Things To Do in Manchester

As the commercial and cultural capital of Lancashire, Manchester is a celebrated centre for the arts, media, and higher education. Together with Salford and eight other municipalities, it forms the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester, in which some five million people now live.

Manchester is a city with an extraordinary history

– Manchester was the site of the world’s first railway station, where Stephenson and his son made their historic success on September 15th 1830 – it still stands today at Peter House (19) in Deansgate (20). The Grand Old Lady of Liverpool Road, now known as London Road Station.

Great Northern Warehouse

The Grade 2 listed Great Northern building, a former railway goods distribution warehouse is now a lively leisure and shopping development with bustling bars, restaurants, shops, health club, cinema, casino, bowling alley and many more.

Science and Industry Museum

The Science and Industry Museum is on the site of the world’s oldest railroad station. Its 12 galleries include the Power Hall, with water and steam-driven machines from the golden age of the textile industry, as well as vintage made-in-Manchester cars, including a rare 1904 Rolls Royce.

Attractions in Manchester

One of the best places to visit is home to three stunning theatres and galleries, The Lowry at Salford Quays. For something different why not head there? It’s also home to a fantastic National Football Museum which includes an amazing interactive experience for footballers and non-footballers alike.

Where to Eat in Manchester

Manchester’s restaurant scene is thriving with lots of new openings and a variety of cuisines from Chinese, Thai, Indian, Italian and more. Some great places for food are the Michelin-starred restaurants at The Old Wellington Inn or Tony Wilson Place; Tiger Mountain Hot Pot near Chinatown; SriPraPhai – voted England’s best curry house by Curry Life magazine – on Wilmslow Road opposite Selfridges department store; San Carlo Pasta Bar on Hilton Street where you can choose your pasta type then add toppings such as king prawns, salmon roulade or lemon pepper chicken breast before asking for it ‘al dente’.

Manchester Town Hall

Another impressive example of neogothic architecture. If you only have time to admire one building in the city, make it Manchester Town Hall. The ornate ceilings, mural paintings, famous bee mosaics and instantly recognisable clock tower make this one of the best examples of architecture from this time period in the whole of the UK.

Manchester Central Library

Opened in 1934, Manchester’s Central Library was one of the world’s first public libraries built on a grand scale. The huge building is an elegant mix of Greco-Roman and modernist styles with hints of art deco and Victorian gothic features thrown into the mix. It has been home to Mancunian authors such as Beatrix Potter, Samuel Beckett and George Bernard Shaw for decades, so you can be sure there are plenty of books about the city inside its walls.

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