“The a part of ‘Outlander’ that I really like probably the most is the historical past: the clan tradition, the folklore and again tales (and penalties) of the Jacobite Rising,” mentioned Sam Heughan, 42, who has performed the heartthrob Highland warrior Jamie Fraser within the time-travel collection since 2014.
This love of historical past feeds his ardour for the traditional metropolis of Glasgow. A typical day for Mr. Heughan includes meandering previous medieval cathedrals, Victorian cobbled lanes, Georgian structure constructed when the town was a significant tobacco and sugar hub, and Nineteenth-century tenements constructed in the course of the Industrial Revolution, when metal and ships have been mass-produced right here. “Glasgow has bought stunning elements and grit. The mix, plus extremely good-natured individuals, are the town’s appeal,” he mentioned.
Past the long-running collection, Mr. Heughan simply accomplished capturing a tv present referred to as “The Couple Subsequent Door” for Starz and Britain’s Channel 4, and is launching a “wild Scottish” gin below the Sassenach label, a whisky-focused spirits model that he based in 2020. (The identify means “a foreigner” in Gaelic, and can be Jamie Fraser’s time period of endearment for Claire, his spouse, performed by Caitríona Mary Balfe.)
When he does have free time, Mr. Heughan is out and about. “I really like strolling and working alongside the River Clyde to Glasgow Inexperienced with a potential cease on the microbrewery Drygate for a beer,” he mentioned. Mountain climbing is one other pastime (Mr. Heughan’s current memoir, “Waypoints: My Scottish Journey,” chronicles his expertise tackling the 96-mile West Highland Method hike). “A wee stroll, or stravaigin in outdated Scots converse, is sweet for psychological well being,” he mentioned.
He’s additionally a fan of Residents Theatre within the working-class Gorbals space, which places on avant-garde productions and is concerned in neighborhood engagement. “I got here right here as a baby, carried out right here as a pupil and did my first skilled present right here referred to as ‘Outlying Islands.’ It holds numerous reminiscences,” he mentioned. (The theater is presently closed for refurbishment. )
On the subject of the kilt, sure, Mr. Heughan does sport one in actual life. “Kilts are a few feeling. They make you stand taller, and stroll stronger. Scots put on them for any excuse. When you go to a pub in a single, you’ll be getting a free drink sooner or later within the night.”
Listed here are 5 of his favourite locations in Glasgow.
A tiny whisky bar tucked into the Finnieston space, a hipster pocket of the West Finish, is deemed “a Glasgow establishment” by Mr. Heughan. “I went there as a pupil” — he studied drama on the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland — “and I am going there now. Individuals converse Gaelic, and there’s stay conventional Scottish music, typically deliberate, typically impromptu. It’s a particular place.”
Within the West Finish, bisected by the River Kelvin, this 85-acre park dappled with Victorian fountains, grand stairwells and an arched stone bridge with carved balustrades is the place locals come to hang around in the course of the hotter months.
“You possibly can have a picnic, stroll below the bridges and go to each Kelvingrove Artwork Gallery and Museum, in addition to the College of Glasgow, which is simply up the hill,” Mr. Heughan mentioned. For a craft ale pick-me-up close by, he recommends a “secret” bar referred to as Inn Deep slightly below the Kelvingrove Bridge.
He might not keep in a single day, however Mr. Heughan dines on the restaurant inside this modernist, Scottish-founded resort within the metropolis heart near the West Finish. The Dakota Grill focuses on grass-fed Scotch beef merely grilled over coals, and can be recognized for ethically sourced seafood and up to date takes on venison and lamb. “The inside is darkish and attractive, and I like their cocktail menu (whisky bitter, naturally) and easily grilled Scottish steak.”
This old-world type store on Nice Western Street is Mr. Heughan’s go-to for regionally sourced cheeses and accompaniments (quince paste, cornichons, olives, chutneys, oatcakes). “I’m not a dessert man, however on the finish of a meal, I can harm a cheese board, particularly one with Orkney and Isle of Mull Cheddars,” he mentioned. The store additionally provides tastings led by cheese mongers on Thursday evenings.
Since 2009, this sizzling spot in Finnieston been serving up stellar seafood in a buzzy ambiance. Mr. Heughan sits on the counter going through the open kitchen and orders the seafood platter with langoustines and scallops and a few champagne. “The meals tastes like a celebration of Scotland, which has the perfect seafood on this planet,” he mentioned.
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