FESTIVALS, HOLIDAYS AND OTHER ANNUAL EVENTS IN Glasgow

Every year, numerous holidays are celebrated in Glasgow. Below are the main dates for these festivities:

The New Year is celebrated with enthusiasm in Scotland! In the streets, the pubs, and the restaurants, the population comes together to dance and cheer in the new year. And to have time to recover, 2 January is also a holiday.

Scotland celebrates Good Friday instead of Easter Monday (as the rest of Great Britain does).

To celebrate the arrival of spring, the main Scottish cities have traditional parades: kilts and bagpipes are all around!

Historically a day of bank closure, the day has become a holiday for all of Great Britain.

The holiday (day off for workers) is on the first Monday of the month in Scotland and the last Monday of the month in the rest of Great Britain.

Saint Andrew's Day is celebrated throughout the country. Family dinners, public speeches, traditional dances, theatre events, and a visit to the local pub are all on the agenda!

Christmas Day celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ: families come together to celebrate with Christmas trees and gifts.

As of the Middle Ages, this holiday was the day when a present or gratuity was given to an employee, or a gift was given to the needy. In addition, it was a day for the distribution of food and monetary donations to the poor. In recent years, it has also become known as the day the post-Christmas sales are launched in Great Britain.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER IN Glasgow

Month	Min. Average Temperature (°C/F°)	Max. Average Temperature (°C/F°)	Average Rains (MM)	Best Time to Travel
January	2	7	57	Not the best period to go
February	2	8	42	Not the best period to go
March	3	9	51	Not the best period to go
April	5	12	41	Good period to go
May	7	15	51	Good period to go
June	10	18	51	Good period to go
July	12	19	57	Good period to go
August	12	19	65	Good period to go
September	10	10	67	Good period to go
October	8	13	65	Good period to go
November	5	10	63	Not the best period to go
December	2	7	58	Not the best period to go

Glasgow International Airport

• 1 terminal (Air France)

• By car
  • Access: Central Glasgow is located 20 minutes by car from the airport on the M8 highway.
  • Long-term parking: 10 minutes away by airport shuttle – 16 GBP the first day, 40 GBP for four days.
    Short-term parking: P1, P2, and P3 – 2 GBP for 20 minutes
    Fast Track parking: P2 level 2, direct access to the flight when check-in has already taken place and there is no checked baggage – 27.5 GBP / day.
  • Car hire: Several car hire companies are located in the arrivals area of the airport.
• By bus
  • Bus 747 serves the West End of Glasgow in 30 minutes. It circulates every day between 6:17 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. Prices are between 2 and 4 GBP depending on your destination (by zone). Tickets can be purchased from the driver.
• By shuttle
  • Glasgow Airport Express shuttles leave every 10 or 15 minutes from the airport to the Buchanan Bus Station, via the Central and Queen Street stations. They also make several stops at key hotels. The shuttles run 24 hours a day. Prices are 7 GBP for one adult, 13 GBP for two adults, and 4.20 GBP for a child. For a ticket valid for one day: 9 GBP for an adult, 17 GBP for two adults, 6.30 GBP for a child. For a round-trip ticket (open-ended return), 9.50 GBP for an adult, 18 GBP for two adults, 5.80 GBP for a child. Tickets can be purchased from the bus driver.
• By Taxi
  • Taxis are readily available at the arrivals area of the airport. The price to the centre of Glasgow is around 20 GBP and the trip takes about 15 minutes.
• Services: Currency exchange desk, ATMs, post office, cafés, restaurants, boutiques, and duty-free shops, as well as a pharmacy.
• Telephone: + 08 44 481 5555
• Web site: http://www.glasgowairport.com/

GETTING AROUND Glasgow

The city of Glasgow enjoys an excellent public transport network. It's the ideal way to discover Scotland's largest city!

Car

Downtown Glasgow has many one-way streets and a small number of parking spaces. Car rentals are best used only to leave the city for a visit to the Scottish countryside.

Bus

The First Glasgow bus company manages a large network of buses covering the entire city with 60 lines, including night buses that take over for the usual bus lines at 1:00 a.m. Buses come often and timetables are reliable.

Prices vary depending on the destination: short routes ‘intra-muros' cost 1.85 GBP. Day passes (valid until 1:00 a.m.) cost 4.50 GBP.
You can buy your ticket from the bus driver, but be sure to have correct change.

Underground

The Glasgow subway, nicknamed ‘Clockwork Orange' due to the colour of the trains and the shape of the line, has just one line that runs in a circle serving 15 stations in the centre, west, and south of the city. With the Smartcard, a one-way adult fare is 1.40 GBP. There is also a day pass for 2.70 GBP. Paper tickets cost more: 1.80 GBP for a one-way fare, 3.00 GBP for a round-trip, and 4.00 GBP for a day pass. You can get tickets from distributors or in the stations.

The subway is open from 6:30 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. from Monday to Saturday and from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.

Taxis

Taxis can be easily hailed in the streets of the city or found in reserved taxi stands. A reliable means of transport, they are, of course, more expensive than public transport. Daytime fares cost 6 to 7 GBP for just under two miles (three kilometres) in the city centre. Prices are 30-50% higher at night.

Visitor information

Once in Glasgow, don't hesitate to get in touch with tourism professionals for information and help in organising your stay.

The official tourism site in Scotland is a treasure trove of information for Glasgow.

• Address: Glasgow iCentre Gallery of Modern Art Royal Exchange Square Glasgow G1 3AH
• Website:  www.visitscotland.com

Currency and Exchange Rates

The currency of the United Kingdom is the Pound Sterling (£).

1 CHF = 0,73 GBP

1 GBP = 1,37 CHF

The above exchange rate is given for information because is variable.

Medical information

Visiting a general practitioner is free in medical centres and emergency departments of hospitals. Bring your European Insurance card, if you have one. Additional insurance is recommended for a visit to a specialist.

There are no vaccination requirements for visitors to the United Kingdom.
For more information, contact Air France's international vaccination centre:

• Address:38 Quai de Jemmapes 75010 Paris
• Website: (http://www.vaccinations-airfrance.fr )
• Telephone: +33 (0)1 43 17 22 00
• To make a vaccination appointment:
  • by Internet (click here)
  • or call +33 (0)1 43 17 22 00

Tap water is safe to drink in Scotland. In some regions, the water may be ‘peaty' and slightly discoloured, but it remains safe to drink.

Administrative formalities

Entry requirements for the United Kingdom

Some citizens of certain countries may need a visa to enter the territory of the United Kingdom.

For more information, check the website of the UK government information service:

https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa/y

Useful addresses

To travel serenely in the United Kingdom, check the website of the Foreign Ministry of your country.

Good to know

00 44

+ + phone number (calls to Glasgow)

-1 : 00
of time difference with
Geneva

Summer time: Last Sunday in March
Winter time: Last Sunday in October

BANKS

In general, open from Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.

GOVERNMENT OFFICES

In general, open from Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:45 p.m.

230 V / 50 Hz

And what about tipping?

In Scotland, tipping is only common in restaurants, where it will generally correspond to 15-20% of the bill. No tipping of bar staff or taxi drivers.