48 Hours In: Glasgow, Scotland

Glasgow has long-outgrown the tedious comparisons with Edinburgh - it's a city-break destination in its own right, packed with culture, attitude and humour.

This is a city, after all, where the council had to abandon plans to permanently remove the traffic cone from the Duke of Wellington statue in Royal Exchange Square due to public opposition. It's very much a place that gives back what you put in to it; throwing yourself in to Glasgow's bars, arts venues and design hubs with gusto will bring ample rewards.

It's a city with a distinctive energy, sardonic yet boisterously unreserved; and with the centre and the West End having very different personalities, it can feel like two breaks wrapped in to one.

Day One

10.00: Glasgow's most exquisitely beautiful building is in otherwise dowdy Bellahouston Park. The House For An Art Lover has been built to designs by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, the world-renowned architect whose highly distinctive style has its fingerprints all over his home city.

Mackintosh’s graceful, Japanese-influenced thin lines and artful floral motifs are at their most jaw-dropping in the music and dining rooms. The building plans were originally submitted as a competition entry, and they finally came to life long after Mackintosh’s death when devotees decided the house was too perfect to remain only on paper.

12.00: Head back into the city centre to continue the Mackintosh trail over lunch. The Willow Tea Rooms on Sauchiehall Street was one of the masterpieces designed by the architect and built during his lifetime. It's a dramatic contrast to the rest of the street, which has high street-style shopping during the day and rowdy nightlife later on.

From there, prepare to become laden with carrier bags on a walk through the ‘style mile’. The well heeled Buchanan Galleries is the most appealing of the maze of shopping malls, while the Merchant City area further east has plenty of independent fashion outlets.

15.00: The Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre has to be Glasgow’s most delightfully weird attraction. Scores of mechanical figures have been lovingly crafted from scrap metal – and they crank into dance-like action in time to deeply weird music. It’s heartwarmingly hypnotic, and the rest of the Trongate 103 building that houses it is worth a longer look too. There is also a cluster of arts projects, studios and galleries.

17.30: Hop in a cab to the Sir Chris HoyVelodrome, the new indoor cycling arena built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. In learner classes, budding Laura Trotts and Jason Kennys can take on the intimidatingly steep banks as they whizz round without brakes. The introductory sessions take place on Tuesday evenings and, due to popularity, booking well in advance is essential.

20.30: After a quick change at the hotel, try old Glasgow favourite Café Gandolfi for dinner. A theatre and arts crowd favourite, it does quality bistro food in a relaxed environment. For drinks afterwards, try the Boudoir wine bar for class, the spit-and-sawdust Horseshoe pub for classic Glasgow character or King Tut’s Wah Wah Hut for music. The last, famously, was where Oasis were discovered by their record label.

Day Two

09.00: Today is about the best of the more upmarket West End, so kick off with a stroll through the Botanic Gardens, before hitting the city’s top cultural attraction, the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

The sheer variety – stuffed elephants, Spitfires hanging from the ceiling, Dali paintings and exquisite artwork furniture – inside this temple of Victorian grandeur is part of the appeal. The Glasgow Stories section, covering everything from tobacco trading and slavery to the city’s bizarre fondness for country music, is particularly gripping.

12.30: Continue the walk through newly hip Finnieston, where Mother India’s Café puts a noble twist on Glasgow’s esteemed curry houses with tapas-style south Asian dishes.

13.30: Keep going towards the once grim northern bank of the River Clyde. Grandstanding architectural projects have given it a new lease of life. These include the armadillo-shaped Clyde Auditorium and the sinuously designed Riverside Museum. The latter is the handiwork of Zaha Hadid and houses a mainly transport-themed collection.

16.30: On the way back through Finnieston, slake the thirst with Scotland’s finest craft beers at the Brewdog bar. The hoppy Punk IPA and 5am Saint amber ale are the best regulars, but it’s worth taking a look at limited release specials too.

18.30: Freshen up and make an evening of it in the West End. Cute-looking Ashton Lane has a plethora of bars and restaurants, with The Ubiquitous Chip being the best place to eat if you want Scottish produce. The courtyard is more fine dining, while the pub offers a cheaper brasserie-style menu.

Brel is the best of the bars here, with a focus on Belgian brews. For something more exotic, try the excellent Vietnamese pho and Indochinese decor at the Hanoi Bike Shop.

Glasgow: Where to stay?

Whilst there are various properties to stay in whilst in Glasgow, herewith three ideas for you to consider. We can, of course, arrange whatever accommodation is required, should these not be suitable, or you have your own specific requirements.

Save: Citizen M

The Citizen M goes all guns blazing on the design front, with carpets made from Google maps of the city and a lobby/hostel-like common area full of brightly coloured, sculpture-esque furniture.

The rooms are effectively pods, but have super-king-sized beds and wall-to-wall windows with blackout blinds. It definitely aims for the younger, style-conscious traveller.

Spend: Malmaison

The Malmaison mini-chain doesn't do boring, and the Glasgow branch is no exception. It’s inside a converted church, but deliberately courts a sinful vibe. Massage oils in the rooms give that naughty weekend wink, and larger rooms have decadent roll-top baths.

Rooms are being refurbished, and there’s a new restaurant from Michelin-starred Martin Wishart. It is located a short stroll from the West End.

Splurge: Blythswood Square

The Blythswood Square is the best address in town, surrounded by the Georgian townhouses of the square it’s named after.

The in-house spa makes it a winner for the pampering-minded, while the ultra-comfy beds, sink-in Harris Tweed sofas and marble-clad bathrooms give that sense of luxurious comfort. This is also the spot for a refined afternoon tea.

Call To Action

If Glasgow is a destination that you would like to visit either on its own or as part of a multi-centre trip, please email World of Transport Travel with your requirements.

48 Hours In: Zagreb, Croatia

Inspired more by Vienna and Budapest than its southern Slavic neighbours, lively Zagreb has a cafe culture that easily holds its own against its old imperial masters.

The European Union's newest capital is often overshadowed by Croatia's glittering Adriatic resorts but its appealing restaurant and bar scene, architecture and culture made it an attractive city-break destination in its own right.

Divided into the medieval Gornji Grad (upper town) and the 19th-century Donji Grad (lower town), its centre is compact and easy to explore.

Zagreb is a city made for strolling, for meandering along the cobbled streets and following the example of the stylish locals in their quest for the perfect coffee and a spot of gossip.

Day One

09.00: Start off in Zagreb's heart, Trg Bana Josipa Jelacica, the square that honours the 19th-century Croatian governor who rose up against the ruling Hungarians. Enjoy the morning bustle from the vantage point of Aida Cafe Vienna, preferably over one of their rich cakes.

09.30: Wander around the corner and up the steps to Zagreb's daily fruit and vegetable market, Dolac, a colourful collection of food stalls on the outdoor raised piazza. There is also an indoor market where you can taste some of Croatia's prized cured meats such as prsut (prosciutto).

11.00: Take the incredibly cute 19th-century funicular - one of the shortest in the world at 217 feet - to the upper town. At the top is one of the most pleasant promenades in the city, Strossmayer Parade. Old-fashioned gas lamps light this tree-shaded walkway, with plenty of benches from which to catch views of the town below.

Come in the summer and stop for a drink in the cafes that spring up. Beside it is Lotrscak Tower, a 13th-century fortification that lets off a resounding cannon blast every day at noon. Climb its spiral staircase to the top for sweeping views of the city.

11.30: Come down to earth with a bump - and a lump in the throat - with a visit to the Museum of Broken Relationships, just a few metres away from the tower. It is a compelling collection of mementoes of lost loves - seemingly banal objects that pack a thought-provoking and wryly amusing punch.

Afterwards, walk a few minutes north to St. Mark's Square, where the unmistakable roof of St Mark's Church glints in the sunlight. It's a striking mosaic of the red, white and blue Croatian and Zagreb coats of arms that were added to the 13th-century church, and it is one of the city's most eye-catching emblems.

13.00: Stop for a hearty lunch at the Restoran Lanterna na Dolcu on Opatovina Street. Much of the food comes from the market and features plenty of grilled meats, plus gnocchi and risotto dishes.

14.00: Zagreb's cathedral had to be rebuilt after a devastating 1880 earthquake, and its towering twin steeples and neo-Gothic facade are as arresting as the gold statue of the Madonna standing guard outside. Inside is the tomb of the controversial Archbishop Alojzije Stepinac, who was tried for treason after the Second World War for colluding with the Nazis, but was beatified by Pope John Paul II.

15.00: Just behind the cathedral is Park Ribnjak, ten acres of woods, parkland and exotic plants. The scent in the springtime is heavenly.

18.00: Head to the lively Tkalciceva, a cobbled street of pastel buildings with more than a dozen cafes and restaurants. Squeeze into the tiny Cica for a quick brandy, Croatia's national drink.

20.00: While you're in Tkalciceva, settle under the wooden ceilings in rustic Restaurant Agava for an imaginative menu that combines Croatian, Italian and Asian flavours.

Day Two

09.00: Join the great and the good for morning coffee in the cafe of the Hotel Dubrovnik just off Trg Bana Josipa Jelacica. Visitors on a Saturday will notice a Zagreb ritual - the spica - being enacted from 10am till about 2pm around the corner on Bogoviceva Street and Peter Preradovic Square.

It is when the cafe-lined streets fill with locals sauntering along in their smartest clothes, stopping for a coffee now and then, but mainly just promenading.

10:00: Check out the shops on Ilica, which is home to big European high street names, as well as Croatian labels. Look out for little Tomiceva Street on the northern side. At number for is Take Me Home, a funky shop stocking an off-the-wall collection of creations by Croatian designers.

12.00: Get a bird's-eye view of the city from the 16th-floor observation deck of the Zagreb Eye. The skyscraper has been looming over Trg Bana Josipa Jelacica since 1959. From the top, where there is also a cafe, visitors get 360-degree views of Zagreb's red rooftops and even as far as Mount Medvednica.

13.00: Grab a baguette lunch at Kino Europa, the cafe in the 1920s cinema that hosts the annual Zagreb Film Festival. Brandy connoisseurs can sample some of the 30 varieties on offer.

14.00: Hop on a tram across the River Sava to the Museum of Contemporary Art, the largest in Croatia. This collection of more than 12,000 works tells the story of Croatian contemporary art over the decades - particularly during the communist era in Yugoslavia.

17.00: Indulge in a decent afternoon tea in the classy surroundings of the Esplanade 1925 Bar in the Hotel Esplanade. Afterwards, explore the nearby botanical garden with its English-style arboretum.

20.00: Old-fashioned Croatian grub is on the menu at unpretentious Tip-Top Bistro - with low-key prices to match. Try the squid risotto or the steak in truffle sauce.

22.00: End the evening with a drink in the cosily jumbled interior of the Bacchus Jazz Bar near the railway station, where there is live music at weekends.

Find out more about Croatia

Been To Zagreb, So Why Not Visit Belgrade?

In December, Air Serbia resumed flights from Zagreb to Belgrade, for the first time since 1991. This brings Serbia's vibrant capital within easy reach - an alluring prospect, considering Belgrade has the most exciting nightlife in eastern Europe.

Belgrade sits at the confluence of two rivers, the Danube and the Sava, both of which are lined with scores of floating bars and restaurants. The city's pedestrianised main artery, Knez Mihailova, throngs with people perusing the shops and relaxing in cafes with neoclassical facades.

Centuries of history mingle in Kalemegdan Park, Belgrade's green heart and home to an ancient forest. There is even a city beach, Ada Ciganlija, tucked into a peninsula in the Sava.

Find out more about Serbia

Zagreb: Where to stay?

Whilst there are various properties to stay in whilst in Zagreb, herewith three ideas for you to consider. We can, of course, arrange whatever accommodation is required, should these not be suitable, or you have your own specific requirements.

Save: Hotel Jägerhorn

In an enviable location near the bottom of the funicular, this romantic hotel first opened its doors in 1829. The charming and bright rooms are surprisingly quiet, considering the hotel is in the thick of the action.

Spend: DoubleTree by Hilton

This sleek addition to the Green Gold business district shows that contemporary doesn’t have to mean cold. Stylish rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and leather furnishings. There are some gorgeous city views from the indoor pool and hot tub, while the hotel’s Oxbo Urban Bar & Grill specialises in steak.

Splurge: Hotel Esplanade

Built in 1925 for Orient-Express passengers to rest in style, Zagreb’s grandest hotel has plenty of art deco touches in its plush rooms. The gracious living extends to the restaurants: the Mediterranean-inspired Zinfandel’s, French Bistro, outdoor Oleander Terrace and Esplanade 1925 Bar.

Call To Action

If Zagreb and/or Belgrade are destinations that you would like to visit, either on their own or together, or as part of a multi-centre trip please email World of Transport Travel with your requirements.

48 Hours In: Whistler, Canada

Hear a mention of Whistler in British Columbia and your first thoughts are likely to be of perfect-powder skiing and boarding on Olympic class mountains. And you’d be right – Whistler Blackcomb excels as a winter location.

But when the snow melts it also shines as a summer activity holiday destination. Claiming the crown as one of the world’s finest mountain bike hubs, Whistler also boasts stunning alpine and forest hiking, glacier-fed lakes for kayaking, rafting and swimming, as well as excellent kids’ facilities, spas, golf courses and destination dining.

Just 90 minutes’ drive along the scenic Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver, Whistler is just as exciting in the sunshine as it is in ski season, and worthy of a visit on a western Canada summer itinerary.

Day One

09.00: Start your day with a cup of Portland’s finest Stumptown coffee and treats such as caramelised banana brownies or lavender and earl grey scones at the Purebread bakery. Once high on sugar and caffeine, snap selfies at the Olympic Rings on the plaza.

10.00: Plunge into the ancient coastal temperate rainforest on a guided eco treetop walk with Ziptrek. On this fascinating 90-minute tour you’ll walk through the treetops along gently swaying boardwalks and learn about the forest and Whistler’s bid to become a sustainable community. A must for photographers, you’ll be surrounded by lush forest and imposing mountains in an area untouched since the last ice age. For those seeking something more action-packed, Ziptrek also runs zipline tours in the same area.

11.30: Ask to be dropped off at the Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre on the way back. This fantastic spot showcases the art, history and culture of the Squamish and Lil’Wat First Nations people who have lived on these lands for generations. Visitors are welcomed with a song and traditional music before being shown a short film. Then it’s time for a tour with a First Nations cultural ambassador followed by a hands-on experience with traditional crafts. On Tuesday evenings from May till September, traditional barbecues are held, with treats like cedar plank west coast salmon and bannock.

13.15: Fuel up for a busy afternoon with lunch at Milestones, which has one of the best outdoor spaces in Blackcomb. Cheery service, good prices and a family-friendly menu make this Canadian chain a popular stop.

15.00: Paddle in a single or double kayak, or balance on a Stand Up Paddleboard on a guided excursion with Whistler Eco Tours along the lyrically-named River of Golden Dreams, which takes visitors from Alta Lake through the Whistler Wetlands down a glacier river and on to the beautiful Green Lake. These three-hour trips take in stunning scenery with plenty of photo-friendly spots along the way.

18.00: Stop for post-paddle snacks and a drink at the Dubh Linn Gate pub at the base of Whistler Mountain. They have live music every day and one of the most popular sun-drenched patios in the village. If you don’t let that one drink turn into several, you've still got time to get out on one of the many hiking trails around the village. The Valley Trail is one of the easiest, or try the Lost Lake trail which is accessed from the Blackcomb side of town.

20.00: Splurge on dinner at the Sidecut Modern Steak + Bar at the Four Seasons hotel, which serves fresh-shucked oysters and superb spice rub steaks. For a more budget-friendly option, try Pizzeria Antico for crisp Neapolitan-style pizzas and pastas.

Day Two

10.00: Whistler Mountain Bike Park is considered to be the leading lift-accessed bike park in the world and attracts world-class bikers, but even if you've never been downhill mountain biking before you can still learn the basics in a two-hour session with qualified instructors at Bike Park 101. Adults and teenagers can sign on; prices include lift ticket, dual-suspension bike, helmet, pads and glove rental. Younger riders aged 6-12 can sign up to an all day kids’ camp programme from 9.30am-3.30pm, which includes lunch. bike.

12.15: Head to Earls Kitchen & Bar for a lunch of pocket-friendly pleasers in a ski lodge-style room with antler chandeliers and plenty of cosy booth seating. Check out the daily food and drinks specials.

13.30: With four championship golf courses from some of the world’s top designers, Whistler is a golfer’s paradise. Take advantage of the glorious mountain views and fresh air at any of the superb greens. Golf not your game? Fit in some relaxation in the mountains with a visit to the Scandinave Spa just a few minutes outside the village. Soak away any aches in the beautiful outdoor hot pools, saunas and steam rooms.

16.30: Race to catch the last 30 minutes of the daily oysters and drinks specials on the sun soaked patio at Araxi in the village.

18.00: Make it an evening to remember out in a jeep with bear watching expert Michael Allen and his team. You’ll explore the black bear’s habitat of feeding areas, daybeds and dens on a three-hour trip.

21.30: Book in for late night bites and a visit to the Ketel One Vodka Room – at -32C the coldest vodka tasting room in the world – at the Bearfoot BistBearfoot Bistro. It also boasts some of the best food in town, thanks to talented chef Melissa Craig. Later on, the Bearfoot switches from restaurant to club with DJs replacing the dinner-time pianist.

Whistler: Where to stay?

Whilst there are various properties to stay in whilst in Whistler, herewith three ideas for you to consider. We can, of course, arrange whatever accommodation is required, should these not be suitable, or you have your own specific requirements.

Save: Aava

Steps from the heart of Whistler village with direct access to the Valley Trail, the Aava is a bike-friendly hotel, with a bike valet, bike wash and tool shop, plus free GoPro hire and two hours of free cruiser bike rental for guests. Spotlessly clean basic one-bed rooms have kitchenettes. The suntrap patio pool overlooks the mountains.

Spend: Nita Lake Lodge

Five minutes’ drive from Whistler – with an on-demand shuttle service – Nita Lake Lodge offers a luxurious getaway with jaw-droppingly gorgeous lake and mountains views. Free kayaks, paddle boards and canoes are on offer from the lodge’s private dock. Rooms boast fireplaces and private balconies, with lavish bathrooms, and microwave and tea and coffee facilities.

Splurge: Four Seasons Whistler

Over on the Blackcomb side of the village, the gloriously well-appointed Four Seasons has a family-friendly outdoor pool, gym, spa and excellent on-site dining options. Rooms are spacious, with balconies overlooking the mountains. Daily guest programmes include wine tastings at the chef’s table and kids’ activities. 

Call To Action

If Whistler is a destination that you would like to visit either on its own or as part of a multi-centre trip, please email World of Transport Travel with your requirements.