Glasgow is Scotland’s largest city and one of the most-populated in the U.K. It is best known for its ship-building and marine engineering industry which already bring Greeks and Scots together with something in common other than just sports. Glasgow is fast becoming a modern city with many diverse religions, including the Greek Orthodox, high as the city’s Greek population ranks high, right behind the Asian community. There is no doubt with the number of cafes and pedestrian areas in the city you will see and hear Greeks. Just follow Christos Tiropoulos as he leads the way.

A video produced by a group called the Hellenes’ Research Organization (EOE) and various blogs turned up in web searches claim Scotland was the land of Greeks, even go as far as dubbing Britain “the hyperborean Hellas” and citing as one proof the prefix ‘Mac’ on family names–an abbreviation of ‘Macedonian”. Whether you subscribe to these theories or not, it doesn’t change the fact that Scotland attracts a number of Greek students and that during the academic year Glasgow is home to some 1,000 to 1,500 Greek and Greek Cypriot students. who swell the ranks of the city’s resident Greek community. Students attend three universities: Glasgow University, Strathclyde University or Glasgow Caledonian. A small number also attend West of Scotland University in Paisley–a town seven miles on the outskirts of Glasgow. Its faculty includes Senior Lecturer Nondas Pitticas, an active member of Glasgow’s Greek community.

With so many students in Glasgow, when opportunity arrives at least once a month, especially at the start of the student semester year, but also around Christmas, Easter, and summer before term breaks, Greek parties take place and just in Greece–the music and dancing doesn’t stop until the sun has come out.

Community
Glasgow is known for its cultural and religious diversity. It’s a city where the Church of Scotland and the Roman Catholic church are the largest denominations but also boasts four cathedrals–the Church of Scotland’s Glasgow Cathedral, the Catholic St Andrew’s Cathedral, the Scottish Episcopal Church’s St Mary’s Cathedral, and the Greek Orthodox St Luke’s Cathedral. The city’s Greek Orthodox community was formally established in 1944 and met in various churches of other denominations until 1953 when Sir Reo Stakis, the late half-Scottish, half-Cypriot hotel magnate, bought a small church to serve the community’s needs.

Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St Luke the Evangelist
27 Dundonald Road, Glasgow, tel.: 0141 339 7368
St Luke’s Cathedral, one of just three Orthodox churches in Scotland, is housed in the late-nineteenth-century building in the Norman Gothic style that originally houses the Presbyterian Belhaven Church. It was converted to a Greek Orthodox Church with a donation by Stakis. In 1970, it was elevated to a cathedral by the Patriarch of Alexandria during a visit. A highlight in the church history is a 1996 visit by Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos. St Luke’s also serves other Orthodox communities, like Serbs and Russians, but for the local Greek community it has a dual role as a community meeting place.

The Greek School of Glasgow
27 Dundonald Road, Glasgow, tel.: 0141 339 7368
St Luke’s Cathedral also supports a Greek school offering classes for both schoolchildren and adults. Classes for children are held on Saturday, while Greek language classes for adults, from beginners’ to advanced level, are offered on weekday evenings. The school also hosts cultural events.

Scottish Hellenic Society of Glasgow
27 Dundonald Road, Glasgow, tel.: 0141 339 7368
The Scottish Hellenic Society of Glasgow aims at fostering closer ties between Scots and Greeks–something it does through regular cultural events and talks on topics ranging from art and archaeology to travel and nature. Their lecture program is a great way to learn more about Greece–ancient, Byzantine, and modern.

Architecture
A short stroll through the city center reveals a number of Greek architectural elements, from buildings like the Caledonian Road Church to decorative elements that recall Classical columns. Most are the work of Alexander “Greek” Thompson, an early-nineteenth-century Scottish architect ranked among the best-known proponents of Greek revival architecture in the United Kingdom–although he never visited Greece to see the ancient monuments himself. His buildings feature huge Greek columns and often incorporate the Greek key in the exterior embellishments. In addition to the Grecian Chamber and a number of other public buildings, he also designed several townhouses.

Dining
In Greece, the kafeneion serves the same function as the neighborhood pub. In the diaspora, this role is often filled by the taverna, a place where Greeks informally socialize–and where diners enjoy the wonderful cuisine of Greece. Glasgow boasts four Greek restaurants, each with its own specialty that brings something different from Greece.

Zorba Mediterranean Taverna
25 High Street, tel.: 0141 572 2125; open Mon-Sat noon to late and Sunday 5 pm to late. www.zorbaglasgow.com
Zorba is owned by Dimitris Timpalexis who migrated to Scotland from Thiva in the 1970s. The small, family-run taverna opened in 2006 in the city’s east side, on Trongate next to Glasgow Cross. It’s old-fashioned, decorated in simple, recognizable style accented by images of Greece. Zorba’s is known for its home-cooking. Greeks and non-Greeks alike come here for the moussaka, pastitsio, lemonato (lemon-flavored stew) as well as the meze. And if good food isn’t enough to remind you of Greece, there’s the added authentic ambience of Dimitri getting everyone out of their seats for a spot of Greek dancing, Zorba-style, as you follow him in the zeibekiko and other dances.

Konaki Greek Taverna
920 Sauchiehall Street, tel.: 0141 342 4010; open Mon-Sat noon to late, Sunday 5 pm to late. www.konakitavernaco.uk
Konaki is a well-known establishment located in Glasgow’s West End, very close to Kelvingrove Gallery and Art Museum. It first opened its doors in 2001, when Georgos Ieronimidis and Dimitris Stafyllarakis invested in the small soon-to-expand taverna. Konaki is another favorite of Greeks and locals that has received a number of rave reviews its food and hospitality. Indeed, it was one of the first tavernas in the city that established itself as more than a place to grab a bite to eat but as a steki or hangout for Greek students and expats and is especially popular when the Greek national team is playing. Konaki offers a wide selection of popular appetizers or mezedes like shrimp saganaki with feta cheese, dolmades, bite-sized cheesepies and tzatziki. Familiar dishes like stifado (beef and onions stewed in wine), kleftiko (lamb slow-cooked on the bone with herbs) round out the menu, along with Smyrna meatballs or soutzoukakia and vegetarian moussaka. Friday and nights at this familystyle taverna are geared to those looking for something a little more than dinner as there’s dancing too.

Elia Greek Restaurant
24 George Square, tel.: 0141 221 9988. www.eliagreekrestaurant.com
Located on George Square in the heart of Glasgow, Elia is a recent addition to the city’s Greek dining scene, having opened in April 2010. It is also managed by Georgios Ieronimidis, from Iraklio, Crete, and is a firm favorite with the local Greek community, tourists and of course, Glaswegians and visitors who decided to descend upon Scotland’s biggest city. Elia’s décor is sleek and modern, with hardwood floors and exposed stone walls, yet it feels as familiar and homey as the food. Popular dishes include the keftedes and mixed grill–a sampling of barbecued meat.

Athena
1116 Argyle Street, tel.: 0141 339 3895. www.athenataverna.co.uk
Athena, which opened in late 2009, has built its reputation around good food, friendly service, and a welcoming atmosphere. The menu is fairly standard Greek, with appetizers like dolmades and fried kalamari, while the main courses are split between a selection of magirefta (stews) and ladera (usually vegetables in a light tomato-and olive oil based sauce) and grilled meats.

Dance away!
As part of its cultural program, the Greek School of Glasgow offers classes in traditional folk dances. Indeed, its troupe represents Scotland’s Greeks at festivals throughout the U.K.
That’s classic!
The University of Glasgow offers courses on ancient Greece as well as modern Greek language and culture through its Department of Adult and Continuing Education. The Classical Association of Scotland also frequently organizes lectures and other events.
Really a Greek
Works by Domenicos Theotokopoulos, or El Greco, may be categorized as ‘Spanish paintings’ in the private collection of such works at Pollok House, but the painter was indisputably Greek–indeed, Cretan. Plus these are a great excuse to visit the estate and its amazing gardens.