What to see, do, and know about this underrated English gem.
Manchester doesn’t sit still. Once the world’s first industrial city, it’s now known for its creativity–everyone can name at least one Manchester band–and big-name football teams. The first thing I’m often asked when I’m traveling is whether I support City or United (it’s neither–sorry!).
I’ve lived in Manchester for more than 40 years and have seen its evolution and rapid growth first-hand. In the past five years alone, almost 3,750 new hotel bedrooms have been added to the city center, its restaurant scene is booming, and huge attractions have opened, including the U.K.’s largest indoor entertainment arena, Co-op Live.
I love telling people about Manchester’s quieter side, too. It’s a UNESCO City of Literature with beautiful libraries, has fascinating museums and galleries (many of which are free), and its center is compact meaning you can flit between its neighborhoods by foot as your mood takes you.
These are my recommendations for the best things to do in Manchester, as well as the top places to eat, best hotels for any budget, and a few tips for things to avoid.
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Admire Art in the Northern Quarter
WHERE: The Northern Quarter
Manchester’s Northern Quarter is one of the center’s hippest neighborhoods, and you could spend an entire day dipping in and out of its independent shops, bars, and restaurants–don’t miss eclectic shopping emporium Affleck’s Palace, Manchester Craft & Design Centre, and Piccadilly Records. As you wander, you might recognize certain spots as it’s the area of Manchester with the highest density of listed buildings, making it a popular location for filming. The neighborhood often masquerades as New York due to its external metal fire escapes and alleyways (Captain America and The Crown were both filmed here). What makes it particularly special, though, is that its walls, shutters, and buildings are covered in street art. A good spot to see lots of colorful murals in one place is Stevenson Square, whose walls and structures are regularly repainted as part of Manchester’s Out House project.
INSIDER TIPTo really get to know the area, book a tour with knowledgeable guide Hayley Flynn, who will tell you about the area’s evolution, art, and secrets.
2 OF 25
Stroll Along Manchester’s Sky Park, Castlefield Viaduct
WHERE: Castlefield
In 2022, a new “garden in the sky,” which has been likened to New York’s High Line–opened on a Grade-II listed railway viaduct in the historic Castlefield neighborhood. As a first phase, conservation charity the National Trust covered around half of the 330-metre steel structure with gardens by local partners and now there are plans to extend the area that visitors can walk along as well as adding another entry and exit point. It’s a lovely spot to hang out, above and removed from the city rush, and it gives you a bird’s eye view over Castlefield’s canals, the site of the Roman fort Mamucium (thought to be the birthplace of modern Manchester), and the Science and Industry Museum, which is home to the world’s first inter-city passenger railway station.
INSIDER TIPCombine a visit here with a trip to the Science and Industry Museum, a five-minute stroll away. In this free, interactive museum, you can find out some of the ways that Manchester changed the world, including watching a demonstration of historic mill machinery.
3 OF 25
Watch a Gig. Or Several
WHERE: Throughout the city
If you’re in the city to discover its music scene, you’ll be able to enjoy a gig every night of your trip–and, if that’s not enough, often during the day, too. Depending on your musical taste, you could watch a big-name act at the UK’s largest indoor entertainment arena, Co-op Live, or in the grand Albert Hall, which started life as a Wesleyan chapel. Look up what’s on at some of the city’s smaller, independent venues, too, including Band on the Wall, Yes, The Castle Hotel, and Gorilla. If classical is more your thing, try The Bridgewater Hall, home to the city’s Halle and BBC Philharmonic orchestras, or The Royal Northern College of Music.
INSIDER TIPThere are plenty of free musical performances held across the city in venues including jazz club Matt and Phred’s and the Stoller Hall.
4 OF 25
Visit the Birthplace of the Suffragette Movement, the Pankhurst Museum
WHERE: Oxford Road Corridor
In 1903, Mancunian Emmeline Pankhurst founded the Women’s Social and Political Union (WSPU), which later became known as the Suffragettes–the radical party that fought to gain women the right to vote. Just off busy Oxford Road, in the Pankhurst Museum, you can step inside the parlor where the first meeting of this pioneering group of women was held in Pankhurt’s former home–it’s been set up as it was that day. As well as imagining the atmosphere in that first session, you can learn more about the lives of the Pankhurst family, from their personalities to fallings out. Open on Thursdays and Sundays, volunteers are on hand to answer questions and often offer their own take on the family.
INSIDER TIPThe house of another pioneering Manchester woman, Victorian writer Elizabeth Gaskell, is less than half a mile away–around a 10-minute walk.
5 OF 25
Be Guided Around a World-Famous Football Stadium
WHERE: Old Trafford or Etihad Campus
Football fan or not, taking a guided tour of the home of Manchester City or Manchester United is a must on a visit to the city–I’ve done both and always learn something new. You’ll delve into the history of the iconic clubs, field questions in the press conference rooms a la Pep, walk down the players’ tunnels, peek into the changing rooms, and can take some fabulous snaps while The Etihad and Old Trafford are crowd-free. There are a variety of options available, from tours by legendary past players such as Peter Barnes for City and Dion Dublin for United to shorter sneak peek tours and matchday pitch-side walking tours.
INSIDER TIPWant to watch a match but struggling to get tickets? Look up the women’s fixtures, too. Tickets are often a lot cheaper–plus they attract families, so they are a perfect introduction for children.
6 OF 25
Peek Inside the City Center’s Lovely Libraries
WHERE: City Center
Home to the oldest public library in the English-speaking world and a UNESCO City of Literature, you could spend a chunk of a day dipping in and out of Manchester’s historic libraries while learning more about the city. The Neo-Gothic John Rylands Library on central Deansgate is the city’s library poster child with its cavernous vaulted reading room where light floods in through stained glass windows. But it’s also well worth booking a tour of medieval Chetham’s Library, looking up at the domed ceiling in the reading room at Central Library, which has a grand portico entrance, and taking some time out in the lesser-known Regency-period Portico Library where there’s a café and regular events.
INSIDER TIPTraveling with kids? The libraries are family-friendly spaces–Central Library has a colorful jungle-themed children’s library and regular family events, and John Rylands has a dragon-themed family trail.
7 OF 25
Slide Across a River and Spot Wildlife in Mayfield Park
WHERE: Mayfield
Mayfield Park, the city’s first new park in more than 100 years, opened in 2022 in the newly regenerated Mayfield neighborhood next to Piccadilly railway station. My children are big fans of its playpark–a slick space with rope bridges, crawl tunnels, sunken trampolines, and super-fast slides tumbling down from chimney-shaped towers that are up to 10 meters high. One slide even whooshes across the River Medlock. It’s a lovely place for adults to stroll, too, with pretty flowerbeds and more than 100 trees. Plus, it has a lawn for picnics when the sun is shining. Apparently, kingfishers and brown trout have been spotted in the river that runs next to the park–I’ve only spotted ducks or Canada geese, though.
INSIDER TIPThere’s an enormous food hall and entertainment venue, Freight Island, next door to the park, so drop in afterward for a cocktail or food from around the world.
8 OF 25
Sightsee in the Quays and Media City
WHERE: Salford Quays
Around three miles west of the city center–and reachable by tram–waterside The Quays (also known as Salford Quays) is home to the excellent Lowry arts center, where you can see the biggest LS Lowry collection in the world then take in a performance in one of its theaters, and the Imperial War Museum North where wars and their impacts are reflected on through immersive shows and exhibits. Just over the water, MediaCity is home to broadcasters, including the BBC, as well as the Coronation Street Experience, where you can walk down the cobbles of the iconic British soap operas set and recreate your favorite scenes for photos.
INSIDER TIPSee The Quays from the water by taking a cruise with Manchester River Cruises. On its City River Tour, you can travel from The Quays to central Manchester and back along the River Irwell and Manchester Ship Canal, while there are pirate-themed options for families, too.
9 OF 25
Head to Green Spaces in the Suburbs
WHERE: Chorlton and Worsley
If you have time, venture out of the center to explore one of Manchester’s leafy suburbs. South Manchester’s Chorlton is home to Southern Cemetery, the largest municipal cemetery in the U.K., where you can see the graves of former Manchester United Manager Sir Matt Busby and artist LS Lowry (his grave is hard to find until you spot the paintbrushes that are left next to it), philanthropist and the city’s first multi-millionaire John Rylands, and Anthony Wilson who co-founded Factory Records and the Hacienda nightclub. Part of the cemetery is a local nature reserve with wildlife, including tawny owls, goldfinches, and holly blue butterflies. Alternatively, head to canal-side Worsley in Salford to mooch around RHS Bridgewater, where the historic Worsley New Hall estate has been transformed into a garden project that visitors young and old will enjoy, whether they relax in its peaceful walled garden or burn off energy in its woodland play area.
INSIDER TIPIt can be hard to find specific graves due to Southern Cemetery’s size, so look up the plot number of the ones you want to see before you visit or book a tour with local guide Emma Fox.
10 OF 25
Tuck Into the City’s Food or Wine Scene With an Expert
WHERE: City Center
You can learn a lot about a city’s past and present from its food scene, and a good way to get under the skin of Manchester is to take a food tour with Rob Kelly from Scranchester Tours. There’s a tour dedicated to one of the center’s most celebrated foodie neighborhoods, Ancoats, on which you’ll discover where and why the ice cream cone was invented in Manchester and how this cool neighborhood transformed from the world’s first industrial suburb to a haven for hipsters. To cover more ground, there’s also a citywide tour. Alternatively, discover Manchester’s blossoming wine scene with food and wine writer Kelly Bishop from Manchester Wine Tours. You’ll taste six wines in four of the best places to drink in the city (along with snacks) and will learn lots about Manchester and wine in general while having fun. Kelly talks about wine in an approachable way–a memorable description is that Riesling can taste like petrol to some or a freshly unwrapped Barbie doll to others.
INSIDER TIPAsk Rob or Kelly for their advice on places for you to eat and drink over your trip if you’ve not booked your options yet.
11 OF 25
Spot Poisonous Dart Frogs, Dinosaurs, and Egyptian Mummies in Manchester Museum
WHERE: Oxford Road Corridor
I grew up visiting the Manchester Museum with my parents and became fascinated by its Egyptian mummies. Now I take my children, who love its vivarium where they try to spot golden and strawberry poisonous dart frogs, posing under the skeleton of Stan the T-rex and its fossils. The museum re-opened in 2023 following a £15 million transformation with a renewed mission to create the most inclusive, imaginative, and caring museum it’s possible to encounter. As part of this, it added new galleries, including a South Asia Gallery offering a current take on British Asian culture, the Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery, where historical and contemporary links between Manchester and China are explored, and a new changing exhibition hall. Entry to the museum is free, but it’s worth booking a timed slot if you’d like to see the current headline exhibition–its opening exhibition of the Golden Mummies of Egypt attracted queues around the block.
INSIDER TIPManchester Museum’s building is as interesting as its contents. Opened in 1890, it was built by architect Alfred Waterhouse, who also designed London’s Natural History Museum and Manchester’s Town Hall.
12 OF 25
Browse Art and Fashion in the Manchester Art Gallery
WHERE: Civic Quarter
Right in the heart of Manchester’s center, next to St Peter’s Square Metrolink stop, Central Library, and Manchester Town Hall, you can’t miss the grand porticoed entrance to Manchester Art Gallery. It’s imposing stone staircase inside is equally impressive, but contrary to these first impressions, it’s a very welcoming space, whether you’re visiting with children, are a fan of fine art, or would like to learn more about couture. There’s everything from Pre-Raphaelite art and paintings by Lowry and Valette to The Lion’s Den children’s room with cushions to make towers and dens out of and a rotation of kid-friendly activities. Changing exhibitions tackle modern issues such as climate change and women’s rights.
INSIDER TIPYou can enjoy afternoon tea in the art gallery café–join an elite squad of former diners in the historic, airy room, including Elizabeth Gaskell and Anthony Burgess.
13 OF 25
Wander up Colorful Canal Street–Then Party All Night
WHERE: The Village
Central Canal Street, which runs next to a stretch of the Rochdale Canal, is the heart of Manchester’s LGBTQ+ community with bars, clubs, restaurants, and shops. The surrounding area is known as The Village, or the Gay Village, a lively spot for a night out, whether your idea of a fun evening is karaoke, chatting over cool cocktails, comedy and cabaret, or dancing all night. If nightlife isn’t on your agenda, it’s worth visiting in the daytime, too, to see the colorful strip with murals, rainbow flags fluttering above you, and twinkling fairy lights. To appreciate the history and importance of Canal Street–one of the oldest gay communities in Europe–walk around Sackville Gardens, a park in The Village where there’s a statue of the founder of modern computing, Alan Turing, who was persecuted for being gay, and the Beacon of Hope light sculpture which remembers those who have died from HIV/AIDs.
INSIDER TIPWant to learn more about the importance of Canal Street and Manchester’s gay rights movement? Download and follow the Manchester LGBTQ+ Walking Trail.
14 OF 25
Appreciate Art in a Park at the Whitworth
WHERE: Oxford Road Corridor
In 2015, The Whitworth, a Manchester University-owned art gallery, re-opened after a £15 million redevelopment with the aim of physically and visually reconnecting the gallery with the surrounding park. This makes it a joy to visit, with artwork outside and in, and a café that sits among the trees in a cantilevered glass structure. Big-name exhibitions here–such as a 2025 Turner exhibition celebrating the 250th anniversary of the artist’s birth–are alongside quirky collections, such as a wallpaper collection. It’s a great place for families, too–my kids love it–with regular child-focused events, an outdoor art club, a welly walk in the park to discover its sculptures, and more.
INSIDER TIPThe Whitworth is a half-hour walk or short bus ride from the heart of Manchester’s center, so plan to combine a visit here with other Oxford Road Corridor attractions, including the Manchester Museum and the Pankhurst Museum.
15 OF 25
Pose in Front of Salford Lads Club
WHERE: Salford
One of the most recognizable pictures from the Manchester music scene is band The Smiths posing outside Salford Lads Club for the inside sleeve of their 1986 album, The Queen Is Dead. The redbrick youth club, which dates back to 1903, is still open, and visitors can pose in front of it to re-create their own version of the iconic snap. If you’re a Smiths superfan, go between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. on a Wednesday or Saturday to peek inside its The Smiths Room, which is covered in pictures of the band and messages from fans. Manchester Music Tours also includes a stop here on several of its tours, including private tours.
INSIDER TIPThe oldest building in Salford, Ordsall Hall, is less than a mile from Salford Lads Club–it dates back to 1177 and is a Grade I listed Tudor manor house. It’s closed on Saturdays, though.
16 OF 25
Things to Avoid: Lingering in Piccadilly Gardens
WHERE: Piccadilly
Unless you’re getting a bus or a tram from one of this transport hub’s stops, don’t be tempted to linger in central Piccadilly Gardens–especially at night. As one of the city center’s busiest open spaces and just down the road from Piccadilly railway station, you’ll probably walk past it–but keep walking. The good news? The fact that it’s not very desirable is recognized by Manchester City Council, and there are plans in place to redevelop it and make it a more family-friendly space. But, until then…
17 OF 25
Things to Avoid: Staying in a Britannia Hotel
WHERE: Throughout the city
U.K. consumer advice website, Which?, named the Britannia Hotel Group as the U.K.’s worst hotel chain for 11 years running. Its outposts in Manchester’s center (the Britannia Hotel Manchester and Sachas Hotel Manchester) are central, cheap, and in interesting buildings, especially the Grade II listed Britannia Hotel. So far, so good. But, of the 128 Manchester hotels listed on Tripadvisor, they currently rank at numbers 124 and 127. If you find a deal at these hotels and you’re tempted to book, do your homework and decide for yourself whether you’d rather pay a little more to stay elsewhere.
18 OF 25
Things to Avoid: Not Planning Ahead for Monday Visits
Many of Manchester’s attractions and restaurants close on a Monday–including Manchester Museum, The Whitworth, and Higher Ground. So, if you’re in the city early in the week, do a little research so you don’t miss anything from your to-do list. For example, Chetham’s Library, The Portico Library, and Central Library are all open on a Monday, while John Rylands Library isn’t. And, in The Quays, the Imperial War Museum North is open while Lowry arts center is closed. Restaurant-wise, there are plenty of good options open, including Nell’s and Winsome, but check ahead and book if you have your heart set on a certain place to eat.
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Must-Try Restaurants: Skof
WHERE: NOMA
Manchester famously didn’t have any Michelin-starred restaurants for 42 years, but it’s currently got two–Mana in Ancoats and Skof in NOMA. Skof, helmed by chef Tom Barnes (who was executive chef at The Lake District’s L’Enclume when it gained its third star), impressively scooped its first star in 2025, less than a year after opening. And, while its 12- and 15-course evening menus, and four-course lunch menu are exceptional–the flavors in dishes such as lightly set miso custard with hen of the wood mushroom, truffle, and mushroom dashi will stick in your mind for a long time–the vibe is relaxed. The space, a former Edwardian drapery warehouse, feels very Manchester with exposed red brick walls and black steel ceiling beams. Tom’s laid-back playlist plays in the background, and staff are warm and chatty explaining the dishes, including a final “Barney’s tiramisu,” which is dedicated to Tom’s late father.
20 OF 25
Must-Try Restaurants: Higher Ground
WHERE: Piccadilly
This slick but easy-going bistro on the edge of Chinatown serves daily-changing seasonal dishes made with local produce. The vegetables on its menu are mainly sourced from its own Cinderwood Market Farm in nearby Cheshire, while it practices whole-animal butchery–think a pig head terrine starter or duck neck ragu main. There’s an a la carte menu, but its seasonal sharing menus are perhaps the best way to fully experience Higher Ground (£60pp for dinner; £40pp at lunch). You might start with melt-in-the-mouth green pea fritters smothered in a local cheese, and its house-baked wholewheat rolls are likely to feature, perhaps served with grilled spring green salad, goat’s curd and preserved gooseberry along with smoked cod roe, cuttlefish ink cured ham and radishes. The restaurant is owned by Joseph Otway, Richard Cossins, and Daniel Craig Martin, who also run Flawd Wine Bar in Ancoats, so its wine list is pretty special, too, featuring low-intervention winemakers from around Europe.
21 OF 25
Must Try Restaurants: Nell’s
WHERE: Kampus
Manchester is bursting with great pizza options–there’s ever-expanding Rudy’s and Double Zero for Neapolitan, Honest Crust, and Ramona for Detroit-style slices accompanied by a margarita. But my family’s go-to is Nell’s, where New York-style thin and crispy pizzas are topped imaginatively–think ‘Ndu Y’Olive Me? (Now That I Can Dance) which is topped with mozzarella blend, vodka sauce, ‘nduja, oregano, green olives, parm, basil and basil oil. Choose between slices, 14-inch pizzas, or gigantic 22-inch pies, followed by an ice-cream sandwich. It’s not the cheapest pizza spot in town, but there are regular deals to take advantage of, such as its 777-lunch deal – a 14-inch pizza from £7.77 until 4 pm on weekdays. There are four sites to choose from, with its central Kampus restaurant enjoying a lovely spot next to the Rochdale Canal over the water from Canal Street.
22 OF 25
The Best Budget Hotel: Whitworth Locke
WHERE: Civic Quarter
While not marketed as a budget option, it’s possible to find some very competitive rates at Whitworth Locke, a hip aparthotel that’s over the road from Canal Street. Plus, as its 160 blush pink studios and suites have stylish kitchenettes and dining areas as standard, you can save even more by eating some meals in. Spread across three former export mills, there’s plenty going on within its exposed brick walls, from a co-working space and a restaurant by highly regarded local chef Shaun Moffat (called Winsome ) to a cool cocktail bar in a glass-roofed atrium and a rotation of classes in its basement gym. Its central location places you a short walk away from many of the city center’s main attractions, saving on transport, too.
23 OF 25
The Best Boutique Hotel: King Street Townhouse
WHERE: Central Retail District
One of my most memorable Manchester moments was watching the sun come up over the city center from the seventh-floor spa pool at King Street Townhouse, a 40-room boutique hotel. If you book into one of its ESPA-themed rooms (a suite or a snug room), you’ll gain access to this pool an hour before and an hour after the other guests, too. But all its individually decorated rooms are a treat, with tastefully muted color schemes, artwork, and statement lighting handpicked by its former owner, plus divine bathrooms—all but entry-level snug rooms have freestanding baths. Elsewhere in the hotel, public areas such as its afternoon tea lounge are cozy spaces to unwind, there’s a spa offering treatments as well as a steam room, sauna, and Himalayan salt cave, and its gym is slick and well-equipped.
24 OF 25
Best Luxury Hotel: Stock Exchange Hotel
WHERE: Central Retail District
Tucked away between Central Market Street and King Street, Stock Exchange Hotel is a cocoon of five-star luxury–Madonna once booked the whole hotel. Owned by footballers Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs, its historic building is Manchester’s former stock exchange, and you’ll be wowed as you step into its gleaming lobby, which has the original monochrome checkerboard floor, marble pillars, and stained glass. And its domed dining room–once the stock exchange’s trading floor–is perhaps the most spectacular setting for a meal in Manchester, with lashings of marble on columns and tables, stained glass, and striking floral displays. Head downstairs to the building’s bank vault for some of the best cocktails in the city in 1920s-style Sterling Bar, and allow some time to linger in your sleek bedroom where attention has been paid to detail.
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Things to Know
Manchester’s center is surprisingly compact, so it’s easy to walk between central neighborhoods. Too much effort? There are also regular trams and buses which take you around the center and beyond. Look up routes here. Free buses run between the center’s railway stations and main central neighborhoods, too, so check whether you can use them before you pay for a taxi or other transport.
Visitors flock to Manchester to watch football matches, and big names perform in its concert venues. But a big event can make the price of hotels go up significantly, so if you’re flexible date-wise and are not attending a match or gig, compare the price of hotels over a few weekends for the best price. Typically, summer is a good value time of year to visit as hotel occupancy is lower while the football season is over and business guests are fewer–but avoid the weekends when music festival Parklife is held in Heaton Park or Manchester Pride is taking place in The Village as they are two of the most popular events of the year.