Season guide · Glasgow · United Kingdom
Glasgow in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Michael D Beckwith, CC0
Quick answer
Cold, wet and very short days, but Christmas markets, Hogmanay, Celtic Connections and some of the year's lowest room rates. Expect highs up to 7°C (45°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 44 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 1°C (34°F) to 7°C (45°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 44
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 7°C (45°F) | 2°C (36°F) | 16 | 7.6 h | 2/5 |
| February | 7°C (45°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 13 | 9.5 h | 2/5 |
| December | 7°C (45°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 15 | 7 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 7°C (45°F) against a yearly 13°C (55°F), and 44 of the year's roughly 160 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Celtic Connections — folk, roots and world music festival (usually mid-January to early February)
- January: Burns Night suppers (25 January)
- February: Glasgow Film Festival (usually late February to early March)
- December: Christmas markets continue (usually until late December)
- December: Hogmanay — New Year's Eve celebrations (31 December)
Good choices for winter
Museum · Pacific Quay
Glasgow Science Centre
Walk across the Bell's Bridge footbridge from the SEC side; it takes about five minutes.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
Museum · Southside
Scottish Football Museum at Hampden Park
Inside Hampden Park, Scotland's national stadium, the museum covers the country's role in the early history of the game, with the oldest national cup trophy and memorabilia from Celtic, Rangers and the national team.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · West End
Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum
Time your visit for one of the organ recitals in the centre hall, which are usually held in the early afternoon.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- Art
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · Partick
Riverside Museum
Zaha Hadid's zigzag-roofed building on the Clyde houses Glasgow's transport museum: trams, locomotives, a wall of vintage cars and a recreated cobbled street of old shops.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Architecture
- History
Museum · Pollok Country Park
Burrell Collection
Take the train to Pollokshaws West and walk through Pollok Country Park, stopping to see the Highland cattle on the way.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Rainy day
- History
Day trips in winter
- New Lanark (About 1 hour by train and bus or taxi) — Robert Owen's 18th-century cotton-mill village beside the River Clyde is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with restored mills and workers' housing.
- The Kelpies and the Falkirk Wheel (About 45 minutes by car) — The Kelpies are two 30-metre steel horse heads beside the Forth and Clyde Canal, and the nearby Falkirk Wheel is a rotating boat lift that raises canal boats between two waterways.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A compact umbrella and waterproof shoes — rain is frequent
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Glasgow?
It is a trade-off: Cold, wet and very short days, but Christmas markets, Hogmanay, Celtic Connections and some of the year's lowest room rates. The best months overall are May–September.
+What is the weather like in Glasgow in winter?
Highs of up to 7°C (45°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 44 rainy days over the season.