Manchester, United Kingdom: travel guide
A powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution, Manchester is now a vibrant city celebrated for its music scene, football heritage, world-class museums, and the lively Northern Quarter arts district.
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Currency
- GBP
- Time zone
- Europe/London
- Nearest airport
- MAN
Top places to visit in Manchester
Museum of Science and Industry
Museum · 4.7 rating · about 2.5 h
On the site of the world's first passenger railway station, MOSI tells the story of Manchester's pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution through steam engines, textiles, and computing. Free.
Manchester Museum
Museum · 4.5 rating · about 2 h
University of Manchester's museum with natural history collections including a T. rex skeleton, Egyptology galleries, and the Living Cultures collection. Recently renovated, completely free.
Castlefield Urban Heritage Park
Heritage · 4.5 rating · about 1.5 h
Britain's first Urban Heritage Park centres on the Roman fort of Mamucium and the world's first passenger railway terminal (1830). The canal basins and Victorian warehouses are now bars and restaurants.
John Rylands Research Institute & Library
Heritage · 4.8 rating · about 1.5 h
A stunning Victorian Gothic masterpiece and one of the UK's greatest libraries, containing a Gutenberg Bible and one of the world's finest collections of illuminated manuscripts.
Manchester Old Trafford
Heritage · 4.8 rating · about 2 h
The Old Trafford Stadium tour — Manchester United's legendary 74,000-seat Theatre of Dreams, with the spectacular museum, the trophy room, the famous tunnel, and the iconic football heritage.
Manchester Etihad Stadium City
Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 2 h
The Etihad Stadium tour — Manchester City's spectacular modern stadium and Football Academy, with the museum, the Treble Trophy room, the famous tunnel, and the modern football heritage.
Manchester Christmas Markets
Market · 4.7 rating · about 2 h
The Manchester Christmas Markets — the UK's largest Christmas market, spread across 10+ locations in the city centre, with the wooden chalets, the famous mulled wine, and the magical Manchester winter.
Manchester Curry Mile
Market · 4.6 rating · about 3 h
The Curry Mile (Wilmslow Road) — Manchester's spectacular South Asian food district with 70+ restaurants, the most multicultural area in the UK, and the iconic British Indian food heritage.
Manchester Northern Quarter
Heritage · 4.7 rating · about 2 h
The Northern Quarter — Manchester's spectacular bohemian district with the famous street art, the indie bars, the vintage shops, the iconic Affleck's Palace, and the alternative Mancunian culture.
Manchester Salford Quays Lowry
Museum · 4.7 rating · about 2 h
The Lowry — Salford Quays' spectacular arts centre dedicated to L.S. Lowry (Manchester's famous painter of industrial Manchester scenes), with the magnificent gallery, theatres, and the iconic Mancunian art heritage.
Manchester Imperial War Museum
Museum · 4.7 rating · about 3 h
The Imperial War Museum North — the spectacular Daniel Libeskind-designed museum, with the immersive Big Picture Show, the historic WWI and WWII artifacts, and the iconic British military heritage.
Manchester Heaton Park
Nature · 4.7 rating · about 3 h
Heaton Park — Manchester's spectacular 600-acre park, with the historic 1772 Heaton Hall, the famous concerts, the tram museum, the boating lake, and the most beloved Mancunian green space.
Day trips and tours
- Peak District National Park Day Tour 9 h · from GBP 43
- Liverpool Beatles & Albert Dock Tour 8 h · from GBP 39
Where to stay in Manchester
- City Centre & Northern Quarter about GBP 110 per night
Manchester's cultural hub. Close to Piccadilly station, tram network, and best restaurants. Indie shops and music venues in Northern Quarter.
- Spinningfields & Deansgate about GBP 160 per night
Manchester's financial and luxury district. Best high-end hotels, top cocktail bars, and the Whitworth Gallery nearby.
Hotels
- King Street Townhouse Manchester 5-star · GBP 180 to GBP 550 per night
- Roomzzz Manchester Corn Exchange 3-star · GBP 90 to GBP 200 per night
Where to eat
- Bundobust Manchester Indian, Street Food · about GBP 22 per person
- El Gato Negro Tapas Spanish, Tapas · about GBP 45 per person
- Elnecot Modern British, Grill · about GBP 50 per person
- Mana Modern European, Nordic · about GBP 150 per person
Getting around
- Bus main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Tram main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
- Walking main way to get around
Seeded from the curated primary_local_modes array; per-city parameters not yet researched.
Safety and scams to avoid
Fake Student Charity Mugging
Piccadilly Gardens Manchester
Groups of individuals, sometimes posing as students, surround tourists and pressure them to donate cash to a 'charity' while others attempt pickpocketing.
How to avoid it: Firmly decline and walk away. Never take out your wallet in a crowd.