Saint Valentine is coming to town – and it’s the perfect opportunity to spice things up a little by heading out into the city for a romantic occasion. Whether it’s taking date night to the next level or taking part in a fun event – we’ve rounded up the best ways to celebrate this Valentine’s Day in Glasgow.
1. Take a romantic stroll together
If two years worth of lockdown walks hasn’t put you off, why not head to the great outdoors for a romantic stroll? It’s one of the few free things to do in Glasgow for Valentine’s Day, after all! With a plethora of pretty parks and city walks, not only is it great for mental health purposes, but it’s also a good way to catch up away from your phones, laptops and the TV.
2. Listen to romantic favourites at this special Valentine’s candlelight concert
“O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?” Well, at this candlelight concert in Glasgow you can enjoy an evening dedicated to the star-crossed lovers, Romeo and Juliet. Listen to a selection of romantic classical favourites composed by the likes of Tchaikovsky and Puccini, with the beautiful surroundings of Òran Mór bathed in candlelight. You don’t need to know all things classical music to enjoy the evening; simply sit back and savour the stunning pieces you’ll hear. Grab your tickets to this candlelight concert here.
3. Have a go at indoor car racing followed by a round of crazy golf
Covered in quirky neon décor, One Under is a place for healthy competitiveness and good vibes with DJ sets, cocktails, and, most importantly, indoor car racing and crazy golf. Hidden beneath one of Glasgow’s oldest and most stylish districts in Merchant City, the venue offers an otherworldly entertainment experience to make date night stand out. The indoor race course is the only of its kind in Glasgow, and racers can have a go at making it first to the finish line. As for our beloved crazy golf, visitors can expect two different themed nine-hole courses. You can opt for the Madhouse with fairground freaks and creeps, or the Glasvegas, where temptation roams free while partying with Marilyn.
4. Embark on a romantic tour of Glasgow
Explore the most romantic spots in Glasgow with your loved one this Valentine’s Day. Who needs the Eiffel Tower or gondola rides around Venice when you’ve got the variety of charming locations to be found just a stroll away. Following a professional guide, you’ll be shown the best places to have a date, the most Insta-worthy settings to take some smitten shots together and learn of some historical love stories that unfolded in the streets, buildings and parks of Glasgow. Find tickets here.
5. Have a feast with dry-aged steak and quality wine
This is a delightful treat for meat lovers. Take that special someone to experience the meaty-licious marvel that Porter & Rye has to offer with their dry-aged large cuts. What is more, the restaurant ages and infuses their cuts in-house in a creative way, and guests will get to try something new every time. For example, Porter & Rye dry-aged a prime cut of tomahawk in Chimney Rock Tomahawk Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 for 70 days that was available at the beginning of this year. And for Burns night, a haggis-aged short rib made a welcome appearance.
6. Fall crazy in love with Golf Fang’s sinful Valentines experience
Share the love and treat your Valentine to 18 holes of seriously twisted golf at Golf Fang, where not only can players on a range of instantly recognisable themed holes including the Old College Bar but also tuck into delicious drinks and food from Flip and Dip. One of the most instagrammable settings in the city, Golf Fang has also been decorated in traditional Ghetto Golf style, with graffiti, street art and neon lighting ready to light up our social media feeds. And there’s even a ‘Tunnel of Love’ hole. This year the venue is themed Seven Deadly Sins for Valentine’s Day to make it the most sinful yet.
7. Visit a late night event at the Planetarium
Couples and non-couples can get transported into outer space by attending the Planetarium Lates events at the Glasgow Science Centre. Instead of going for the annual cinema outing, space enthusiasts can opt for something out of this world instead. The event will take place on February 11 at 7pm, where a live presenter take visitors on a tour of the cosmos, accompanied by some stunning recent images and ground-breaking space news.
8. Indulge in a four-course exclusive craft beer dinner
For those okay with spending the day of love a little bit late, bespoke craft beer events company Hauf&Hauf is bringing a four-course craft beer dinner featuring Up Front Brewing. The dinner, held around a long table, will take place on February 16 at The Haberdashery in the West End and will feature a curated menu that delightfully goes with the beers, as well as the craft beer cocktails. What is more, the evening will commence with a unique craft beer cocktail, featuring gin from the Arrochar Alps to make for the romantic experience you’ve been hoping for.
9. Watch Frankie Boyle’s Lap Of Shame show
Frankie Boyle’s on tour, and he’s coming to King’s Theatre Glasgow between February 13 and February 16. Valentine’s Day in Glasgow doesn’t have to be a serious sit down dinner, it can, instead be filled with belly laughs at a stand-up comedy show. Especially when the said comedy show is performed by our very own Frankie Boyle.
10. Set sail for a romantic and whisky-filled day trip to Loch Lomond
If there are two things that Scotland is good at, it’s beautiful lochs and wonderful whiskies. You and your loved one can explore Loch Lomond, a body of water that’s attracted poets and travellers for hundreds of years on this cruise. Learn about the legends of the iconic loch and enjoy stunning views from the village of Luss. And it’s not a celebration without a tipple or two, so you’ll also make a visit to Clydeside Whisky Distillery, where you can learn how pure Highland water is transformed into tasty, honey-coloured whisky. Hop aboard and discover two of Scotland’s national treasures here.
11. Soak up the view of Glasgow with delicious cocktails at Red Sky Bar
Located at the Radisson RED, Red Sky Bar is situated on the top floor of the hotel and boasts amazing views of the Clyde and iconic buildings in the city. You’ll witness the Clydeside shipyards as well as the SEC Armadillo, which is hands down impressive, especially as the sun sets. Add an extensive menu of drinks to choose from, including a selection of wines and some cocktails named after Glasgow locations such as Red Sky, Glas-Vegas Fizz and Clydeside Spritz, and you’ve got quite the memorable Valentine’s Day that’ll likely sweep your date off their feet. Check out some more of Glasgow’s ravishing rooftops here.
12. Go for wine and negronis at this newly-opened niche bar
Malo is a brand new wine and negroni bar on Bothwell Street, and has seen its grand opening at end of December 2022. With plenty of negronis to go around and an extensively generous wine list, the niche bar will cater to a myriad of tastes. What is more, there are a whopping nine variations of negronis, accompanied with different cocktails. And for those wanting something more refreshing, there are plenty of of Aperol Spritzes to go around.
13. Get spicy with El Perro Negro’s new Valentine’s special
Is it hot in here?! Glasgow burger legends El Perro Negro are heating things up for the season of love with a Valentine’s special sure to turn up the heat: a limited edition burger, Honey I Like It Hot, is set to spice things up a little for both couples and singles alike. Smothered in gooey JDS extra hot honey and hot chilli chipotle mayo, the Southern style chicken burger is topped off with crispy double bacon and infamous hot house pickles. El Perro Negro claims this is the hottest burger in town, so why not just go and see for yourself.
14. Attend a relaxed singles mixer at this rooftop bar
VEGA, a rooftop bar on top of YOTEL Glasgow, is throwing a singles mixer party with speed dating at the beginning on February 15. Those open to finding love can make a night of it at the Love on Top event, a fun singles mixer party taking speed dating to new heights. The speed dating will be kicked off by Original Dating’s friendly host, who will warm guests up before introducing fun icebreaker games, while offering partygoers the chance to meet up and mingle in a laid-back atmosphere. Moreover, the speed dating itself is going to be for hetero people, with an equal ratio of men and women. You can book your tickets here.