Merchant City

Explore medieval architecture

Glasgow is a historic city, and there is no better place to see its medieval past than in the Merchant City. Be sure to "look up" while walking through the Saltmarket and Trongate areas. You'll spot lots of medieval sites, including the 17th-century Tolbooth Steeple.

Visit creative spaces and galleries

Trongate 103 is a hub for artists and makers. Inside you'll find The Glasgow Print Studio, Street Level Photoworks, and Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre.

Around the corner on Osborne Street, The Modern Institute gallery hosts a yearly programme with international and emerging artists. Visit The Modern Institute and Trongate 103 for more info.

• Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre: Scrap metal figures come alive to music to tell a story of life and death. Visit Sharmanka for more details.

• Glasgow Police Museum: Find out about the country’s oldest police force from volunteer ex-coppers. For more information, go to Glasgow Police Museum.

• Britannia Panopticon: The world’s oldest surviving music hall, where many a famous name started out. Find out what's on at Britannia Panopticon.

• Virginia Court: Enjoy Mediterranean-style outdoor dining in this hidden alcove.

• Parnie Street: Hidden behind Trongate, find new and independent shops, bars and cafés. Highlights include Modern Love (quirky homeware), Daddy Marmalades (top 50 UK cocktail bars, and Dorky French Vegan Bakery (French pastries and baked goods).

Miller Street is one of the city’s most stylish streets. Here you’ll find some brilliant restaurants, including:

• Paesano, which has claimed first place in the top 10 UK pizza spots. See menus at Paesano.

• The Spiritualist, home to Scotland’s greatest bar gantry. Book at The Spiritualist.

• The Spanish Butcher, a carnivore’s dream with food from Spain and the Mediterranean. Book at The Spanish Butcher.

• Margo, which offers a modern twist on Scottish dishes featuring seasonal produce. It also boasts a Bib Gourmand. Explore menus at Margo.

• Sebb’s, an underground venue with food cooked over fire, a cocktail kitchen, and a program of music and DJs. Find out more at Sebb's.

The wealth of the Merchant City can be seen in the former mansions, which are now home to high-end retailers.

Find Ralph Lauren, Emporio Armani and Cruise on Ingram Street, Glasgow’s fashion boulevard. Independent concept stores include END, 18 Montrose, Forty Clothing and Walker Slater.

For something different, try one of the city’s best-known vintage stores, Mr Ben. Independent record store, Monorail, is also nearby. Visit our shopping pages for more info.

• Greyfriars Garden. A small yet beautiful community garden that is frequently open to the public.

• Rottenrow Garden. A landscaped space with public art on the campus of the University of Strathclyde.

From comedy to classical music to cabaret, Merchant City is full of entertainment.

For arts spaces and galleries, check out the city's former fish market, The Briggait. Head to Wasps Studios to find out more. You can also visit independent galleries, like The Modern Institute and Transmission.

For music, City Halls is Glasgow's oldest purpose-built performance space. The venue has brilliant acoustics and is home to the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. Sister venue The Old Fruitmarket is a unique space with vintage signage from the original marketplace. Check out Glasgow Life Tickets for events listings.

Visit the Tron Theatre for a modern theatre set within an old landmark building. Go to Tron Theatre for more details.

Glasgow is LGBTQ+ friendly everywhere, but Merchant City is the heart of the scene. Delmonica's is one of the city’s longest-running gay bars. Next door is The Riding Rooms, where you can expect to see lively stage shows.

Just around the corner is The Polo Lounge, which has picked up the 'Best Gay Bar' award many times. Check out our LGBTQ+ guide for more info on each of these venues and more.

Every July, Glasgow's Pride takes to the streets and passes through the area. The event often collides, in the best way, with the Merchant City Festival. Visit Glasgow Pride to keep up to date.