Coming up: art, industry, people, populations, some half-baked boxing analogies, a few of my favorite places on the planet, a weird underground dungeon thing, lots of also-underground bars and pubs, and the Travelness Edinburgh vs Glasgow match (in 10 rounds!).
Edinburgh and Glasgow are Scotland’s two biggest cities
Both iconic, both super beautiful, and both worth visiting.
… but despite being less than an hour away from each other by train, they offer VERY different experiences
So: if you don’t have time to visit both, here’s everything you need to know on making your decision between visiting Edinburgh or visiting Glasgow.
Coming up, it’s Edinburgh vs Glasgow in 10 rounds!
(but, first, a quick intro to each)
Edinburgh: a very fast intro
Obviously, Edinburgh is Scotland’s capital
It has a population of around 550,000—but all the students and tourists and festivals make it feel much more big and busy.
It’s also one of the most-visited cities in the UK—so, in the very center, it can feel a bit gimmicky and touristy. But if you’re only visiting for a few days, that might be exactly what you’re looking for
Glasgow: a very fast intro
Surprisingly, Glasgow is actually a lot bigger than Edinburgh, with a population of around 1,700,000.
The River Clyde cuts straight through the middle of the city, reminding you that this used to be one of the most important industrial hubs in the world.
It’s much more ‘real’ than Edinburgh—with way fewer foreign visitors, and a much more local rugged vibe. And the more time you spend here, the more it rewards you
Round 1: First impressions
The ultimate winner of this round is: Edinburgh
Glasgow in short: it’s gritty, welcoming, and very friendly—but less iconic.
Edinburgh in short: one of the most recognizable cities on the planet, Edinburgh looks and feels exactly how tourists expect it to.
Most people know what to expect from Edinburgh: cobbled streets, a volcanic hike, lots of souvenir stores and Harry Potter merchandise, and a massive castle on a little hill
… and when you know what to expect, you know what to explore.
But Glasgow is a little more mysterious—and it’s harder to get under the skin of the place. While Edinburgh is one of the UK’s biggest tourist epicenters, Glasgow is much more local and ‘real’—and it therefore requires a bit more perseverance and patience. At first, it’s hard to know exactly how and where to explore the place.
The score so far: Glasgow 0 – 1 Edinburgh
Round 2: Culture and art
The ultimate winner of this round is: Edinburgh
Glasgow in short: loads of murals, local-led musical history, and grassroots creativity—ideal if you like up-and-coming local artists.
Edinburgh in short: for a varied selection of art and culture, it’s one of the best cities on the planet—and, every August, the city is home to the world’s biggest arts festival.
Edinburgh is hugely artistic: here, you find performances in converted vaults, independent galleries tucked into narrow hidden-away streets, and a hefty calendar of festivals
Some of the city’s best cultural venues include Usher Hall (for grand concerts with world-class acoustics), Traverse Theatre (Scotland’s best new-writing theatre), and the Scottish National Gallery (the nation’s official gallery).
Glasgow, meanwhile, is most well-known for music. Loads of big-name bands have started their careers in Glasgow, including Simple Minds, Primal Scream, Belle & Sebastian, and Mogwai—in terms of musical heritage, Glasgow is one of the most storied and significant places on the planet.
Dotted all over Glasgow, you’ll find LOADS of rugged gigs, underground arts, and some of the UK’s best street art. If you’re looking for good live music, top venues include The Hug and Pint, Broadcast, and King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut (which some people think is one of the best music venues on the planet!).
But here’s the thing: Glasgow would win this round… if it wasn’t for one big factor:
… and that big factor is: The Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Every August, the city becomes one giant stage, hosting the world’s biggest arts festival. With loads of theater, improv, live comedy, and musicals, it totally dominates the city. The 2025 version of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival featured over 50,000 performances, almost 4,000 different shows, more than 300 venues, and participants from 68 countries
The score so far: Glasgow 0 – 2 Edinburgh
Round 3: Local vibes
The ultimate winner of this round is: Glasgow
Glasgow in short: Glasgow wins this round by a very long way—if you like ‘real’ local cities, you’ll much prefer Glasgow.
Edinburgh in short: Edinburgh had 5.3 million visits in 2023—almost 11x its actual population
Sometimes, Edinburgh, especially in the center, can feel a bit like a Scottish Disneyland (rather than a place where people actually live).
Yes, it’s beautiful, and it looks like something from a postcard. But it can also feel a bit contrived, a bit too busy—a bit like it’s lost its heart.
Glasgow, on the other hand, suffers from none of that. Instead, it feels lived-in, authentic, and alive. The shops, pubs, music venues, and street corners don’t feel curated, and they’re not in any way geared towards tourists—they’re for the people who actually live there
The city’s official slogan is “People Make Glasgow,” which tells you everything you need to know about the vibe of the place.
For that reason, although they’re both very friendly cities, Glasgow wins this round.
The score so far: Glasgow 1 – 2 Edinburgh
Round 4: Nature and the outdoors
The ultimate winner of this round is: Glasgow (just!)
Glasgow in short: here, you get quick access to Loch Lomond, the Trossachs, Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park, and plenty of trails.
Edinburgh in short: it’s better for inner-city green spaces, it’s right beside the underrated Pentlands, and it’s (famously!) home to the super-beautiful Arthur’s Seat.
Both Edinburgh and Glasgow are EXCELLENT for nature and outdoor adventures
Edinburgh is the more “built-into-nature” city. Most iconically, the hyper-famous Arthur’s Seat looms over the city center, offering a proper hill climb without ever leaving the city limits. Inside the city, you also get the underrated Calton Hill, while the massively-overlooked Pentland Hills are just a 30-minute drive away.
Even more impressively, Edinburgh sits on the coast—and you get the city’s best beaches at Portobelle and Cramond
Glasgow’s inner-city green escapes aren’t quite as impressive (though you still get Glasgow Green, the Botanic Gardens, and Pollok Park—the latter of which is around 75% of the size of the country of Monaco!).
… but why Glasgow is REALLY good when it comes to the outdoors is: it sits super close to some of southern Scotland’s best outdoor adventures. Highlights include:
- Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park (less than an hour away)
- Galloway Forest Park (around 75 minutes away)
- The quiet and underrated Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park (one of southern Scotland’s best spots for quiet hikes)
… and because Glasgow is only 45 minutes from Ardrossan Harbor (where Arran ferries depart from), it’s super fast and easy to visit the Isle of Arran from Glasgow
The score so far: Glasgow 2 – 2 Edinburgh
Round 5: Stuff to do with kids
The ultimate winner of this round is: Edinburgh
Glasgow in short: science, playparks, museums, an excellent planetarium, and lots of free attractions.
Edinburgh in short: castles, creepy tours, world-class museums, and one of the planet’s best zoos. Not many cities in Europe would beat Edinburgh in this category.
Glasgow is best for finding free-of-charge adventures. Top picks include:
- The Riverside Museum: a transport museum with old trams, cars, trains, a nearby tall ship, and a recreated cobbled street.
- Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum: serving up animals, natural history, ancient Egypt, and many interactive exhibits.
- Queen’s Park: featuring playgrounds, duck ponds, city views, and plenty of space for playing and picnicking.
On top of that, you also get the incredible (and incredibly-interactive!) Glasgow Science Centre—with hands-on experiments, a great planetarium, and an IMAX cinema. It’s one of the UK’s best science centers.
Edinburgh, though, in some parts, feels like it was built for families:
- The National Museum of Scotland is FREE, and features a massive T-Rex, lots of interactive technology exhibits, and many places to dress up and play puzzles. It’s the UK’s most popular attraction outside of London.
- Edinburgh Castle is great for both adults and kids—and kid-friendly stuff here includes dungeons, vaults, and a children’s quiz. Meanwhile, the entire castle is basically a giant playground of winding stairs, massive cannons, and mysterious towers.
- The Edinburgh Dungeon is spooky and scary, but it’s good for brave kids aged 8 and over—and the city also serves up some (but only some!) kid-friendly ghost tours.
- The city is home to lots of Harry Potter stuff, including stores, tours, and even The Elephant House Cafe (where JK Rowling wrote sections of some of the books).
- The Museum of Childhood is the world’s first museum to specialize in the history of childhood. It features toys, games, doll’s houses, and a whole load of nostalgia—and it’s free!
- Edinburgh Zoo is home to over 1,000 animals, including monkeys, lemurs and lions—while you also get interactive keeper talks, a tiger viewing-tunnel, a daily penguin parade, and big adventure play areas.
- … and if you come here during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the city is full of street artists, spontaneous performances, and music on every corner.
So, in short, both cities are great for families with kids. But Edinburgh is WAY better.
The score so far: Glasgow 2 – 3 Edinburgh
Round 6: Heritage and root-searching
The ultimate winner of this round is: Edinburgh
Glasgow in short: you get big slices of working-class industrial heritage—but not much for tourists who want to explore their roots.
Edinburgh in short: Edinburgh is the global HQ for Scottish ancestry.
Edinburgh wins this round by such a long stretch that I’m not gonna even bother mentioning Glasgow here So…
… the National Records of Scotland, the National Library, The Scotlands People Centre, and countless genealogy centers are all located in Edinburgh. Add in the castles, monuments, and curated museums, and the city offers a concentrated version of ‘Scottishness’ that massively appeals to anyone chasing family roots.
In these venues, you can find birth, marriage, and death certificates going back centuries—along with maps, parish records, dates, facts, and other stats. And local groups like James Campbell Tours even offer ancestry and genealogy tours.
An important note: these venues all have different rules for access and entry. In some of them, you can’t just walk in and use the records—and you might need to make an appointment days or weeks in advance. So check the rules for each venue, in advance of your trip.
The score so far: Glasgow 2 – 4 Edinburgh
Round 7: Nightlife
The ultimate winner of this round is: Glasgow
Glasgow in short: legendary live music, underground clubs, late-night grit, and some excellent old-school local pubs.
Edinburgh in short: big venues, a slightly more polished vibe, it’s easier for tourists, and you get Fringe-season chaos every August.
In general, both Glasgow and Edinburgh are excellent for nightlife.
… but they’re a little different from one another:
Edinburgh makes things simple: the big venues are easy to find, the best places are well-advertised, and there’s always something happening—especially in August. Places like The Liquid Room, Cabaret Voltaire, Bongo Club, Stramash, and Sneaky Pete’s have massive reputations.
Glasgow’s nightlife is a little more ‘real,’ gritty, and under-the-radar. Here, you’ll find plenty of mostly-locals places—and for the best spots, ask these locals for their recommendations.
… but some of my recommendations for Glasgow are:
- Nice N Sleazy (a grubby and intimate institution with great beers and cocktails)
- Stereo (with lots of live-music grassroots chaos)
- Broadcast (where you’ll find sweaty basement gigs)
- The Laurieston (a mustn’t-miss time capsule with kitsch 1960s interiors)
- The Belle (a dog-friendly spot with great cocktails and an open fire)
A quick summary: although Glasgow juuuuust wins this one, both cities serve up very varied nightlife—and both are EXCELLENT choices for late-night drinking and dancing.
The score so far: Glasgow 3 – 4 Edinburgh
Round 8: Food and drink
The ultimate winner of this round is: Glasgow
Glasgow in short: a diverse food scene, brilliant curries, trendy street food, and loads of authentically-local options.
Edinburgh in short: upscale restaurants, Michelin stars, whisky bars, and plenty of tourist favourites.
Okay, let’s be clear—Edinburgh’s food is EXCELLENT.
… but because there are so many tourist traps, the city’s food scene is almost its own worst enemy. You see: it’s tough to wade through the mediocrity and find the genuinely unmissable meals
Some of my higher-end recommendations for Edinburgh are The Kitchin (for Michelin-starred fine dining), Restaurant Martin Wishart (where French technique meets Scottish produce), and Howies (a relaxed local favorite with traditional Scottish stuff). And some much-more-casual laid-back options include Snax Cafe and Society Bar & Kitchen.
… but if you really want to explore some hot local spots in Edinburgh, head out on this food tour. It features 3 hours, 5 venues, and loads of tasty eats and treats. Because the city’s food scene changes so rapidly and so frequently, a good food tour is pretty much the only way to find the city’s best stuff.
Again, for the best spots in Glasgow, you should ask the locals where to go
… but some of my top picks for tasty local fayre in Glasgow are:
- The Pot Still (a famous pub with lots of whisky, excellent local ingredients, and top-class servings of the iconic haggis, neeps and tatties)
- The Butterfly and the Pig (quirky and vintage, with excellent pies and a chic vibe)
- The Scotia Bar (offering great live folk music and pub-food classics—and one of Glasgow’s oldest pubs)
On top of all that, the UK in general is EXCELLENT for Indian food—and Glasgow is one of the UK’s top spots for the stuff. For the best Indian food in Glasgow, head to:
- Rishi’s Indian Aroma (super popular among the city’s Indian community)
- Mister Singh’s India (one of the city’s real institutions)
- Suresh & Sons The Kitchen (laid-back no-frills food with basic plastic chairs and little stools)
You should also head to Glasgow’s Dockyard Social, a street-food-style place where loads of rotating vendors dish up everything from bao buns to barbecue—all with craft artisanal drinks, and a bustling communal vibe.
All in all, Glasgow wins this one—its food scene is less pretentious, less touristy, and not so full of overpriced subpar eats.
The score so far: Glasgow 4 – 4 Edinburgh
Round 9: Tours
The ultimate winner of this round is: Glasgow
Glasgow in short: without tours, it can be hard to get to the very core of the city. But once you take the right tours, you’ll totally fall in love with the place.
Edinburgh in short: the tours are often a little gimmicky, but the good ones are excellent.
Both cities are INCREDIBLE for tours.
Some of Edinburgh’s best tours are:
- Edinburgh Old Town History and Tales Walking Tour: many walking tours (in Edinburgh and beyond) are terrible. This one isn’t—it features the Old Town, insights into some of the city’s lesser-known people and places, and plenty of time to ask questions.
- Underground Vaults Walking Tour: another walking tour, but underground! A 1-hour experience, you explore some of the city’s subterranean vaults—learning about craftspeople, criminals, diseases, illegal activity, and lots of the city’s most scary and spooky history.
- Edinburgh Cheese Crawl: super niche but super tasty, this features cheesemongers, local businesses, lesser-known neighborhoods, flavor-packed pizza, and more. UK cheese is some of the best in the world—and this tour will show you why.
- Edinburgh Castle Guided Tour: Edinburgh Castle is incredible. But, without context, the place can seem a bit meaningless and meandering. So, on this tour, you learn about chapels, crowns, 3,000 years of history, and some of the castle’s most important characters. There’s no better way to explore the place.
(for way more, here are the top 18 best tours in (and from) Edinburgh).
… while some of Glasgow’s best tours are:
- Glasgow City Center Walking Tour: as we keep repeatedly saying, it can be hard to really ‘get’ Glasgow without the help of some locals. Well, on this tour, you walk around the city with an experienced local guide, spending 90 minutes learning about people, places, and lesser-known locations. Expect some surprises!
- Oban, Glencoe, Highlands, Lochs & Castles Day Tour: if you want to see the top outdoor highlights close to Glasgow, all in one easy and convenient day, this is the very best tour you’ll find. You see well-known places, a couple of hidden gems, and the outrageously-beautiful Oban.
- Glasgow Walking Food Tour: the best possible way to experience Glasgow’s underrated and under-the-radar food scene, this features food, drinks, 4 venues, and 3 hours of fun.
- Glasgow Street Art Walking Tour: Glasgow has some of the planet’s best street art. But much of it is hidden away, and even the well-known pieces can seem a bit hollow without the right context and insight. On this tour, a local shows you the best pieces, and you get background info on each mural. Massively recommended!
(for way more, here are the 15 best day trips from Glasgow).
Overall, because Glasgow’s tours feel a little more edgy and authentic, Glasgow wins this round. But you’ll love the tours and trips in both cities!
The score so far: Glasgow 5 – 4 Edinburgh
Round 10: The overall atmosphere (for city newcomers!)
The ultimate winner of this round is: Edinburgh
Glasgow in short: the atmosphere here is incredible—but it can take some time to find it. And maybe you don’t have that time!
Edinburgh in short: you can’t walk five minutes without seeing tartan, bagpipes, kilts, and feeling like you’re in picture-postcard Scotland. Edinburgh is SO accessible.
As we’ve already said, getting under Glasgow’s skin can be challenging…
… so if you’re only on vacation for a few days, there’s a good chance you might miss the magic of Glasgow—and that magic is massive
But in Edinburgh, you’ll be charmed the very second you enter the city. You’ll love the cobbled streets, you’ll love the quaint cozy vibe, it’s a tourist’s paradise, and you know right away where to find the best and most famous attractions.
So, if you want somewhere you can find the expected atmosphere right away, you’ll much prefer Edinburgh.
The score so far: Glasgow 5 – 5 Edinburgh
… and the winner is…? Final thoughts
So… this big beefy Scottish bout ends in…
… a friendly draw!
(but the real winner, obvs, is anyone who visits Scotland—and hopefully that soon includes you!*)
*soz for being all cringey.
Anyway, to sum up:
- Glasgow is better for local vibes, real local people, exploring edgy nightlife, chowing down on genuine Scottish food, and finding great pubs.
- Edinburgh is better for short breaks, heritage attractions, knowing what to expect, inner-city green spaces, and finding ‘standard’ Scotland.
… but if you have time, we definitely recommend visiting Glasgow AND Edinburgh. Cos you haven’t really seen Scotland until you’ve seen both cities.
For more on Glasgow, here are our guides on:
… and for more on Edinburgh, here are our guides on:
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