Shed, and SWG3 are great options for clubbing.
Day Trips
Edinburgh
St. Andrews is a coastal city just to the north of Edinburgh.
Glasgow is just an hour away from Edinburgh so if you have time you should definitely hop over there.
Lock Lomond and The Trossachs National Park is just to the northwest of Edinburgh.
Glasgow
Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park is just 20 miles north of Glasgow.
Greenock is a small city to the west of Glasgow, known for its setting.
Edinburgh is just to the east of Glasgow so it would not be a bad idea to hop over there for a day or two.
From either of the two largest cities in Scotland, you might also want to consider visiting other major hubs in the area such as Belfast, Dublin, or Manchester.
Overall
Edinburgh and Glasgow are the largest and most visited cities in Scotland so it may be tough to decide between the two because both deserve to be seen. Since the two cities are only an hour apart from each other, it would be quite doable to hop over to the other city for a little bit.
Glasgow is quite a bit less expensive compared to Edinburgh. If you are into history then you will want to go to Edinburgh. Glasgow is much bigger and has an abundance of museums. If you have more than a few days to spend, you might want to base yourself out of Glasgow and take a long day trip to Edinburgh.