Romantic things to do in Glasgow allow a couple to experience a whirlwind of passion, romance and history combined with sleek, modern amenities for an unforgettable holiday. Here, you can enjoy rooftop nightclubs with dramatic city views or visit art galleries and museums with artefacts from centuries past. You can follow in the footsteps of kings and queens or get pampered like royalty with a couples’ massage treatment or sauna. Quaint cobblestone lanes lined with boutique shops and charming tea rooms beckon as well.

Glasgow is a city of art, history and romance, and all of this and more await. Check out some of the best things for couples to do here.

  • 1

    Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

    See important collections from Ancient Egypt to today

    Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
    • Couples
    • History

    Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum offers stunning architecture and 22 galleries filled with every kind of art imaginable from Ancient Egypt to multimedia modern art and beyond. In addition to its vast permanent collection of 8,000 objects on display, the gallery hosts regular temporary rotating exhibitions. The museum was inaugurated in 1901 and has been offering an astonishing collection ever since. The various collections here aren’t just focused on art, either; they showcase arms and armour, natural history and many other objects of significance.

    Among the highlights of the permanent collection are Dali’s Christ of St John of the Cross, a genuine Spitfire fighter from WWII and Sir Roger the Asian Elephant. It’s 10 minutes west of the city centre.

    Location: Argyle St, Glasgow G3 8AG, UK

    Open: Friday, Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm, Monday–Thursday, Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm

    Phone: +44 141 276 9599

    Map
  • 2

    Kelvingrove Park

    Walk hand-in-hand through a vast urban park

    Kelvingrove Park
    • Adventure
    • Couples

    Kelvingrove Park is a vast public park just 10 minutes west of the city centre offering walking paths, public art installations, a museum and nature. This is an excellent spot for a romantic hand-in-hand walk with your partner among rolling green fields of grass where you can sit for a picnic. The park is filled with monuments notable for their artistry, such as the Stewart Memorial Fountain.

    The park was inaugurated as West End Park in 1852, in order to offer a place for relaxation and recreation in the expanding city. It covers 34 hectares and straddles the River Kelvin. Features include a skatepark, bandstand, bowling and croquet greens and a century-old oak tree, the Suffragette Oak.

    Location: 6 Professors' Square, Glasgow G3 6BY, UK

    Open: 24/7

    Phone: +44 141 334 6363

    Map
  • 3

    River Clyde cruises

    See the city from the water

    River Clyde cruises
    • Adventure
    • Couples
    • Photo

    River Clyde cruises offer a special way to experience the city as you take a 90-minute cruise along the famed river from the city centre to Braehead and back. The tour will be narrated by an expert and knowledgeable guide who will talk to you about all the things you see. You’ll also make many stops where you can hop off to experience a wide range of riverfront attractions, including the Riverside Museum and Science Centre and the Govan Shipyards. Besides the architecture, industrial history, shipyards and towering bridges, you might, if you go at the right time, catch stunning sunset views.

    Several tour companies offer cruise packages. Just look for one that offers the features you want and go.

    Location: Victoria Harbour, Greenock PA15 1HW, UK

    Map
  • 4

    Couples' spa

    Get pampered before your evening activities

    Couples' spa
    • Couples
    • Luxury

    Couple’s spa treatments are a great way to unwind after a day of exploring or to gear up for the night’s activities with pampering massages and saunas. These spas offer full amenities, from hot oil massages to steam rooms and saunas, Jacuzzi hot tubs and even full fitness centres. Among the more popular are PURE Spa & Beauty, The Gin Spa, Spa Twentysix and the Leelawadee Thai Massage beauty and spa.

    Besides the standalone facilities, most good hotels and resorts have some sort of spa facility to take advantage of, and many of them don’t even require you to be a guest to use the spa. Just book an appointment and go.

  • 5

    Bothwell Castle

    Explore a ruined castle that’s over 800 years old

    Bothwell Castle
    • Couples
    • History

    Bothwell Castle is a medieval castle that played a major role in Scotland’s Wars of Independence, located just 10 miles outside of Glasgow. Today, the castle stands in ruins, but you can explore them and discover towers, cul-de-sacs, cubbyholes and passages where you can play hide and seek and can capture astonishing photos of the ruins and the surrounding countryside.

    The castle was built in the late 1200s and offers a donjon keep, prison tower and 14th-century chapel. Outside of the castle, the grounds offer rolling fields and woodlands to explore, and the whole area makes for an ideal spot to sit down and enjoy a romantic picnic just for 2.

    Location: Castle Ave, Uddingston, Bothwell, Glasgow G71 8BL, UK

    Phone: +44 1698 816894

    Map
  • 6

    The Willow Tea Rooms

    Discover your next favourite tea

    The Willow Tea Rooms
    • Couples
    • Food

    The Willow Tea Rooms are a romantic destination where you can enjoy a wide range of teas in a warm, welcoming environment with fantastic food. This is a quaint way to sit and have a relaxing light meal with your partner in a casual, laid-back venue. You can choose from all sorts of fruit, herbal, black, green and other teas. You may even discover a new variety you never knew about that becomes your new favourite. The menu is broad and even features many options that are vegetarian and vegan friendly, so you don’t have to worry about dietary restrictions.

    The dishes are traditional and as varied and delicious as the tea. It’s all right in the city centre.

    Location: 97 Buchanan St, Glasgow G1 3HF, UK

    Open: Monday–Thursday from 9 am to 5 pm, Friday from 9 am to 5.30 pm, Saturday from 9 am to 6 pm, Sunday from 10 am to 4.30 pm

    Phone: +44 141 204 5242

    Map

    photo by さえぼー (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified

  • 7

    Glasgow rooftop bars

    Have a drink above the city streets

    Glasgow rooftop bars
    • Couples
    • Food
    • Nightlife

    Glasgow rooftop bars are a cool way to grab a cocktail or a beer and take in astonishing views of the city from high above the streets. These bars and lounges offer a wide range of vibes, from the chill and relaxed lounge with craft cocktails to beer-drinking nightclub parties that last all night long. Whatever kind of vibe you want, you can probably find the lounge to fit the bill.

    Some are in hotels, while others are standalone establishments. Some of the most popular rooftop bars in Glasgow include Red Sky Bar at the Radisson Hotel, the Mackintosh at the Willow, Chinaski’s on North Street, Malone’s Irish Bar on Sauchiehall Street and Windows at the Carlton George.

  • 8

    Ashton Lane

    Walk a cobbled lane with bars and restaurants

    Ashton Lane
    • Couples
    • Food
    • History
    • Nightlife
    • Shoppers

    Ashton Lane allows you to take a walk back in time to the middle ages as you stroll down a quaint walkable cobbled thoroughfare in the West End. This street is both a nightlife hub and a foodie destination. At night, it turns into a wonderland as the fairy lights come to life, twinkling with romance. You can find elegant streetside cafes here, neighbourhood bars and pubs and restaurants from sit-down to takeaway street food stands.

    Nestled between the bars and restaurants, you’ll find a few independent boutique shops where you can grab a souvenir or gift. This is the perfect place to unplug and leave the world behind, 10 minutes west of the city centre.

    Location: Glasgow, UK

    Map
  • 9

    Kings Theatre

    Catch a live concert, play or musical theatre

    Kings Theatre
    • Couples
    • Nightlife

    The Kings Theatre is a historic performing arts venue that goes back over a century and showcases a wide variety of live acts, from plays to stand-up comedy and others. This venue has hosted many famous performances, from Shakespearean plays to modern musicals, and the interior decor looks authentically classical, with comfortable seating and ornate furnishings throughout, including on the arched ceiling.

    This is a place where you can go after a romantic dinner to enjoy whatever’s on stage, and every seat in the house is a good seat. You can get dressed to the nines and have a classical night on the town. It's also located directly in the heart of the city centre.

    Location: 297 Bath St, Glasgow G2 4JN, UK

    Phone: +44 333 009 6690

    Map
  • 10

    Theatre Royal Glasgow

    Visit Glasgow’s longest-running theatre

    Theatre Royal Glasgow
    • Couples
    • Nightlife

    Theatre Royal Glasgow is the oldest theatre in Glasgow and the longest-running continuously-operating one. It showcases a wide range of theatrical, concert and other live performances. The theatre has hosted many iconic West End-style shows over the years as well as classical orchestral performances and even pop artists performing the latest hits. It seats 1,541 people and is owned by the Scottish Opera. It opened in 1867, originally as the Royal Colosseum & Opera House before changing its name in 1869. It’s also the home of the Scottish Ballet.

    Over the years, it has hosted a TV studio and theatre conservatory programmes as well as gala performances and concerts. It’s located in the heart of the Glasgow city centre.

    Location: 282 Hope St, Glasgow G2 3QA, UK

    Phone: +44 333 009 6690

    Map

    photo by Glaspark (CC BY-SA 4.0) modified