London is without a doubt one of the most popular travel destinations. With a week, you can easily visit both London and Glasgow (read why you should visit Glasgow here). There are so many fun things to do in Glasgow that you’ll be glad you added it to your London itinerary. Here’s how to visit both incredible destinations in an eco-friendly way.
(This blog post is in collaboration with Visit Britain, Impact Travel Alliance, and Fora. As always, all opinions are my own.)
An Eco-Friendly Guide to London & Glasgow
When to Visit London and Glasgow
I’m a huge proponent of traveling off season to any destination. You find the best hotel deals, avoid the crowds, and it provides more flexibility for your trip. It also helps local businesses to receive support year-round and prevents over-tourism. It’s seriously a win-win.
The best time to visit London and Glasgow is during the fall. While the weather may be a bit brisker, it’s still relatively mild compared to the winter. Arm yourself with an umbrella (as you always should when visiting either city, no matter the time of year) and a jacket and you’ll be good to go. Fall is also a great time to visit because you’ll get to see the leaves change and who doesn’t want pretty fall photos?
How to Travel in London and Glasgow
Both cities are extremely well connected and public transportation is easy to use. Keep your visit eco-friendly by using the buses and subway system whenever possible. You can find routes on google maps or both cities have apps that you can download.
The best way to get from London to Glasgow is the train. You can either take it during the day and it’ll take you between 4.5-5 hours or overnight on the Caledonian train, which is about a 7.5-hour journey, getting you into the city around 7:30 in the morning. The distance from London to Glasgow is 400 miles.
Getting off the Beaten Path
Anytime you’re visiting a new city I recommend getting off the beaten path. Sure, you can google top things to do in London and check off any list that you find but it won’t be nearly as fulfilling. The best way to truly experience a city is to find things to do that are more authentic and unique. When in London and Glasgow be sure to support local businesses with sustainable measures in place. You can usually find their initiatives on their website.
Where to Stay in London
Good Hotel
A floating hotel that is also a social business. 100% of their profits go to funding important projects such as children’s education and retraining unemployed locals.
Corner Hotel London City
London’s greenest hotel set in the trendy East End neighborhood of Shoreditch. They have a variety of sustainability measures that you can check out here.
Things to Do in London
Borough Market
One of London’s oldest and largest food markets with an emphasis on high quality food, sustainable production, and social connection. I highly recommend checking out Change Please. This coffee cart has fantastic coffee and provides homeless people with the skills needed to become full baristas.
Sky Garden
London’s highest public garden with panoramic views of the city. It’s one of the best free things to do in London! Just be sure to reserve your free tickets in advance.
Explore Notting Hill
This vibrant neighborhood is the perfect place to spend a morning or an afternoon strolling around and wandering into shops. Plus, it’s one of the best places to visit in London for free! I also highly recommend Farm Girl for lunch.
Take a tour with Invisible Cities
Invisible Cities is a social enterprise that trains people who have experienced homelessness to become tour guides. Each tour is developed by the tour guide to provide a unique perspective on the city. They are also available in Glasgow so take a tour in both cities!
Where to Stay in Glasgow
Maldron Hotel
This hotel is centrally located and is the perfect base from which to explore Glasgow!
Fun Things to Do in Glasgow
Visit Pollok Park
This is the largest park in Glasgow and is a must visit. Spend a few hours wandering around and then make a beeline to see the Scottish Highland Cows.
Pro tip: the cows are labeled on google maps.
Take a street art tour
There are numerous murals around the city and the best way to discover them is with a walking tour. You’ll learn about the artists and the history behind the murals.
Eat fantastic food
I was surprised at how tasty the food in Glasgow was. Each one of the restaurants listed below were absolutely fantastic and are all vegetarian/vegan friendly.
Here are some of the best restaurants in Glasgow:
- Soul Food
- Glasvegan
- 111 by Modou
- Glaschu
- Ubiquitous Chip
Check out a pub
If there’s anything Glasgow has it’s plenty of pubs. Be sure to visit a few on your trip. One of our tour guides highly recommended the Clutha and Victoria Bar.
Check out the Glasgow Cathedral
This gothic style cathedral looks straight out of a scene from Harry Potter. I’ve seen a lot of cathedrals, but this has to be one of my favorites.
Visit the Necropolis
Located right next to the cathedral, this Victorian cemetery is a must see.
Bottom Line
There is a tremendous amount to do in London and Glasgow that helps support local businesses and gives you a richer, more authentic experience without having to worry about the crowds.
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