You might have heard a Glaswegian say that the best thing to come out of Edinburgh is the train to Glasgow.This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Edinburgh is jam-packed with things to do around the clock(Image: Getty)
One of the fiercest – and funniest – debates to come out of Scottish society is that of Edinburgh vs Glasgow. East-coasters and Glaswegians regularly butt heads over what city is the best in the country. The discussion is age-old.
Fifty minutes by train, Glasgow and Edinburgh are firm but friendly rivals, each showcasing a different side to Scotland’s character. From the Fringe to footy, and from pubs to museums, there are legit arguments for both spots.
But which city really comes up trumps at the end of it all? Cultured Edinburgh, with its grand monuments and cobbled streets packed full of history? Or unpretentious Glasgow, with its working-class soul and top class banter?
Well, two writers from world-renowned travel guide Lonely Planet have made the case for Scotland’s top two biggest cities. And one of them has boldly claimed that the city they’re championing simply “can’t be topped”.
Kathryn Streeter, travel and lifestyle writer, has family in Edinburgh and argues it is the “best place to go”.
Edinburgh Castle is one of the most exciting historic sites in Western Europe(Image: Klaas Lingbeek / Getty)
She unashamedly writes: “A World Heritage site, [Edinburgh is] fairy-tale material and can’t be topped for all of Glasgow’s endearing virtues…
“If you’re curious, Glasgow is but a 42-minute train ride away – but I doubt you’ll be able to tear yourself away.”
Kathryn says the capital’s “charm offensive” begins at Walter Scott’s towering 200-foot monument, before extending to the grand 5-star hotel The Balmoral, and then on to New Town.
She notes the “bustling” Royal Mile with Edinburgh Castle, the city’s oldest structure, St Margaret’s Chapel, and the Palace of Holyrood House, residence of the Royal Family, and the modern Scottish Parliament.
Filled with history, architecture, and never-ending activities, Edinburgh is an absolutely wonderful city (Image: bnoragitt)
“Reminders of the past… lie everywhere,” she gushes, listing everything from the macabre from the burning of witches at the castle, gruesome public executions, to the palace murder of Mary, Queen of Scots’ lover.
Wynds and closes give way to an underground world strewn with haunted tales via a Mary King’s Close ghost tour, while St Giles’ Cathedral, which dates from 1124, is synonymous with John Knox and the Scottish Reformation – and is where Queen Elizabeth II lay in state. These features, Kathryn says, all contribute to Edinburgh’s enchantment.
Kathryn continues fighting her case with references to “souvenir shops, prized whisky and Harris tweed lining the street while cheery buskers and bagpipers fill the air with music,” a hint of what happens during the Fringe Festival.
Instagram-worthy Cockburn Street and the thriving Grassmarket gets a mention, as do Water of Leith Walkway, the trendy neighbourhoods of Stockbridge and Dean’s Village, and Edinburgh being UNESCO’s first City of Literature.
The Meadows, Holyrood Park, Salisbury Crag, Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill also offer “an abundance of green spaces and hill walking,” proving Edinburgh is not just a concrete jungle.
Looking for a bit of justice for Glasgow?
Neil said people should choose Glasgow for its authentic urban charm(Image: Getty)
Neil Wilson, who has written about Scotland for Lonely Planet for 25 years and authored the latest edition of Pocket Glasgow travel writer, was born and raised in Glasgow, but studied and lived in Edinburgh for 30 years.
He insists, that among many things, Glasgow’s cultural and artistic offerings “beat Edinburgh into second place”.
He compares Edinburgh’s “lofty” monuments to the Duke of Wellington statue in Glasgow that stands in Royal Exchange Square, “famous not for its aristocratic subject but for the traffic cone that sits atop the duke’s head”.
Neil believes this symbolises Glasgow’s sense of humour and its democratic will, “a reminder that Glaswegians are deeply proud of their working-class background and anti-establishment tradition” which “sums up the appeal”.
Neil argues that while some might say Glasgow lacks the beauty of Edinburgh with its “picturesque castle and elegant Georgian New Town,” Glasgow is a “feast for the eyes, if only you look up”.
Victorian architecture lines the streets as do huge mural paintings including St Mungo – Glasgow’s patron saint – and Glasgow-born comedian Billy Connolly.
Two Lonely Planet writers made the case for the cities they love(Image: Getty)
Neil dubs the Dear Green Place “one of Britain’s liveliest and most engaging destinations”. Because whether it’s a bike ride along the Clyde Walkway, where you will pass the SEC Armadillo, the Science Centre, and Zaha Hadid’s spectacular Riverside Museum, an artistic ramble or a bite to eat, Glasgow has it all, Neil insists.
He even thinks Glasgow’s “world-class” museums and art galleries like the Burrell Collection, Kelvingrove and Hunterian “beat Edinburgh’s offerings into second place”.
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And Glasgow’s gastronomy can easily hold its own against the capital, too, Neil maintains. The Ubiquitous Chip, for example, “was ahead of the game in promoting local produce and celebrating the best of Scottish cuisine”.
To take a bit of the sting out of the dispute, Neil reasons, very diplomatically, that “perhaps the most appealing aspect of the Glasgow vs Edinburgh rivalry is that you don’t really have to choose between them”.
“The two cities are only 50 minutes apart by rail, making for an easy day trip,” he notes, before cheekily adding: “And as any Glaswegian will be happy to inform you, the best thing to come out of Edinburgh is the train to Glasgow.”