I GET the impression that many North-Easterners have been to Edinburgh, but I am not sure how many have sampled the delights of the Scottish capital’s bigger, brasher neighbour.

After a wonderful, incredibly varied weekend in this larger than life city on the River Clyde I was impressed – and I think you would be too.

Walking through the imposing city centre – laid out on a grid plan like New York – and along what is known as “the Style Mile”, ritzy Buchanan Street, I think first-time visitors will be gob-smacked.

Only three hours by train from the North-East, the sprawling city centre is bursting at the seams with big, bold and beautiful architecture from the late Victorian and Edwardian era, as well as the odd art deco gem.

It seems that every other former bank or insurance office is now a stylish bar or restaurant and a stroll through the city on Friday evening confirmed that Glaswegians love to party. Every bar, pub or eatery we passed seemed to be bursting at the seams with customers determined to enjoy themselves.

So anyone wanting a big night out would be spoilt for choice, along with shopaholics. My wife’s jaw dropped when we walked through the elegant Argyll Arcade, lined with high-class jewellers and has commissionaires in top hats at each entrance.

No visit to the city is complete without making a pilgrimage to the Glasgow School of Art. Designed by pioneering architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, one of the first to combine elements of Scottish architecture with art nouveau and an early form of art deco, this quite outstanding building was badly damaged by fire last year. Fortunately much of the building was saved and rebuilding work is already under way.

Visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the exterior and the glass-fronted new extension which faces it. You can also see a stunning collection of furniture designed by Mackintosh and rescued from the blaze which destroyed the iconic library. Catriona, the charming student who guided us, explained that the rival bids to replace the library are now under consideration and a decision will be taken soon.

Other ironic buildings include the marbled splendours of Glasgow City Council’s headquarters – the City Chambers – and the Parisian-style red sandstone apartment building known as Charing Cross Chambers at the end of Sauchiehall Street, now cut off from the elegant West End by the M8 motorway.

The best advice is to take the open-topped city bus tour which visits most of the important sites in Glasgow – from the award-winning Riverside Museum in the South-West to the glass dome of the People’s Palace in the north-east and taking visitors through the heart of the restored Merchants City area.

Culture vultures are spoilt for choice. The Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, set like a jewel in the leafy West End, has a mouth-watering range of paintings, with an emphasis on The Glasgow Boys, the Scottish colourists and that man Mackintosh (ably assisted by his wife Margaret Macdonald).

But the gallery also boasts works by Degas, Monet and Van Gogh, as well as Salvador Dali’s intense, powerful portrayal of the Crucifixion. We were particularly struck by a major exhibition of work, mainly drawings of Glasgow characters, by author-turned-artist Alasdair Gray.

Nearby is the Hunterian Art Gallery, which boasts one of the biggest collection of Whistlers in the world, along with more Scottish art.

Not to be missed is the free 30-minute guided tour of the Mackintosh House – a remarkable recreation of the interior of Mackintosh’s three-storey terraced house within a concrete wing of the gallery.

If you have time, jump in a cab and go to the Burrell Collection in the suburbs. Slightly diminished these days because of problems caused by the 1980s flat roof, the museum is still worth investing half a day to see the incredible range of exquisite art treasures built up by shipping magnate Sir William Burrell and donated to the city.

All this walking will make you hungry and Glasgow certainly has no shortage of splendid eateries.

On the first evening of our stay – at the comfortable, stylish Malmaison Hotel (converted from a stunning mid-Victorian church by Glasgow architect Alexander ‘Greek’ Thomson) I was treated to the best steak of my life.

I had a charcoal-grilled fillet steak on the bone from a specially selected grass-fed Scottish herd which was delicious and cooked to perfection. My wife enjoyed ginger and garlic baby chicken from the grill.

On Friday night, we walked across town to dine at the Kool Ba curryhouse in the Merchant City which we can highly recommend. On our last night we visited a Glasgow institution, The Ubiquitous Chip. Tucked down a lane off the bohemian Byers Road, this multi-level restaurant serves Scottish produce to a loyal and appreciative clientele. A bonus is the Alasdair Gray mural on the stairs down to the loos.

What are you waiting for? Glasgow beckons, you would be foolish not to take a look.

TRAVEL FACTS
For more information on holidaying in Scotland log on to visitscotland.com For further information on booking your trip to Glasgow visit peoplemakeglasgow.com Details about Malmaison Glasgow can be found on malmaison.com/glasgow, and about CrossCountry trains can be found on crosscountrytrains.co.uk