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GuruWalk Original
Free tour

The Dark and Secret Past of Glasgow Tour.

Duration: 2h
Languages: English
Guru: Gordon
Quality Verified Registered on November 24, 2020

We are three local guides, Gordon, Ian and Marty. We all live in Glasgow Ian and Marty are professional actors Gordon is a local historian. Our tours are great fun and engaging. We are Glasgow’s top rated guides with about five hundred five star reviews.

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GuruWalk Original

GW Originals free walking tours are chosen by our staff among the best and are unique tours that you will only find on GuruWalk.

  • Free booking and cancellation
    Free payment tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free
  • Accepts electronic payment
    This tour allows payment by electronic means or credit card

Tour description

A great tour of Glasgow with one of Scotland's leading tour guides. This is a tour of Glasgow city center but it is really an introduction to Scotland, its history and culture with Glasgow as the theme. Whether Gordon is reciting poetry in George Square or discovering Glasgow's obscure slave trade, this tour has it all. Glasgow's Victorian and Edwardian architecture is pretty grand, but it also had some of the world's worst slums and dwellings all within a few hundred yards of each other.
Learn how Glasgow went from a small medieval rural town to the 'Second City of the Empire' and within a hundred years, the Industrial Revolution began. We will explore the city center, admiring the buildings, using small alleys and secret alleys that you would never find on your own. Each building has a story, from murders to political unrest, and Gordon will explore it with you.
Ends at Glasgow Cross (place of execution) or Glasgow's Medieval Cathedral.
We will see each other soon :)

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Highlights

What will we visit on this tour?

  • Meeting point:
    VQ62+C4Q Glasgow, UK
    VQ62+C4Q Glasgow, UK
    View on map

    We meet between the lions on George square at 10.15 and leave at 10.30

  • 1
    Outside visit
    george square

    George Square is one of Glasgow's most iconic and popular tourist destinations. Located in the heart of the city, the square is home to a number of impressive buildings and monuments, including the City Chambers and the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The square is also a popular spot for events and festivals, and is often used for public demonstrations

  • 2
    Outside visit
    Buchanan Street

    Buchanan Street is one of Glasgow's main shopping streets. It is located in the city centre and runs from George Square to Argyle Street. The street is named after John Buchanan, a tobacco merchant and one of Glasgow's richest men in the 18th century. The street is home to a

  • 3
    Outside visit
    Duke of Wellington statue

    The world famous “Conehead”. Actually the Duke of Wellington outside the Gallery of Modern art. Which was once a tobacco Baron’s home!

  • 4
    Outside visit
    Tobacco Merchant's House

    The Tobacco Merchant's House on Miller Street in Glasgow! This beautiful 18th-century townhouse has been restored to its former glory and is now a museum dedicated to the history of Glasgow and the tobacco trade.

  • 5
    Outside visit
    Tolbooth Steeple

    The old and Original town hall. Prison and place of execution.

  • 6
    Outside visit
    Trongate

    The site of the “Tron” and all that remains of the old arcade.

  • 7
    Outside visit
    1802 at Hutchesons Hall

    This 17th century “Hospital” was part of the church built by the Hutcheson brothers to help the poor of Glasgow.

  • 8
    Outside visit
    City Halls & Old Fruitmarket

    Now a collection of restaurants providing under cover outside eating. The city halls one the meeting place for Glasgow’s socialist movement and founding of “Red Clydeside” where the great narrator John Maclean led rousing meetings.

  • 9
    Outside visit
    James Watts Workshop

    Where the original pioneer of the steam engine developed steam combustion

  • 10
    Outside visit
    Virginia Court

    Where the tobacco was sold and traded

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours do not have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end of the tour the amount that he or she considers appropriate (these usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).

Who is this tour for?

Accessibility
Suitable for people with reduced mobility.
Groups
Accepts reservations up to 20 people.
Pets
Suitable for carrying pets.

What should you know?

Additional costs:
The tour does not require the payment of entrance fees or additional expenses.
Free cancellation
If you will not be able to attend the tour, please cancel your booking, otherwise the guide will be waiting for you.
Payment methods
Electronic or credit card payment is accepted.
When do you want to go?
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