Top 8 Things to Do in Glasgow for Couples

Both steeped in history and refreshingly modern, Glasgow is a thrilling destination for couples with a sense of urban adventure. Culture of every kind, from art galleries to independent, award-winning eateries. Diverse nightlife, from comedy clubs to cocktail bars. Secluded parks and riverside walks, perfect for hand-in-hand strolls in between all the excitement. There are countless fun things to do in Glasgow for couples, and all of them are set against a breathtaking architectural backdrop – with many of the most iconic buildings, like The Lighthouse and Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, designed by the city’s own Charles Rennie Mackintosh. We’ve put together a list of our favourite romantic spots so that you can start designing the ideal itinerary for you and your beloved. 

If you and your partner are partial to outdoor adventures, one of the best things to do in Glasgow city centre for couples is to take a stroll along the River Clyde. This mighty waterway shaped the city’s history and played a key role in its engineering and shipbuilding past. Today, it’s especially beguiling at sunset when lights shimmer across its ink-dark surface and its bridges are illuminated in all their neon glory. 

We recommend the three-mile stretch between the Riverside Museum and Glasgow Green for its wealth of industrial and cultural landmarks. These include The Tall Ship Glenlee, the Finnieston Crane, TS Queen Mary, the Glasgow Science Centre Tower and the iconic Clyde Arc – all of which offer endless romantic photo opportunities. Bring a blanket and finish with a spot of stargazing on Glasgow Green. 

Good to Know

• Location: Riverside Museum to Glasgow Green
• Hours: 24 hours
• Price: Free
• Getting There: Partick (train, subway, bus)
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

If it’s art that makes your heart beat faster, The Burrell Collection should top your list of Glasgow date ideas. Home to 9,000 objects spanning 6,000 years of history, this outstanding gallery and museum showcases a whole host of treasures, from Ming Dynasty vases to medieval stained glass, and paintings by the likes of Degas and Cezanne. 

You can make a whole day of it, too, a two coffee shop and a gorgeous, light-filled restaurant serving delectable cuisine inspired by Scotland’s bountiful seasonal produce. Need to walk it off afterwards? The Burrell Collection sits at the heart of Pollok Country Park, the largest park in Glasgow with romantic walking trails and a famous herd of Highland cattle. 

Good to Know

• Location: 2060 Pollokshaws Road
• Hours: 10am-5pm (Monday to Thursday, Saturday), 11am-5pm (Friday and Sunday)
• Price: Free entry
• Getting There: Pollokshaws Road (bus), Pollokshaws West (train)
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Rental wheelchairs and hearing loop available.

For those that believe retail therapy is as good as couple’s therapy, you’re in luck: Glasgow has some of the best shopping in Scotland. We love The Hidden Lane, a treasure trove of cobbled alleyways lined with quaint, rainbow-painted buildings. This Finnieston gem houses around 100 independent, artisan studios selling everything from jewellery to clothing and furniture. 

You can also stop for cake at The Hidden Lane Tearoom, sign up for a romantic spa treatment, or take your relationship to the next level with a matching couple’s tattoo. If it’s high fashion you’re after, Ingram Street is a better choice. Here, designers like Mulberry and Polo Ralph Lauren are ensconced behind wedding-cake façades. Shop ‘til you drop and then sleep it off at Ingram Street’s own Mercure Glasgow City Hotel. 

Good to Know

• Location: Hidden Lane, 1103 Argyle Street
• Hours: Various
• Price: N/A
• Getting There: Sauchiehall Street (bus), Exhibition Centre (train)
• Accessibility: Not wheelchair friendly

For a classic date night idea in Glasgow, try one of the city’s amazing theatrical offerings. There are many venues to choose from. The oldest and probably most sophisticated is the Theatre Royal, a Victorian auditorium that now houses the Scottish Opera and the Scottish Ballet. Or, for new writing and reinvented modern classics set in a 16th-century church, there’s Tron Theatre. 

For an extra injection of fun, you could also try historic live music venue and variety theatre, the Pavilion. One of our favourites is King’s Theatre, home of feel-good musicals, top-class tribute bands and comedy stars. If you go for the latter, Novotel Glasgow Centre is a few minutes’ walk away and spoils couples with a gourmet bar lounge, sauna and steam room. 

Good to Know

• Location: King’s Theatre, 297 Bath Street
• Hours: Various
• Price: Various
• Getting There: Bath Street (bus), Charing Cross (train)
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

Epicurean couples will be glad to hear that there are a smorgasbord of unforgettable date night restaurants in Glasgow. Many of them can be found in the trendy West End including one of our favourites, the Ubiquitous Chip – a lovers’ paradise with two cocktail bars, a seductive whisky bar, a romantic rooftop terrace and a candlelit atrium restaurant serving delectable, contemporary Scottish cuisine. 

Also in the West End is Cail Bruich, a Michelin-starred champion of local and sustainable Scottish produce helmed by the only Michelin-recognised female chef in Scotland. For day dates, we think Mackintosh at the Willow is one of the most romantic restaurants in Glasgow. Come for a Champagne or prosecco afternoon tea in the last remaining tearoom by world-famous architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. 

Good to Know

• Location: Ubiquitous Chip, 12 Ashton Lane
• Hours: Restaurant, 5pm-midnight (Wednesday and Thursday), midday-midnight (Friday to Sunday)
• Price: Various
• Getting There: Hillhead (bus, subway)
• Accessibility: Not published

For more than 200 years, Glasgow Botanic Gardens has provided a refuge from the fast pace of city life for nature-loving couples. Located on the banks of the serene River Kelvin, it offers 20 spectacularly landscaped acres in which to wander hand-in-hand with your beloved or spread out a picnic blanket in summer. 

Self-guided trails include the Heritage Trail and the Tree Trail, while the undeniable highlight for many visitors is the greenhouses that nurture exotic plants from all over the world. Of these, the most impressive is the domed iron-and-glass masterpiece known as Kibble Palace: a stunning spot for taking photos amid rare and beautiful tree ferns. 

Good to Know

• Location: 730, Great Western Road
• Hours: 7am-dusk (gardens)
• Price: Free 
• Getting There: Botanical Gardens (bus), Hillhead (subway)
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible

If you and your partner are self-confirmed science nerds on the look-out for fun activities in Glasgow, welcome to Science Lates – a series of themed events hosted by the inimitable Glasgow Science Centre. These adults-only evenings are held after hours on various Fridays and Saturdays, and they are the way to kick off a date night to remember. 

With titles like Superstitious Space or Prehistoric Fire and Fossils, these events include access to planetarium shows (and what’s more romantic than a spot of stargazing), meet-the-expert talks, and more than 400 kid-free, interactive exhibits. For the party animals, there’s even a DJ and dance floor, and pop-up bars and street food stalls. 

Good to Know

• Location: Glasgow Science Centre, 50 Pacific Quay
• Hours: 6pm-10pm (various dates)
• Price: Various
• Getting There: Glasgow Science Centre (ferry), Festival Park (bus), Exhibition Centre (train)
• Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. Rental wheelchairs available. 

Apparently the couple that laughs together, stays together, and Glasgow is a city that loves to laugh. The most famous of its many comedy venues is undoubtedly Stand Comedy Club, a legendary spot for catching the best Scottish and international comedians in action. This club helped launch the career of great Scottish funnymen including Kevin Bridges, Frankie Boyle and Des Clarke; and it continues in that vein today with its Red Raw program for up-and-coming talent. Open seven days a week, it offers everything from improv to sketches and stand-up, earning it a place on our list of top things to do in Glasgow at night for couples. 

Good to Know

• Location: 333 Woodlands Road
• Hours: 7pm-10pm, daily
• Price: Various 
• Getting There: Park Road (bus), Kelvinbridge (subway)
• Accessibility: Not wheelchair accessible 

By now you should have a pretty good idea of just how great Glasgow is for couples. Whatever your interests – from high culture to serious fun – there’s something for every kind of relationship here. Still looking for date night ideas? How about keeping it traditional with an indie movie at Glasgow Film Theatre? Or, think completely out of the box with one of our favourite things to do in Glasgow for young couples (or at least, the young at heart): Fayre Play, an adults-only funfair complete with cocktails and street food. Your next couple’s outing? Sorted.