Manchester city guide: What to do on a weekend break from hip street food to boutique shopping
Why go now?
2017 hasn’t been an easy year for Manchester – a terrorist attack after an Ariana Grande gig at the Manchester Arena in May hit the city hard, killing 22 people. But Mancunians are nothing if not beautifully resilient in the face of tragedy. Tributes poured in from all over the world, and Manchester’s inhabitants shared what they loved about their great city and were quick to help each other and rally round during the difficult aftermath. Three months on, and there’s never been a better time to visit and show your support while exploring one of the UK’s most dynamic cities. And there are plenty of events on to keep you entertained this summer – Manchester Jazz Festival, RHS Flower Show, Caribbean Carnival and Manchester Pride to name a few.
Get your bearings
The city centre is fairly small – you can walk from one side to the other in around 40 minutes. In the north is the shopping district, comprising of Arndale shopping centre (1) and the Northern Quarter – it’s also full of quirky bars and restaurants. Ancoats (2) sits above this (slightly out of the city centre), packed with fun places to eat and drink.
To the east is the Gay Village (3). It’s great for partying the night away and home to Manchester Pride in August. Oxford Street (4) cuts across the south of the city centre and is where you’ll find the universities, exciting music venues and all the students. Full of glass and steel buildings, Spinningfields (5) is in the west, next to the River Irwell, marking the edge of central Manchester.
The main tourist office – Manchester Visitor Information Centre (6) – is located in Piccadilly Gardens (0871 222 8223; visitmanchester.com) and is open Monday to Saturday 9.30am-5pm and Sunday 10.30am-4.30pm.
Day one
Window shopping
Head to the Northern Quarter. It’s the hipster part of town so you’ll spot some well-groomed beards as you wander round the area, but you’ll also stumble across a variety of quirky independent shops that sell everything from old vinyls to designer trainers to knick-knacks you never knew you needed. Start on Oldham Street and drop into Vinyl Exchange (7) (vinylexchange.co.uk) and Magma Books (8) (magma-shop.com) to get you started. Then head to Oklahoma (9) (okla.co.uk) on High Street. If you’re after department stores, continue down High Street to the Arndale shopping centre (1).
Walk in the park
Rest your feet in the Cathedral Gardens (10) just north of the Arndale shopping centre (1). There’s not much green space in Manchester city centre, so there’s no expansive park to relax in, but you can enjoy a quick drink in one of the surrounding cafés. The Cathedral Gardens are also home to the National Football Museum (11) (nationalfootballmuseum.com), open Monday to Sunday 10am-5pm. There’s a Pelé exhibition on until March 2018 and entry is free, although donations are welcomed.
Lunch on the run
Cross the River Irwell and head down Chapel Street (12). Not strictly in Manchester (it’s technically Salford), the road is quiet and unassuming but there’s a new Australian brunch cafe called Another Heart to Feed (13) (anotherhearttofeed.com). A hidden gem recommended by locals, it’s owned by a couple who moved back to Manchester after living out in Melbourne. All the dishes are Instagram-worthy, healthy and (most importantly) delicious – try the avocado and poached egg, or the pulled pork bagel, and finish off with a squidgy gluten-free brownie. Open Monday to Friday 8am-3pm and Saturday to Sunday 10am-4pm.
Cultural afternoon
Head back across the river but this time along Bridge Street (14) so you can drop into the People’s History Museum (15) (phm.org.uk), which is free to look round. The current exhibition, Never Going Underground, is running until September 2017 and explores the history behind LGBT rights in the UK.
Top up your knowledge of British history on the upper floors too, which is where the permanent exhibitions are located. You’ll discover Britain’s struggle for democracy over two centuries through the eyes of ordinary people, starting from the Industrial Revolution. Open every day from 10am-5pm.
Take a hike
Continue down Bridge Street to John Rylands Library (16) (library.manchester.ac.uk/rylands). Yes, it’s a library, but head inside and soak up the neo-Gothic architecture. Continue north up Deansgate to St Ann’s Church (17), which is the geographical city centre of Manchester, then swing down Cross Street to Albert Square and peer inside the City Hall (18) and Manchester Central Library (19). Again, the architecture is impressive and you’ll spot Manchester’s famous worker bee symbol around the area.
An aperitif
For a pre-dinner cocktail, head south down Oxford Street (4) and into The Refuge (20) (refugemcr.co.uk) – a restaurant and bar curated by two DJs-turned-restaurateurs. Housed in a beautiful Grade II listed building, its opulent interior and mega-high ceilings expose the building’s striking Victorian heritage. There’s certainly a buzz about the place, while the boozy cocktails and on-tap ales will keep your taste buds satisfied.
Dine with the locals
For laidback dining head east to Grub food fair (21) (grubmcr.com). This indoor/outdoor food market showcases the best Mancunian street chefs. Make sure you get there early though, as food runs out towards the end of the night. If you’re looking for somewhere strictly indoors, another hidden gem is Rudy’s Pizza (22) (rudyspizza.co.uk) in Little Italy. It makes truly delicious Neapolitan pizzas but beware, they don’t take bookings.
Day two
Take a ride
Manchester has a free bus service called the Metroshuttle that loops around the city centre taking you to all the key areas. There’s also a tram service called the Metrolink, which reaches less central locations like Old Trafford football stadium (23). Hop on an Altrincham-bound tram to reach today’s first stop.
Out to brunch
Head to Altrincham Market (24) (altrinchammarket.co.uk), which is easily signposted from the tram station. The market is split into two with the food hall filled with stalls offering everything from bacon sandwiches to steak and ale pies to afternoon tea. The second part is a regular market place selling all sorts including artwork, jewellery and vintage bric-a-brac. Every retailer and restaurateur at Altrincham market is local and independent, making it worth the journey.
Take a view
Get on any tram from Altrincham station (25) and get off at Deansgate Castlefield (26). You’ll find the Hilton Hotel (27) (hilton.com) nearby where you can rocket to the 23rd floor and have afternoon tea in Cloud 23 (its cocktail and champagne bar) while enjoying panoramic views. There are floor-to-ceiling windows and even a glass floor panel to walk across if you dare. Either book ahead or queue on arrival.
The icing on the cake
If you’re an early riser, head to Pollen Bakery (28) (pollenbakery.com) for breakfast, situated just behind Piccadilly train station (29). You’ll need to get there at 8.30am for a 9am opening, and join the queue to ensure you get your hands on one of its famous “cruffins”. Half croissant, half muffin, whatever it is it tastes delicious. Every week it’s a different flavour (our week was tiramisu) but if that doesn’t entice you, there’s a range of other baked breakfast treats to help kick off your day.
Travel essentials
Getting there
Piccadilly (29), Oxford Road (30) and Victoria (31) are the three main train stations. The rail operators are TransPennine Express, CrossCountry Trains, Great Western Railway, Northern Rail and Virgin Trains – all providing direct links from across the country. National Express and Megabus also have services to Manchester from all over the UK.
Manchester Airport (32) is connected to most UK cities and beyond via all the major airlines. You can get into town by getting on a train to Manchester Piccadilly (£5) or the tram (£4.20).
By road, the M60 links Manchester to all other major motorways.
Staying there
The Principal hotel (33) (phcompany.com/principal/manchester-hotel) is close to everything and housed in a magnificent Victorian, Grade II listed building. Doubles from £119, B&B.
For a budget-friendly alternative, try Motel One (34) (motel-one.com/en/hotels/manchester/hotel-manchester-royal-exchange) on Cross Street – it’s a stone’s throw from the Northern Quarter. Doubles from £69, room only.
If you’re willing to venture across the river, then The Lowry Hotel (35) (thelowryhotel.com) is the best luxury option in town. Doubles from £169, B&B.
