Glasgow on Foot: Walking Tours for the Cathedral, Necropolis and Murals
4 min read
For a first visit, book the City Highlights Walking Tour at €16.73 per person, rated 4.7/5 from 1,449 reviews. It covers the Cathedral, the Necropolis and Merchant City in 1.5 hours, the shortest walk here to do so.
| Walk | Length | From, per person | Rating | Reviews | Starts at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City Highlights | 1.5 h | €16.73 | 4.7/5 | 1,449 | 82 George Square |
| Street Art | 1.5 h | €17.93 | 4.8/5 | 542 | 81 Mitchell Street |
| Magnificent and Mysterious History | 2.5 h | €15.54 | 4.8/5 | 400 | Costa Coffee, George Square |
| Ghouls, Ghosts and Gruesome Tales | 2 h | €21.51 | 4.9/5 | 1,379 | Glasgow Cathedral |
City Highlights
The itinerary runs from George Square past the City Chambers and the University of Strathclyde to Glasgow Cathedral, the Necropolis and Merchant City, ending at the Gallery of Modern Art. The operator, Walking Tours In, calls the pace easy and the tour wheelchair accessible. Treat that as the operator’s statement and confirm it before you travel.
Street Art
The same operator runs this walk from Mitchell Street. Stops named on the booking page include The Lighthouse, the Billy Connolly mural, the Clutha mural and the Spaceman mural, all on the city’s mural trail, and it ends at a car park on Ingram Street. It is labelled wheelchair accessible. If you prefer to go alone, the city’s own People Make Glasgow site describes a self-guided City Centre Mural Trail with a downloadable map; murals get moved and replaced, so use the current map.
History walk
The longest walk is also the most demanding. The booking page gives about 3.5 miles in 2.5 hours at a steady pace, with one hill and uneven pavements, and lists children under 10, people with mobility impairments and people with a low level of fitness as unsuitable. The page names the guide as accredited with the Scottish Tourist Guides Association (Blue Badge). The route takes in the City Chambers, Merchant City and the Britannia Panopticon; the itinerary ends at the Cathedral, while the description on the same page says the tour finishes close to George Square, where it started, so ask where you will finish. Pick it for architecture and history, not for a relaxed stroll.
Ghost tour
The evening ghost walk starts at the Cathedral and takes in the Necropolis, Merchant City and Strathclyde University, finishing at a pub. The booking page says the tour runs in any weather, includes graphic descriptions of crimes and swearing, and is not suitable for young children. Ages 15 and over are welcome, and anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. About 70 minutes of walking is involved, the route is step-free apart from one slightly steep hill, and the cobblestones may affect mobility devices; the guide can change the route if you ask beforehand. It is labelled wheelchair accessible.
Visiting the Cathedral yourself
Glasgow Cathedral is looked after by Historic Environment Scotland. Entry is free, with donations welcome, and you can book an entry slot on the HES website. From October to March it opens Monday to Saturday from 10am to 4pm and on Sunday from 1pm to 4pm; from April to September Monday to Saturday from 9:30am to 5pm and on Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. Last entry is 45 minutes before closing, and it is closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 and 2 January. It is still a working church, so parts of it close for services and events; HES lists those dates on its plan-your-visit page.
Which one
- First visit: City Highlights.
- Murals and photography: Street Art.
- Architecture and history: the 2.5-hour history walk, if you are fit.
- After dark, teenagers and adults: the ghost tour.
More options sit under Glasgow walking tours, and if you would rather ride, read about the hop-on hop-off bus.
