Glasgow is Scotland's biggest city and largest industrial center, with a population of almost 612,000. Its Gaelic name, Glaschu, means "Green Glen". It has a colourful past and is now a diverse, modern cosmopolitan city. From stylish restaurants to Continental style pavement cafes, from lively modern clubs to quiet wine bars, theatre, cinema, opera, Glasgow has it all. The city is vibrant and diverse, but far from subtle.

Recently it was deemed to be the 'coolest' city in Britain, perhaps the heart of 'Cool Britannia' by a national poll of young people. Once famous for its shipbuilding and steelmaking industry, Glasgow, since its tenure as European City of Culture during 1990 has reinvented itself and is now probably as well known for its art and architecture. Despite years of economic struggle, the city's regeneration reflects the determination of Glaswegians to survive and succeed. Gone are the days when Glasgow was considered as the 'second city of the Empire'.

However its colonial status has left its legacy in the form of many grand buildings eg, Merchant City area which were a result of the fortune that colonial trade made for Glasgow. Ironically, Glasgow has been described as the least British of British cities, it likes to show itself off and is in every sense Scottish. In more recent times, Glasgow has grown to be one of the UK's most desirable citites. The city only narowly lost out to Edinburgh last year, during the search for a location for the new Scottish Parliament.