Glasgow or York?

Neither city is a beach destination, and from both the coast is a day out about an hour away by train. What differs is the kind of seaside. From Glasgow you reach Clyde resorts such as Largs and Troon, with promenades looking across to Arran. From York you reach the sandy bays of Scarborough and the cliffs of Whitby on the North Sea.

Glasgow has more range. South Asian cooking is its great strength, and Italian families left the city its cafés, ice cream parlours and chip shops. Finnieston and the South Side also give you real choice in modern Scottish and neighbourhood cooking.

York's food is more traditional and the choice is narrower: afternoon tea with fat rascals, Sunday roasts, Yorkshire ales and pies at the Shambles Market. It is pleasant for a few days, but there is little international food, and the streets near the Minster lean towards tourist menus.

York has the richer heritage, and you can see it all on foot. Two thousand years of history sit in one compact centre: the Minster's medieval glass, the walkable walls, the excavated Viking street under Jorvik, the abbey ruins in the Museum Gardens and the National Railway Museum.

Glasgow's appeal is its Victorian grandeur and Mackintosh's buildings, along with outstanding free collections at Kelvingrove and the Burrell. It has nothing to match the Minster, and its sights are spread across the city rather than gathered inside one ring of walls.

For a night out, Glasgow is far stronger. It has polished cocktail bars in the Merchant City, late bars and student clubs around Sauchiehall Street, and an underground techno and house scene that draws DJs from across Europe.

In York, evenings centre on centuries-old inns along Stonegate and Micklegate, which make a fine ale crawl. Weeknights end early, though, and people who want to go clubbing take the train to Leeds. At weekends Micklegate is often taken over by stag and hen groups.

Glasgow sits on the edge of the Highlands, and you can tell. Loch Lomond, with boat trips on the water and Ben Lomond above it, is a short train ride away, and the West Highland Way sets off from Milngavie on the city's northern edge. The wooded glens of the Trossachs lie just beyond but need a car or a bus, and ferries from the Clyde coast cross to Arran and its peak, Goatfell.

On York's doorstep is the flat Vale of York, with river paths along the Ouse and the open grass of the Strays. The North York Moors and the Dales are beautiful walking country, but they lie further out and are best reached by car.

Both cities make excellent bases, but the trips are different. Glasgow's standout is Edinburgh, under an hour by train. Stirling Castle, New Lanark and the ferries to Bute and Arran add history and sea crossings.

York's list is built on cathedrals, abbeys and country houses: Durham by fast train, then Castle Howard, Fountains Abbey and Rievaulx. More of these need a car or a coach tour, while Glasgow's main day trips are easy by rail.

Both cities work for a few days with children, in different ways. Glasgow's strength is its free, hands-on museums, such as the Riverside with its tall ship and the Science Centre on the Clyde, plus big parks for dry spells.

York turns history into an adventure: real locomotives at the National Railway Museum, the Viking street at Jorvik, walking the walls, and ghost walks for older children. Its flat, pedestrianised centre is kinder to buggies than Glasgow's steep streets, but neither city has a zoo in town.

York is the easier city to get around. Its flat, compact centre puts almost every sight within a short walk, and cycling is simple.

Glasgow takes more effort. The grid is walkable but climbs steeply in places, the Subway is a single loop, and buses are run by several companies with separate fares. Its large suburban rail network is a real asset for the South Side and the coast.

Glasgow is the place for serious shopping. Big names line the loop of Buchanan, Sauchiehall and Argyle Streets, Princes Square has upmarket fashion, Byres Road has vintage, and the Barras weekend market has plenty of character.

In York, the setting matters more than the range. Boutiques, bookshops and antiques dealers along Stonegate and Petergate make for pleasant browsing, and the Christmas markets are a draw. However, the Shambles leans towards souvenirs, and keen fashion shoppers head to Leeds.

Glasgow is easier on the budget. Hotels are generally cheaper, curry houses and pub lunches keep meals affordable, and the major museums, from Kelvingrove to the Burrell, are free.

In York, rooms inside the walls are in heavy demand and rise sharply at weekends, on race days and at Christmas. The Minster, Jorvik and the castle museums all charge admission. The free walls and railway museum help, and staying midweek helps more.

Glasgow is far ahead here. Its gig circuit runs from the Barrowland Ballroom to small famous rooms and big venues by the river, and Celtic Connections fills the city each winter. Scottish Opera, Scottish Ballet and two major orchestras give it a full formal programme as well.

York's offer is smaller and more intimate. It has the historic Theatre Royal and its pantomime, early music in a medieval church, free choral evensong at the Minster and the occasional Mystery Plays performed on wagons. Bigger touring shows go to Leeds.

Neither city is somewhere people go to unwind, but York does it a little better. Early walks on the walls, the Museum Gardens and long afternoon teas set a gentler pace, and the Victorian Turkish baths in Harrogate are half an hour away by train.

Glasgow's historic West End swimming clubs have Turkish baths too, but they are mainly for members. Most visitors use hotel spas instead, or head out to the lochs for some calm.