Top 5 Places Not to Miss in Glasgow's West End

I love to host friends and family in my flat, and I've invited just about everyone I know to stay with me since I moved to Glasgow; the side effect of this is that I've visited every famous landmark dozens of times. The thing is, those are never the sites my guests love the most; everybody seems to go back home gushing over the little things I've shown them—places I discovered while wandering around the West End and came to love. So here it is, a list of the little places you'd be a fool to miss when you visit the West End of Glasgow:

Kelvingrove Park

Glasgow actually has a surprising number of parks and green spaces for its size, including a set of Royal Botanical Gardens which are also in the West End, but my favourite place to walk around is undoubtedly Kelvingrove Park. Tucked away in a more quiet corner of the West End, this is a hub for dog walkers, couples, and runners. The densely packed trees, beautiful fountain, and calm atmosphere make it worth a visit all year round, but Kelvingrove really comes into its own during the Spring and Summer. The colourful flower gardens make it a joy to wander around, and it's worth stopping to see the sports teams practise too—quidditch practice is usually a good watch on Wednesdays, and there are always a few skaters and BMX riders out in the skate park. The biggest draw, though, is undoubtedly the people; on sunny days it feels as though the whole city is out to sunbathe - tops off and grills in hand, people flood down to the park to listen to some music, have a picnic, and spend some much-needed time together. It also plays host to a huge number of festivals and musical performances throughout the year. The perfect place to visit if you're getting fed up with the city life.

Kelvingrove Museum

You might say this is cheating, but technically the Kelvingrove Museum isn't a part of the park, so I'll stand my ground on this. This is a free museum just outside the park with something to offer for absolutely everyone: children, adults, old folks, and even people who always hate museums. It's packed with so many different exhibitions that it can feel a little all over the place at times, but that just adds to its charm. If it really does start to feel confusing, they offer free tours twice a day which are short, sweet, and just enough to help you get your bearings and find the things you're interested in. Small and understated as it may seem, this is actually a world-class museum with loads of fantastic pieces from around the world, while also offering a welcome break from the slightly pretentious atmosphere of many other similar museums. Be sure to set aside a few hours of your time in the West End to wander around the Kelvingrove Museum.

Grosvenor Cinema

Tucked away on a little street called Ashton Lane, Grosvenor Cinema is a gorgeous place to visit any evening. If you're looking for all the biggest blockbusters and a 5D experience, this isn't for you (try the Vue on Renfrew Street—the tallest cinema in Europe). What the Grosvenor offers is something far less commercial and so much more special—the kind of experience only an independent cinema gives these days. With boxes of luxury chocolate and delicatessen style snacks on offer, as well as small bottles of wine and even cocktails, this place is the ultimate night out. If you really want to treat yourself, book one of the special booths at the back of the theatre; although all the seats are wide and comfortable, the booths make for a super special date night treat.

Hillhead Bookclub

The Hillhead Bookclub is always the place to be; any time of day or night. During the day they serve brunch, lunch, and dinner and host a variety of markets, second hand sales, and social events—loads of fun. In the evening, they break out their enormous selection of grade a cocktails and mixers (if you are a mixer person, the rum and coke is the best I've ever had). This place has got crazy atmosphere, even on weeknights, which they amp up to the max with a ping pong table, retro games, and constant DJs. Any time you've got spare hour or two, head down here and there's sure to be something going on.

The Left Bank

If you've done any searches of places to go in Glasgow's West End, you'll probably have heard about Ubiquitous Chip or Stravaign. These are a couple of up-market restaurants owned by the same person—Ubiquitous Chip even has a Michelin star. While these places do serve delicious food, there are actually one or two other places also owned by the same person, which also serve wonderful food, but which are a little off the beaten track. My personal favourite (and also the favourite of a number of my friends) is a place called The Left Bank on Gibson Street. They serve an amazing brunch with delicious coffee, as well as mouthwatering lunches. If you're in a fix for something to eat other than Italian food (which is surprisingly common) and you aren't feeling fancy, then The Left Bank is totally the place for you.