Manchester is a northern powerhouse of a city that's always worth a visit. Home to the annual LGBTQ+ festival Manchester Pride and Manchester Food and Drink Festival, the region is also preparing for the launch of RHS Garden Bridgewater in summer 2020, a ground-breaking gardening project that is set to transform one of Salford’s historic spaces.
Manchester Arndale is Britain's largest city-centre shopping complex, with over 200 stores representing all the big brands. The city's Northern Quarter is known for its alternative outlook, and is home to independent shops, cafés, bars and cultural spaces. Significant new quarters include NOMA, with its landmark office buildings, and MediaCityUK in Salford, Greater Manchester, that's TV studios are home to shows including BBC Breakfast and legendary soap opera Coronation Street, as well as cultural attractions including the Imperial War Museum North and The Lowry arts centre.
DAY 1
10:00 Fall in love with art
Transformed and extended thanks to a £15 million development project, start your day by discovering the vast selection of incredible artwork at the The Whitworth. Its collection includes historic fine art by the likes of William Blake and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, contemporary art and sculpture, plus an internationally renowned textile collection of 20,000 pieces dating from the third century to the present.
13:00 Treat yourself to a gourmet lunch
Hungry for a high-end taste of Manchester’s eclectic culinary scene? Look no further than Enxaneta. The brainchild of Michelin Star chef Paco Perez, the elegant King Street restaurant specialises in Catalan cuisine and offers a 10- and 15-course seasonal tasting menu accompanied by a selection of fine Catalonian wines, for a gastronomic experience to remember.
14:00 Source some Northern style, arts and crafts
For the city's best independent shopping, head to the Northern Quarter. This once rundown area of Manchester city centre is now known for its hip stores, cafés and creative spaces, offering a distinct alternative to the big brands found in the city's mammoth shopping malls like Manchester Arndale and intu Trafford Centre. A not-for-profit social enterprise, Manchester Craft & Design Centre is home to over 30 designer-makers who sell their handmade work direct from their studios. There's also an on-site café selling homemade soups, toasties, cakes and more. Fig + Sparrow is an arty lifestyle store and coffee bar - many of the artworks for sale here are sourced from resident artists of Islington Mill, another of the city's creative hubs. Other independent shops to check out include menswear retailer Oi Polloi and beer specialists Beermoth.
15:30 Take an independent, international beverage break
While in the Northern Quarter, be sure to stop and enjoy a delicious small batch roast coffee or loose-leaf tea at one of many hip and arty venues. Recommendations include Federal Café & Bar, an urban, Australian-style coffee shop aiming to bring some antipodean café culture to the area. Or try Takk, a Nordic-inspired artisan coffee house. Both are also great options for brunch or lunch.
16:00 Learn more about Manchester via its libraries
Named a UNESCO City of Literature in 2018, Manchester was home to Britain’s first public lending library and gave the world the works of great writers including Elizabeth Gaskell and Anthony Burgess. The city has several impressive libraries worth visiting,: to appreciate their impressive architecture as well as to peruse the books and historic collections. Manchester Central Library is a grand-domed rotunda that's design is reminiscent of the Pantheon in Rome. Part of the University of Manchester, the John Rylands Library is a red brick Victorian neo-Gothic landmark with a collection including medieval illuminated manuscripts and a Gutenberg Bible. Its Reading Room is a stunning two-storey cathedral to literature.
19:30 Cocktails and cuisine for all tastes
With its grand Edwardian interior, Hawksmoor Manchester is a handsome, traditional-style British restaurant specialising in fine steaks and delicious cocktails. A hip alternative in the Northern Quarter, Common is part bar/restaurant and part gallery space - so you can feast your eyes on work by local artists while enjoying cocktails, craft beers, burgers, house chilli, sandwiches and salads.
Located in the spectacular setting of Manchester Hall, the award-winning Indian café group Dishoom provides a delightful mix of food that takes inspiration from Bombay’s Irani colonial café scene. Or for a taste of luxury, venture to the heart of Spinningfields to feast on a mix of modern British and international dishes at The Ivy.
21:00 Get into Manchester's music scene
The city's music scene has produced many internationally renowned artists. One of Manchester's long-established music venues, Band on the Wall, has witnessed all kinds of music genres, from jazz to punk. Famous local post-punk bands Buzzcocks, the Fall and Joy Division have graced its stage. It's also known as a place to spot up-and-coming talent: Mick Hucknall performed there pre-Simply Red, while an unknown Björk sang backing vocals there in 1982. Now a not-for-profit venue run by registered charity Inner City Music, performances on the main stage help to support the charity's school and community education endeavours.
DAY 2
10:00 Immerse yourself in the beautiful game
Home to 140,000 pieces of footballing memorabilia, of which more than 2,500 are displayed at any one time, the Manchester Football Museum is a celebration of the beautiful game and its impact on wider society. The world’s biggest football museum features exciting interactive games and guided tours, as well as an array of immersive exhibitions. Keep an eye out for the Jules Rimet trophy and for the football used in the famed 1966 FIFA World Cup final.
12:00 Have a great time in Greater Manchester
Head out of the city centre to see what Greater Manchester has to offer. Just 30 minutes west of the centre by bus or Metrolink tram is Salford Quays. This rejuvenated quayside quarter is home to cultural landmarks The Imperial War Museum North, a striking modern building designed by architect Daniel Libeskind, and The Lowry arts complex - admission to both is free. Also part of the redevelopment is MediaCityUK, home to major BBC and ITV television shows including BBC Breakfast, reality show Dragon's Den (known as Shark Tank in some countries), and legendary British soap opera Coronation Street.
Alternatively... football fanatics may prefer to visit another nearby landmark, Old Trafford, home to one of Britain's best-loved and most successful football teams, Manchester United Football Club. Fans can go behind the scenes on a stadium tour - including a state-of-the-art interactive museum documenting 130 years of the Beautiful Game - and pose for photos amidst the numerous trophies.
13:30 And enjoy a great lunch
There are numerous dining options hereabouts, whether you want a quick snack or a full meal. Enjoy contemporary British cuisine and dramatic views across Salford Quays and Manchester Ship Canal at Pier Eight, The Lowry's stylish restaurant and bar.
Or... kick hunger to the back of the net with lunch at Café Football, a football-themed eatery overlooking Old Trafford stadium. Kick off with appetisers such as nachos, chilli squid or chicken satay, before scoring with comfort food like burgers, pizzas and pies.
15:00 Time to escape?
Head back into Manchester city centre to play Breakout, Manchester's real life escape room game. A team of two to five people have 60 minutes to escape a locked room by finding clues and solving puzzles. Manchester now has two Breakout centres, offering several themed rooms to escape from, including the office of a famous detective, a missile control base, and a Wild West saloon.
16:15 Don't lose your head at a mad tea party
A traditional English tearoom with an eccentric Alice in Wonderland twist, Richmond Tea Rooms takes you on a trip down the rabbit hole to a delectable world of mismatched china and mouth-watering cakes. Options range from the basic Alice's Tea (scone, clotted cream, jam, and pot of tea) to the Queen's Tea (including finger sandwiches and extra cakes) - and you can even add champagne for extra sparkle. Breakfast and light meals are also served.
18:30 Enjoy local craft beer in a historic pub
The city has several pubs serving their own craft beer. The Marble Arch Inn, the flagship of Manchester's regarded Marble Brewery, is a stunning old Victorian pub. Beers include Earl Grey IPA and Rufus Red Ale, alongside a menu of great British pub grub.
For more practical information on Manchester, visit our Manchester destination page.
