Glasgow may not have a high-tech amusement park or modern zoo, but it does offer a handful of interesting things for children to do and see. Parks such as Glasgow Green and Pollok Park are ideal places to run around and expel some energy. They are also home to the famous Clydesdale horses and other fun diversions. Glasgow's harbour is another cool place to take the kids, especially to explore the tall ship Glenlee. If it's a really rainy day, the Science Centre has fun interactive exhibits and an IMAX theatre.

Glasgow Green
The city's oldest park is also its best. Stretching along the banks of the Clyde River, the huge swath of lawns and wooded areas offer plenty of space to run around and explore. There are several special children's play areas as well as the stables where massive shaggy Clydesdale horses are kept and exercised. For a little activity consider renting a Cosybike to pedal around the bike paths. These amazing bikes seat up to seven people and are great fun to ride. Phone: +44 141 287 5098; website: www.glasgow.gov.uk

Glasgow Science Centre
The hands-on exhibits in this impressive science playground include fun things like an Indoor Tornado, Bubble Wall and enormous Plasma Globe. Families can star in their own video or make a 3D scan of their heads. The science centre's main theme revolves around the challenges facing humanity in the 21st century so there are plenty of relevant displays. Live science shows, a modern planetarium and slick IMAX Theatre round off the highlights of this entertaining venue. Phone: +44 141 420 5010; website: www.glasgowsciencecentre.org

The Tall Ship at Glasgow Harbour
The Glenlee is one of the last Clyde-built sailing ships in the world. First put to sea in 1896, this beautiful and imagination-stoking tall ship is now permanently moored at Glasgow Harbour. The entire ship is open for exploration, giving kids a rare opportunity to climb around a traditional sailing ship. Interactive exhibits, a discovery trail and special area for little kids ensure there's something for everyone. For even more maritime history, check out the nearby Clydebuilt Scottish Maritime Museum. Phone: +44 141 222 2513; website: www.thetallship.com

Glasgow's biggest cultural attraction is the city itself. Starting with the Medieval City core, which is lined with medieval, Victorian and Georgian architecture and anchored by the striking Glasgow Cathedral, visitors can explore adjacent neighbourhoods such as Merchant City and City Centre. There are restored tenements and medieval mansions which accurately portray Glasgow's different eras, as well as a handful of excellent cultural, historic and art museums helping to put all the pieces together.

Glasgow School of Art
Thanks in large part to Glasgow's famous architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, this stunning 1899 building which he designed at age 30 has helped sustain Glasgow as a hub for talented emerging artists. It is a working school of art, and one of the most prestigious in the UK, but visitors can take a guided tour and explore the entire complex. The library is certainly one of the main highlights, as is the impressive Mackintosh Gallery which serves as an exhibition space for the school's leading artists. Phone: +44 141 353 4526; website: www.gsa.ac.uk

Hunterian Art Gallery
The Huntarian is one of Glasgow's best art museums, boasting a huge collection of paintings, prints and furnishings. The main gallery features paintings from the 17th and 18th centuries by artists such as Rubens and Rembrandt. It's also home to the city's best collection of 19th-century Scottish Colourists who became famous as the ‘Glasgow Boys’. One wing of the building is dedicated to legendary Glasgow architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his impressive furniture designs. This section has recreated all three floors of his original and provocative home from the early 1900s. Phone: +44 141 330 5431; website: www.hunterian.gla.ac.uk

People’s Palace
If you want to better understand the residents of Glasgow, and how they have evolved over the centuries, check out this interesting museum dedicated to the daily lives of the people who have called this city home. Exhibits take the mundane details of society and weave a social narrative of how Glasgow has developed, especially since the industrial era. Visitors can learn about Glasgow's distinctive form of speech and enjoy the notable murals painted by local Ken Currie. Afterwards, you can hang out in the Victorian glass-walled Winter Garden and its pleasant cafe. Phone: +44 141 554 0223; website: www.glasgowmuseums.com

Provand's Lordship
The oldest house in Glasgow dates back to the 1470s and is the only remaining structure left from the original cluster of medieval buildings and homes that surrounded Glasgow Cathedral. This classic example of medieval architecture has been preserved as a museum and is furnished with authentic pieces from the 17^th century. Phone: +44 141 552 8819; website: www.glasgowmuseums.com

Tenement House
One of the most interesting social sites in Glasgow is this perfectly restored and furnished tenement room from the mid-19^th century. Not your ordinary museum, this typical flat is complete with its original fixtures, photos and a wonderfully eclectic collection of Glasgow memorabilia which was left behind by its original occupant who apparently never threw anything out. A leisurely stop here shows how most of Glasgow's residents lived in the early 1900s. Phone: +44 141 333 0183; website: www.nts.org.uk

The Barras
This charismatic outdoor market has been in business for over a century. Glasgow traders set up their stalls or open their tiny shops selling anything and everything. The Barras is a great place to browse for antiques, collectables and other interesting items. It is located just east of George Square, and is open on Saturdays and Sundays. Also nearby is the daily Paddy's Market, where you can watch traditional street vending every day.

Complementing its steady rise in the realms of culture and entertainment, Glasgow's dining scene has been keeping pace. Its mix of ethnic restaurants, hip little cafés and top-notch dining rooms ensures a broad selection for any palate and budget. The city's prime location means it gets the freshest produce, seafood and meat from the surrounding environment. Legendary Aberdeen Angus steaks, Ayrshire lamb and tasty pickings from the neighbouring sea adorn many of the menus in town.

Whatever the ingredient, Glasgow is defined by its wealth of ethnic eateries that make the most of what's available. Italians and Indians from Punjab have had the greatest influence on the city's ethnic scene, followed closely by the Greek and Chinese communities. Many of them focus on traditional dishes, but an increasing number of cafés are fusing their own native styles with Scottish fare. The result is some very creative and inviting venues that are steadily challenging Edinburgh for the title of top dining spot in Scotland.

The greatest concentration of restaurants can be found in the city centre, where many of Glasgow's most popular ethnic eateries are located. The pasta and pizza created by the city's resident Italian community is particularly impressive, but overall it's becoming harder and harder to find a bad meal. To see what's considered the trendiest style in Glasgow, head to Merchant City. Complementing its vibrant bar scene is a diverse selection of hip cafés and bistros catering to the chic and well-heeled set.

Glasgow's West End also has a healthy dining scene featuring some of the city's more upscale restaurants and trendy spots. Other places to find a decent meal include the Charing Cross district and the south bank of the Clyde River. Most restaurants are closed on Sundays or Mondays, and many shut down between lunch and dinner. Your bill will include a hefty 17.5 per cent VAT, and it's normal to tip the server 10 per cent. Smoking has been banned in all bars and restaurants, though some provide outdoor seating where smoking is allowed.

Believe it or not, compact Glasgow is second only to London in terms of total retail space in the UK. The city's convenient accessibility has turned it into something of a shopping destination for dedicated consumers. The nexus of all this browsing and buying is centred around the Buchanan Street, Argyle Street and Sauchiehall Street pedestrian zones which overlap right in the heart of Glasgow. Though there are certainly some interesting stores in this area, in most respects it resembles a conventional retail mall with pizzazz.

Glasgow's primary upmarket shopping centre is Princes Square, one of the big sites in the pedestrian zone. Its stylish specialty stores, fashion outlets, bars and restaurants are contained in a wonderfully renovated Victorian building. Also exuding historic ambience is the charming 1827 Argyll Arcade. Its curved glass ceiling and Parisian-influenced arcade is a joy to wander and boasts the largest concentration of retail jewellers in Europe. St Enoch Shopping Centre is another big indoor mall in the area catering to more budget-minded consumers.

To experience Glasgow's independent boutique scene, head over to Merchant City or the West End. The shops in these districts tend to be more unique and creative, featuring some of the city's hippest fashion and funky retailers. Scottish fine wool knits are perhaps the best value in town, especially cashmere sweaters. For the ultimate freeform shopping adventure, spend the weekend wandering the stalls at the Barras flea Market in the East End. The pedestrian shopping district is an easy walk from the St Enoch and Buchanan Street subway stations.

Despite all its other attributes, Glasgow isn't particularly endowed with a broad outdoor recreation environment. There are plenty of lovely parks where you can take a walk or relax in the grass, as well as an excellent bike path network that runs along the Clyde River and winds through the city. Some absolutely stunning golf courses await avid duffers, but the city's real passion lies in its two football (soccer) clubs.

Biking
Glasgow is a slightly hilly city, but not so steep that you can't rent a bike and take advantage of its wonderful urban bike path network. These bike-only paths run all over the city, along the banks of the river and out into the countryside. Glasgow's city trails connect with Scotland's national cycling routes, enabling serious riders to travel all the way to Edinburgh, north to Inverness and west to the coast. Excellent maps can be found at the tourist office and bikes are easy to rent.

Football (soccer)
Two of professional football's greatest traditional clubs call Glasgow home. Collectively known as the ‘Old Firm’, Rangers and Celtic both have seriously devoted fan bases and a passionate rivalry that transcends nationality, race and gender. Both clubs regularly vie for top spot in the Scottish Premier League so if you get the chance to catch a home match at either the Ranger's Ibrox Stadium or Celtic's Parkhead Stadium you'll be in for a treat. Should you be lucky enough to be in town for the derby match, hold on to your hat and get stuck in.

Golf
From the country that invented the game of golf, Glasgow offers an excellent selection of public and private courses both in and around the city. Five municipal courses are maintained by the city, and have surprisingly affordable greens fees and no dress code. Littlehill and Linn Park are considered the best of the 18-hole courses that are open to the public. To the southwest of Glasgow are the exquisite links-style courses of Ayrshire. Private, more expensive and more genteel, these courses are among the greatest in the world.