The 'underrated' historic town near Glasgow that's becoming a TikTok hotspot
A town just outside Glasgow has been named one of the UK's most underrated destinations. The historic town has recently gone viral on TikTok and attracted a wave of online interest.
Paisley, located in Renfrewshire just 15 minutes from Glasgow city centre, has topped a new list of must-visit towns compiled by Betway. The ranking analysed more than 50 towns across Great Britain.
Betway's formula was based on key factors such as the number of independent shops, cultural landmarks, highly rated restaurants, music events, TikTok popularity, and even summer temperatures, Scottish Daily Express reports.
Paisley's rise to the top spot comes after the town saw a 39 per cent surge in Google searches in the last month and racked up over 63,000 TikTok posts.
Judges praised its impressive 20 listed landmarks, eight independent shops, 69 four-star-or-above restaurants on TripAdvisor, and 62 annual music events.
Other Scottish towns featured in the top rankings included Elgin, Ayr, Dumfries, and St Andrews, with Paisley also named the most underrated town outside England. Hastings took the overall UK title.
With a history stretching back nearly 1,000 years, Paisley offers a rare blend of historic grandeur, cultural vibrancy and architectural beauty.
It is home to the largest number of listed buildings in Scotland outside Edinburgh and boasts a walkable historic centre rich in civic buildings, churches and cultural sites.
Among its crown jewels is the 850-year-old Paisley Abbey, the birthplace of the first Stewart king, Robert II, grandson of Robert the Bruce, in 1316.
The late Queen Elizabeth II was descended from him, while folklore suggests that William Wallace was educated by the monks at the abbey in nearby Elderslie. The abbey also features a curious 'Alien gargoyle', a nod to the Ridley Scott sci-fi films, which has become a favourite among visitors.
Paisley also hosts Scotland's oldest public observatory, Coats Observatory, and is famed for its rich textile heritage. Once an industrial powerhouse, the town played a central role in the global thread industry during the 18th and 19th centuries.
Anchor Mills, home to the merged Coats and Clark dynasties, produced the iconic Paisley Pattern, a design so beloved it was worn by Queen Victoria and later by The Beatles.
Today, the town's textile legacy is preserved in the Paisley Museum's Recognised Collection of National Significance, which includes working looms, Paisley shawls and historical pattern books.
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The town has also produced a number of notable faces in recent years, including some of Scotland's best-known actors. David Tennant, Gerard Butler, Phyllis Logan, and Tom Conti all hail from Paisley.
Paul Lambert and Derek McInnes are among the footballers produced by the town, which is the home of St Mirren FC.
Surrounded by rolling countryside, Paisley offers a wide array of attractions, including the Sma Shot Cottages, Lagoon Leisure Centre, Paisley Thread Mill Museum, the Secret Collection museum store, Oakshaw Trinity Church, Robert Tannahill's Cottage, St Mirin Cathedral, Paisley Arts Centre, The Wynd Centre and the striking Thomas Coats Memorial Church.
The town, which was shortlisted for UK City of Culture 2021, remains easily accessible by road and rail, with trains from Glasgow Central reaching Paisley Gilmour Street in under nine minutes.
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