Manchester Travel Guide
Guide
- Manchester Travel Guide
- The Basics
- Contacts
- Attractions
- Excursions
- Events
- Airports
- Transport
- Climate
- Photos
- Hotels in Manchester
Directory
Time
Why? Site of Britain's two biggest universities
and home to two world-class football clubs, a holiday in Manchester
is bound to include plenty of partying and action. There is a side
of Manchester reserved for serious sightseers too, with several
historic and cultural attractions on offer.
When? When you travel to Manchester be prepared
for the weather to be typically English, that is, highly
unpredictable. Generally summer is a good time to holiday in
Manchester, with mild, mainly sunny days. The city gets more than
its fair share of rain, mainly during the cold winters.
Who for? Although it is not regarded as one of
Britain's most important tourist destinations, a few days' holiday
in Manchester is worthwhile for anyone touring the UK and
interested in discovering this major northwestern metropolis. The
city is also very gay-friendly and the area concentrated around
Canal Street is the site of a popular annual Pride festival.
More Info: Anyone deciding whether or not to
holiday in Manchester is well advised to read our comprehensive
Manchester travel guide, which may reveal some surprises about the
merits of this vast English city.
Overview
Although now best known for its football teams, Manchester was once one of England's greatest Victorian cities and was the birthplace of both rail travel and Rolls Royce. It is situated on the east bank of the Irwell River, in the north west of the country, and is the centre of a huge metropolitan area, which now encompasses the surrounding towns of Bury, Bolton, Wigan, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport and Oldham. Liverpool is just 30 miles (48km) down river. The area has long had a reputation as a drab, industrialised sprawl, but Manchester has succeeded in reinventing itself, becoming a vibrant metropolis with nightlife second only to London. The city boasts more than 50 free museums and galleries, a world-class sports centre that recently hosted the Commonwealth Games, and plenty of parks, gardens and other attractions.
The city's architecture is largely a reminder of its central role in the cotton trade and many of the original warehouses can still be seen, although modern-day Manchester is now very different from its heyday as an industrial hub. When the city centre was badly damaged in an IRA bombing in 1996, much of the central area was beautifully renovated. Now renamed the Millennium Quarter, it is a marvellous contrast of splendid Victorian architecture and towering glass edifices, including the eye-catching Urbis exhibition centre.
Manchester City and Manchester United are two of the biggest football clubs in England and Old Trafford (home to Manchester United) has become a huge tourist destination. For those more interested in arts and culture than football, the new Lowry complex in Salford Quays boasts a fantastic selection of art galleries and theatres. The city also plays host to countless events, concerts, festivals and parades, is home to world-class bars and restaurants, and has plenty of shops and markets. Manchester is also home to the United Kingdom's largest Chinatown, and a vibrant and friendly Gay Village, concentrated around Canal and Chorlton Streets.