So you want to visit the UK? Or possible you are applying for a working holiday visa for the UK and are trying to decide on what your destination will be.
Most tourists and working holiday participants head straight to London and get stuck there for the duration of their trip/visa. London is one of the world’s great cities and has a lot on offer, but it’s very expensive and not the only place in Britain!
I suggest you look north to Scotland. True, Edinburgh is obviously beautiful with its amazing castle and ancient city to explore, but I say Glasgow is just as good a choice.
There’s so much on offer in this often underrated city so, before you make you choice on where your UK working adventure will take you, consider these great things Glasgow has for you.
1. People
There’s just something extra awesome about Glaswegians.
If you can figure out their strong and amazing accent (which becomes even more impossible to decipher after they’ve had a few drinks) then you’ll be in for a lot of fun conversations and good times.
Glaswegians are notoriously friendly and they’ll be happy you’ve chosen their beloved city and likely to want to show you around.
Visitors are a dime a dozen in London and Edinburgh but if you make your home in Glasgow you’ll get an incomparable Glasgow welcome.
2. Employment Prospects
Glasgow is a large city with a population of around 635,000 people and it is one of the best places to gain employment in Scotland.
There are thousands of jobs available in industries like manufacturing, digital and creative tech, energy, finance, health and science, education, tourism and retail.
Whether you are looking to study, intern to gain work experience, find short term seasonal work, working holiday jobs, or start/continue a professional career you can find so many different options.
3. Cost of Living
Glasgow is one of the most affordable cities in the UK with prices for renting/buying property very cheap compared to Edinburgh and London for example.
4. Culture
Glasgow is expelling with culture. Glasgow is packed with art galleries, theatres and live music and plenty of groundbreaking artists and musicians have called the city home and made their marks here.
Plus the city’s population is hugely multicultural which means that they’ve brought their own country’s culture to you in Glasgow.
You won’t have to wander far in Glasgow to be exposed to a wide range of people, food and cultures.
5. Parks & Green Spaces
Though it’s a major, bustling city, Glasgow has managed to keep plenty of places in town green.
If the sun happens to rear its head, head to Queens Park, Pollok Country Park, Bellahouston Park or Maxwell Park to enjoy the great outdoors right in the middle of the busy city.
In fact, there are over 90 parks within the city’s boundaries!
6. Nightlife
Nightlife in Glasgow is considered to be among the best in Europe. Whether it’s pubs, clubs or live music, the city has dozens of things on offer each night all around town.
If you’re young (or young at heart) and love to drink, dance and be merry then Glasgow is a great choice for you.
7. Shopping
Glasgow’s shopping is rivalled only by London within the UK. The city is packed not only with large shopping centres and more exclusive options (like Princes Square) to choose from.
8. Travel Connections
Scotland is one of the major hubs for the UK for cheap flights all over Europe and the world. This makes having a quick getaway an easy option. Head for the skies to explore so many destinations in this part of the world. That’s what working holidays are all about after all a bit of work and a lot of holiday!
Glasgow probably isn’t the first city you think of moving to especially when other cities like London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Liverpool get all the limelight. But do visit or move here and you might be surprised. If you are looking for more options view our UK gap year travel guide.