4 reasons why Glasgow is a must-visit for 2024

With its vibrant music scene, unique architecture and some of Scotland’s most intriguing history, it’s no surprise that Glasgow is on the bucket list for many a traveller. The Caledonian Sleeper takes you right into the heart of Glasgow City Centre, giving instant access to the adventure of this charming city. There’s never been a better time to visit Glasgow and we’ve rounded up four reasons why a trip to the ‘Dear Green Place’ is a must this year.

Glasgow cityscape

Trendsetting hotels

Over the next year, Glasgow is set to open a whopping eight new hotels providing some of the hottest new accommodation options for visitors. Virgin Hotels launched its second Scottish property on the city’s Clydeside and it has quickly become a favourite of the great and the good of Glasgow.

Right in the heart of Glasgow’s city centre is the new AC Marriot hotel. With 245 rooms the building has amazing panoramic views from its upper floors. As a former Victorian parish halls, the building itself is Grade A listed and that heritage is present throughout the refurbished building. There are 22 heritage suites, a sweeping stone staircase, period cornicing, a glass ceiling dome and a stained glass window. The hotel’s restaurant, Hazel, is already making waves on the culinary scene. Led by chef, Eric Avenier, it’s the perfect way to experience the best of the city’s food and drink.

And there’s a whole host of new hotels due to open in 2024; boutique hotel House of Gods is set to open a second Glasgow location – perfect for experiencing the city in true style; or to experience life in one of Glasgow’s surrounding neighbourhoods, the stunning Crossbasket Castle between Blantyre and East Kilbride is undergoing a multi-million pound refurbishment transforming it into one of Glasgow’s most beautiful hotels.

Glasgow Film Theatre

Major events

Over the past two decades Glasgow has hosted some of the world’s biggest events, from the Commonwealth Games, MOBOS and MTV EMAs, the people of Glasgow definitely know how to put on a show. 2024 looks set to be no exception with two major events coming to the city. If sport is your thing, the World Athletics Indoor Championships take place from 1-3 March and will welcome thousands of competitors and spectators to the city and be packed full of thrilling track and field events.

If you’re more suited to the science fiction world then the city is also playing host to the 82nd Worldcon festival in August. This annual international gathering of science fiction and fantasy fans is the longest running science fiction convention in the world – so if you have a passion for the genre then August would be a great time to visit.

Glaswegians love a good laugh, so it’s no surprise that the city’s International Comedy Festival is so popular. Taking place from 13-31 March, this festival features world class comedy as well as Scotland’s hottest new talent. Likewise the Glasgow Film Festival is fast becoming one of the UK’s most anticipated events in the film world. Running from 28 February – 10 March, the line up film releases will not disappoint.

World class music

Did you know Glasgow is a UNESCO City of Music? It’s easy to see why since the city has some of the most famous music venues in the world and according to some artists – the best crowds. The line-up for 2024 is star studded with major global acts scheduled to play in venues across the city. P!nk will play at Hampden as part of her Summer Carnival tour and both Girls Aloud and Take That will be making come backs on their tours at the OVO Hydro. Legendary band, Status Quo will be rocking the Kelvingrove Bandstand in May and American rock band the Foo Fighters will take to Hampden in June.

The city’s Celtic Connection festival is also a must-attend event for music lovers. Covering genres like traditional, folk and jazz & soul, this famous event spans some of Glasgow’s most famous music venues including; Barrowlands, The Old Fruitmarket and Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

And if you want to see more traditional Scottish music then the World Pipe Band Championships is unmissable. Running from the 16-17 August this huge celebration of piping brings Pipe Bands from across the globe together to compete and entertain visitors and locals with the mesmerising sounds of the bagpipes.

People's Palace and Doulton Fountain

A fascinating history

Glasgow is steeped in some of the most fascinating history in Scotland. Medieval influences can be seen all around from Glasgow Cathedral, the oldest building in the city to Crookston Castle, Provan Hall and Trongate, all of which played a fascinating role in medieval life.  With a multitude of museums, many of which are free to enter, visitors can explore the city’s extensive history. The People’s Palace is a great way to see how Glaswegians used to live, or the city’s many heritage trails will take you through the early ages, medieval times, and local history of the built heritage of Glasgow’s landscapes and parks.

If you’d like to read more about Glasgow and why it should be on your wish list this year visit https://peoplemakeglasgow.com/.

Caledonian Sleeper raises £6090 for Give A Dog A Bone

Caledonian Sleeper has provided a significant contribution to the Scottish loneliness charity Give a Dog a Bone. Through generous donations, £6,090 has successfully been raised to support the charity’s ongoing work.

Managing Director Caledonian Sleeper and Louise Russell – Founder, Trustee and Chief Executive of Give a Dog a Bone with Cooper with two digs at Glasgow Central

The donations allowed Give a Dog a Bone to hold two separate raffle competitions, each contributing to the impressive total raised. One raffle featured a bottle of limited-edition single cask single malt whisky, a creation in collaboration with Annandale Distillery to commemorate Caledonian Sleeper’s 150th anniversary. The second raffle offered a pair of return tickets on board the iconic Caledonian Sleeper train.

Managing Director Caledonian Sleeper and Louise Russell – Founder, Trustee and Chief Executive of Give a Dog a Bone with Cooper with two digs at Glasgow Central

The funds raised will be channelled into Give a Dog a Bone’s community space project, which allows older adults to socialise in a safe space, learn new skills, and alleviate loneliness through animal companionship. The charity currently provides community spaces in Shawlands, Troon and Alloa where adults over 60 are welcomed each day to relax and enjoy the company of dogs, staff and volunteers. Many of the individuals who engage with the charity live alone and the community spaces therefore provide much needed social interaction and companionship to help tackle the adverse effects of loneliness.

Kathryn Darbandi, Managing Director for Caledonian Sleeper, commented: “Caledonian Sleeper is proud to have supported Give a Dog a Bone for the past four years. It’s heartening to see the positive impact our contributions have on the charity’s vital work in alleviating loneliness.”

Louise Russell, Founder and Chief Executive at Give a Dog a Bone, said: “We are incredibly grateful to have the continued support of Caledonian Sleeper. Donations such as this allow us to continue welcoming people into our community spaces each day, as well as caring for our companion dogs who provide happiness to the lives of so many people.”

Millburn Academy students visit Parliament

A group of high school students from Millburn Academy in Inverness took the Caledonian Sleeper service to London during a Politics field trip to visit the Houses of Parliament.

Drew Hendry MP, their local representative for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, met them off the train ahead of a guided tour of Parliament

Millburn Academy has opted to reduce their carbon footprint by travelling with Caledonian Sleeper as part of their desire to embrace greener travel options.

Millburn Academy students standing next to Caledonian Sleeper at Euston

Jason McClurg, Teacher of Modern Studies, Politics and History at Millburn Academy, said: “We were thrilled to have the opportunity to make this memorable journey from Inverness to London with Caledonian Sleeper, and for some of the pupils, it was their first time travelling on Caledonian Sleeper.

“They work extremely hard in class, and they were excellent ambassadors for our school and our area whilst on this trip. I am very proud of each of them.

“The service provides a direct link from the Scottish Highlands to our UK capital, and being able to hop on the train at Inverness is not only convenient but also a much greener option than flying.”

Drew Hendry MP added: “It was great to welcome students and staff from Millburn Academy to Parliament this week, as part of their ongoing studies into democracy.

“How fantastic is it that they were able to use the Sleeper to travel down!

“Young people are leading the way when it comes to climate change and making environmentally friendly decisions, and I am sure this played a big part in the organisation of their trip.

“The Caledonian Sleeper truly is a fantastic service, offering accessibility to and from the Highlands creating a welcome travel link with London.”

Steven Marshall, Head of Sales & Marketing for Caledonian Sleeper, added: ” We were so pleased to hear that Millburn Academy chose Caledonian Sleeper as their mode of transport. We hope more schools will be inspired by their approach and I hope the pupils enjoyed their journey and have a fantastic time in London.”

Win a return journey onboard the Caledonian Sleeper with Give a Dog a Bone

We are delighted to be supporting Give a Dog a Bone, one of our official charity partners once again, giving one lucky person the chance to win a return journey for two in a Club en-suite room onboard the Caledonian Sleeper.

Give a dog a bone logo

Give a Dog a Bone is one of Caledonian Sleeper’s official charity partners and do great work tackling loneliness and animal rehoming by supporting the over 60s to afford a rescue pet companion. As part of its fundraising activities the charity will raffle the return journey onboard the Caledonian Sleeper with tickets available for sale for £10 each on their website from 1st November until the 12th November.

Club Room

Buy your raffle ticket here.

To find out more about how you can purchase your ticket and be in with a chance of winning this amazing prize, visit the Give a Dog a Bone website.

The lucky winner will be drawn on Thursday 16th November 2023. Good Luck!

Win a trip to the Silver City with Visit Aberdeenshire

We are delighted to be working in partnership with Visit Aberdeenshire to give one lucky winner and their plus one the chance to experience a unique way to travel with a trip aboard the iconic Caledonian Sleeper.

Visit Aberdeenshire logo

Prize winners will enjoy a return trip to Aberdeen in a Club En-Suite with Guest Lounge access pre and post departure, priority club car access, and breakfast of your choice.

Marischal College Aberdeen

The prize includes:

  • A return journey for two from London to Aberdeen in a Club room with En-suite, breakfast included and priority club car access.
  • A two-night stay for two at The Chester Hotel, Aberdeen including breakfast.
  • A £100 voucher for Amuse by Kevin Dalgleish

Aberdeen cityscape

To be in with a chance of winning this fantastic prize, participants must submit their entry on Visit Aberdeenshire’s website by 11.59pm GMT on Sunday 19th November 2023 and the winner will be contacted by 5pm GMT on 26 November 2023.

Aerial view of Aberdeen

Steven Marshall, Caledonian Sleeper’s Head of Sales & Marketing, said “We are delighted to be working in Partnership with Visit Aberdeenshire to promote the delights of the Silver City and the surrounding Aberdeenshire area. With over 260 castles, stately homes and ruins, Aberdeenshire is known as ‘Scotland’s Castle Country. Steeped in history and with the Royal connection that is Balmoral one lucky winner will have the chance to experience a truly memorable trip on the Caledonian Sleeper and experience the delights of Aberdeen.”

Elaine Bissett, Marketing Manager at Visit Aberdeenshire said: “We are delighted to be joining forces with Caledonian Sleeper on our Find Your Autumn Escape campaign to promote the region’s leisure tourism offering and boost visitation to Aberdeen and the wider Aberdeenshire region. What better way to celebrate our partnership than with a fun competition giving one lucky person the chance to travel to Aberdeen in style aboard the Caledonian Sleeper.”

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Caledonian Sleeper sponsorship at Highlands & Islands Food and Drink Awards

Now in its 18th year, the Highlands and Islands Food & Drink Awards showcase and celebrate excellence and achievements in the food and drink industry in the region – from world-renowned businesses to small innovative producers.

Highlands & Islands Food an Drink awards 2023 logo

A firm favourite in the industry calendar, the awards will be back to celebrate those shortlisted and reveal the winners at the awards ceremony, taking place at the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness on Friday 27 October.

We are delighted to announce that we are sponsoring the Best Food and Drink Tourism Experience Award.

Caledonian Sleeper sponsorship of the Best Food and Drink Tourism Experience Award

The full list of award categories is below:

  • Best Drink – sponsored by Spey
  • Best Food: Retail – sponsored by Seafood Scotland
  • Best Food: Foodservice
  • Best Food: Street Food
  • Best E-Commerce
  • Best Food and Drink Tourism Experience – sponsored by Caledonian Sleeper
  • Best Start Up – sponsored by Be Personnel
  • Independent Retailer of the Year – sponsored by Aquascot
  • Primary Producer Award – sponsored by Salmon Scotland
  • Sustainability Award – sponsored by Scotland Food & Drink
  • Supply Chain Business Award
  • Best Eatery – sponsored by Highland News & Media
  • Restaurant of the Year – sponsored by Williamson Foodservice
  • Young Ambassador of the Year – sponsored by Brook Street
  • Ambassador of the Year – sponsored by Saffery Champness

 

For more information visit https://www.hifoodanddrinkawards.com/