Belfast or Glasgow?

Neither city is a beach destination, but Belfast has the slight edge. Sandy coves at Helen's Bay and Crawfordsburn are only a short train ride along the County Down shore, and the long strands of Whiterocks and Portstewart are within reach by car.

From Glasgow, the nearest sand is at Largs, Troon and Ayr, each about an hour away by train. These are promenade towns for a walk and an ice cream with Arran on the horizon, and the cold water keeps swimming to hardy locals in both places.

The two eat about equally well, but in different ways. Belfast's cooking is built on local produce: an Ulster fry with soda farls, Strangford oysters, Mourne lamb, and weekend grazing at St George's Market.

Glasgow's strength is variety rather than produce. It has a long curry-house tradition, Italian cafés and chip shops, and Finnieston for modern Scottish seafood and game. The best eating is in neighbourhoods such as the South Side, so it pays to choose your area. Belfast's whiskey shelves and Glasgow's malts make both good cities for a dram.

Glasgow gives a sightseer more to do. Its sandstone Victorian streets are a pleasure in themselves, Kelvingrove and the Burrell Collection are major free museums, and the Mackintosh buildings give the city a signature of its own. Seeing it properly takes two or three days.

Belfast's history is more recent and more focused. The Titanic slipways, City Hall, the Troubles galleries of the Ulster Museum, Crumlin Road Gaol and a guided walk past the peace walls tell a strong story. That story is the reason to go, rather than the number of sights.

Glasgow is the better city for a night out. It has polished bars in the Merchant City, late student venues around Sauchiehall Street, and a respected underground techno and house scene that runs until about 3am.

Belfast is mostly about pubs. The best of it is the cobbled entries of the Cathedral Quarter and the carved snugs of the Crown Liquor Saloon. The talk is good and weekends are lively, but there are few clubs and most places close early.

Both are excellent bases for the outdoors, and the difference is the landscape. From Belfast you can climb Cave Hill above the lough, walk in the Mournes about an hour south, or follow the cliff paths of the Causeway Coast past the Giant's Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede.

Glasgow looks north to the lochs and hills. Loch Lomond and Ben Lomond are about 40 minutes away, the Trossachs lie just beyond, the West Highland Way starts at Milngavie, and a ferry takes you to Arran's peaks. Expect rain in both, though much more of it in Glasgow.

Glasgow has the stronger list of day trips. Edinburgh is less than an hour away by train, Stirling Castle is just as close, and Linlithgow Palace, New Lanark, Culzean Castle and the island of Bute add plenty of variety.

Belfast's trips take a little longer. Dublin is about two hours away by train and Derry's walls take most of a day, but the Antrim coast run past Dunluce Castle and Bushmills is a classic. Carrickfergus Castle and Mount Stewart's gardens are close at hand.

With children, the two cities are about equal, and they suit different ages. Belfast has W5 for hands-on science, a zoo on Cave Hill and the steam engines of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum. Its flat centre is easy with a buggy.

Glasgow has no zoo. In return, its big free museums are made for children: the Riverside Museum with its trams and tall ship, the Spitfire at Kelvingrove, and the Science Centre on the Clyde. Its steep central streets make pushing a buggy hard work.

Both cities are easy to get around, but in different ways. Belfast's centre is small and flat, so the walk from City Hall over the Lagan to the Titanic Quarter is gentle, while Glasgow's grid climbs steeply in places as it runs north. Beyond walking distance, Belfast relies on the Glider buses, which cross the city from east to west. Glasgow has its little circular Subway, which runs out to the West End and Govan.

The bigger difference is the trains. Glasgow's suburban lines fan out from Central and Queen Street to the South Side, the Clyde coast and the towns you would visit for the day, so you can leave the car behind for most outings. Belfast's local trains mostly run along the lough shore, and its buses get sparse late in the evening. The main towns further out can be reached by public transport, but the Causeway Coast and the Mournes are much easier with your own car or on an organised tour. Glasgow's one weak spot is its buses: they are run by several companies, and a ticket from one is not valid on another.

This is one of the clearest gaps between them. Glasgow is Scotland's main shopping city. It has a pedestrian loop of department stores along Buchanan Street, the galleried Princes Square, the Argyll Arcade's jewellers, vintage and bookshops off Byres Road, and the old Barras market.

Belfast offers high-street chains around Donegall Place and the glass dome of Victoria Square. The things worth taking home are Irish linen and whiskey, best picked up between other plans.

Costs are similar, with British prices for meals and drinks in both. Belfast's hotels are generally easy to find at a fair price outside big event weekends, and the Ulster Museum and City Hall tours are free. Coast tours are the part of the budget that adds up.

Glasgow's biggest saving is its free museums, including Kelvingrove, the Burrell and the Riverside, along with good-value curry houses. Hotel rooms climb sharply on concert and football weekends, and rail fares for day trips also mount up.

Glasgow is the bigger music city. You can go from the neon-lit Barrowland Ballroom to small rooms where well-known bands once started, or catch Celtic Connections in winter. Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and two orchestras are based here as well.

In Belfast, the music is closer and more local. There are trad sessions in pubs most nights, the Ulster Orchestra at the Victorian Ulster Hall, and Irish drama at the Lyric on the Lagan. The spring and autumn festivals bring the most energy.

Neither city is a place to unwind, and both send you out of town to slow down. Glasgow has a little more of a bathing tradition, with its Victorian West End swimming clubs, Turkish baths and plunge pools, though they mainly serve members.

Belfast has hotel and country-house spas, cold dips along the lough shore, and quiet hours in the Botanic Gardens or a pub snug. Glasgow's equivalent is a slow day by the lochs.