GIN & TONIC

GLASGOW& BUTE

Glasgow is the cultural heart of Scotland. But why not experience more? The beautiful west coast island of Bute is a mere hop and a skip away, and it’s packed with culture too. Here are eight reasons why you should pair Glasgow with the island of Bute.

GLASGOW #1 Hunterian

The Hunterian in Glasgow’s west end is Scotland’s oldest public museum housing the world’s largest display of James McNeill Whistler. Also visit the nearby Art Gallery and Mackintosh House.

#2 Modern times

The Gallery of Modern Art (GoMA) may be housed in an 18th-century neoclassical building in Glasgow city centre, but the work inside is entirely contemporary from international and Scottish artists.

#3 A beacon of creativity

The former Glasgow Herald building completed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, makes a brilliant home for The Lighthouse, Scotland’s Centre for Architecture and Design.

#4 Dig in

Glasgow’s bursting at its culinary seams with phenomenal places to eat and drink, many in stunning

renovated buildings. Have a seafood lunch at Rogano, the oldest surviving restaurant in Glasgow. For dinner try Hutchesons City Grill in one of Scotland’s most iconic buildings. For drinks head to Gin 71 on Renfield Street in the former Bank of India. Stay at the Blythswood Square Hotel, a fabulously elegant hotel at the heart of Glasgow.

BUTE

#5 Gothic revival Mount Stuart is a spectacular neo Gothic mansion and was one of the most technologically advanced houses of its age and the first home in the world to have a heated swimming pool.

#6 Capture the castle

Built by the Stewart family to defend against invading Vikings, Rothesay Castle is a magnificent ruin standing at the centre of Rothesay, Bute’s principal town. The circular curtain wall makes it unique in Scotland.

#7 Take a ride

Hop on board the Bute Sightseeing open top bus. Sit back, relax and enjoy the views as you follow the coastal route looking out for beautiful Ettrick Bay and the seal colony at Scalpsie Bay.

#8 An Argyll feast

Bute is awash with great-tasting produce, from beachside cafés to neighbourhood bistros. Have lunch at Mount Stuart’s Bute Kitchen and head to Harry Haw’s in Rothesay for dinner. Stay at the Victoria Hotel in Rothesay on Bute. This familyowned hotel is full of character. Another great option is the Glenburn Hotel, which stands above its own terraced gardens, overlooking Rothesay Bay.

TRAVEL

Travel around Glasgow on an Open Top Bus Tour or use the Glasgow Subway to get around the city centre and west end of Glasgow. The Scotrail train journey from Glasgow to Wemyss Bay takes around 50 minutes. From here, the Calmac ferry crossing to Rothesay on Bute takes about 45 minutes. The best way to travel around the island is by bus with West Coast Motors.