I've lived in Scotland my entire life but never toured Glasgow's mural trail until now. It's the most charming yet underrated part of the city.

I used the official online mural trail map as my guide, which meant I was able to see exactly where the 29 murals were in relation to my live location. The map is free to access on the mural trail's official website and I found it easy to use on my phone.

Although the murals are numbered, you don't have to follow them in a particular order. I started the trail in the city center and then worked my way to other areas. It took just under three hours.

There's also a free audio tour online for those who aren't able to visit the murals in-person.

The mural is by Smug — also known by his birth name Sam Bates — an Australian artist based in Glasgow who specializes in photo-realistic murals, according to the non-profit organization Beyond Walls.

I noticed a couple of bins (the UK term for garbage cans) that had been placed directly below the mural, which made it look as if the girl in the mural was leaning down to pick up garbage. I also felt like the mural would be easy to miss if you were walking down the street and didn't look back in the direction you were coming from.

This mural by artists Rogue One and Art Pistol has always been one of my favorites, but I noticed some people had tagged it since I last saw it a couple of months ago.

"Unfortunately, a number of murals have sustained graffiti, some irreparably so. Incidences of graffiti appear to have increased significantly during the lockdown period," a spokesperson for Glasgow City Council said in a statement sent via email.

The spokesperson added that proposals to refresh damaged murals "are being explored" but will rely on resources, artist participation, and landlord permissions.

The mural depicts a traditional black cab tied with balloons and floating in the air with a brick wall behind it. There was some graffiti on this mural, although not as much as there was on the previous one.

Renfield Lane is home to a number of small businesses, including Stereo, a vegetarian bar and kitchen, and The Old Hairdressers, which contrary to the name isn't a hairdressers, but instead a bar and gallery, according to the mural trail website.

This was the third mural I had noticed that was designed by Rogue One, whose real name is Bobby McNamara. I was impressed with the 3D effect of the bubbles.

These murals did exactly as they were intended. I've never had a reason to travel to Renfield Lane before now, and I think the murals added some excitement and color to its otherwise plain buildings.

This mural by Smug on High Street depicts the origin story of Saint Mungo, the patron saint and founder of the city of Glasgow, according to the mural trail website. The mural shows Mungo, who is also known as Saint Kentigern, being cradled by his mother, Saint Thenue, or Saint Enoch. I loved the level of detail and realism in this mural, which the artist is known for.

While the point of the mural trail is to brighten up areas that are gloomy or run down, I just hope people appreciate the incredibly detailed works, like this one. High Street is a busy area of the city, but I didn't notice many other people stop to take in the art when I visited on a Monday afternoon.

This mural on High Street depicts Saint Mungo, who was thought to have brought a pet bird back to life as a child, according to The Scots Magazine.

It was originally untitled when it was unveiled in 2016 but was given its name after a surge of social-media recognition. Images of the mural were shared 1.5 million times online within the first week, according to the mural trail website.

The University of Strathclyde campus is in the city center, just a stone's throw away from George Square. This mural of students attending a university lecture, located on North Portland Street, was created by Art Pistol with Rogue One and Ejek, according to the mural trail website.

I attended the university from 2014 until 2018 and would frequently pass this mural on my way to class, so taking photos of it was a nostalgic experience.

Connolly started out as a folk singer in the 1960s before pursuing comedy and acting in the 1970s, The Sun reports. The retired performer is considered a national treasure in Scotland and received a knighthood from Prince William at Buckingham Palace in 2017.

Also in 2017, three portraits were created in Connolly in honor of his 75th birthday, according to the mural trail website. I visited one of the murals, which was located in a parking lot close to a shopping center.

The mural is located across two walls outside of Sloans, a pub in Glasgow which is famous for hosting ceilidhs, traditional Scottish folk dancing which can be enjoyed with partners and in large groups.

On the left wall, Glasgow's famous Duke of Wellington statue can be seen asking "Are Ye Dancin?" to a blue-haired busker on the right wall, who responds, "Are Ye Askin?"

The Duke of Wellington statue on Royal Exchange Square was erected in 1844 and has had a traffic cone placed on its head by Glasgow locals for the past 40 years. You can find images of the statue on paintings and in tourist shops all over the city. The artist Banksy even chose to host his first exhibition in 14 years in Glasgow because of his love for the statue.

The image shows two products that are famous in Scotland: A bottle of Irn Bru, a famous Scottish soft drink, as well as Tunnock's tea cakes, a chocolate sweet treat that has a marshmallow filling.

The mural, which depicts a group of African women cooking, aims to highlight the growing African community in Glasgow.

The mural and its artist are not named on the website, however a spokesperson for Glasgow City Council confirmed via email that the artist is Michael Uzor and his pseudonym is "Afro Scot."

I love that the murals have been used to add a pop of color to dark lanes, parking lots, and other unglamorous areas in the city. But I also think that the art could simultaneously be underappreciated for this reason.

As someone who has lived in Glasgow for years, it was fun to explore an aspect of the city that I and many of my friends hadn't taken the time to visit. I would definitely recommend the mural trail as an activity for tourists visiting the city and for locals wanting to experience their city in a new way.