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Guide to Manchester, UK
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Click to go to Flight Prices for Manchester
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ManchesterManchester, one of the premier party cities of England, has come a long way since its poverty-infested heydays. It's residents' affinity for wild carousing during United football games has not diminished, but surrounding its landmark of a stadium are new and refurbished structures, which, as they sprout, more and more exemplify the city's path towards prosperity. Manchester was cast as a second-tier English destination for decades, due to prevalence of shabby housing districts and downtown business centers with noisy and erratic behavior to accompany them. Manchester has since washed its former faade away. Of course, the city is still far behind London in terms of visitor numbers, but things pick up significantly on an annual basis, and though many of the sites it once had are gone (demolished, etc), its museums have new life and restaurants of fine dishes now compete in quantity with pubs. A visit to Manchester will give you insight and exposure to everything held dear to its people since its conception, but sift through layers of rubbish you will not have to do. Your chances of being enveloped in a frenzied crowd of avid United fans is another topic altogether, however.
When to go:
All of summer makes for a great time in Manchester, but you will encounter more than your fair share of rubbernecking and given that sweltering heat is not out of the question in July and August, you might want to plan your travels around season's shoulder months; preferably March-April or October. Sure, it's considerably more chilly, but getting lost in street-level madness will certainly not be an issue, and you'll have more of a chance to bond closely with locals, as they won't brush you off as a result of their heat-induced discomfort or, heavens, the unrelenting fight for that last bus seat.
Getting there and around:
Many travelers are surprised to find that Manchester Airport is in fact the most popular flight hub in England apart from London. Millions arrive/depart from its gates and it boasts some of the easiest-to-use services in Europe. After claiming your belongings and having undergone more security checks than one can count you can head out to the taxi rank or the bus stop for transportation into town - or you can hop aboard the non-stop train. Train service is cheaper than either bus or taxi fare, but you'll only be whisked to one destination: the main terminal inside Manchester. From there you can obtain far cheaper bus and taxi access, equating to just a few saved euros. If you in Manchester to join in the excitement of the MU crowd for a 'home' game, you can probably befriend one of thousands of fans for a free ride to the stadium. If you're here for the sights, you can get by quite well with public transit. A few train lines run throughout the city, but most-often utilized are Manchester's buses. Taxis are ideal for late-night travel, but not much else due to unnecessary premiums.
Attractions:
Albert Square is undeniably the center of the city. Within the square's vicinity you can view architectural genius in the likes of Manchester's Town Hall and the Free Trade Hall. The city's main convention complex, the G-Mex Exhibition & Event Centre, is nearby, as is the renowned Bridgewater Hall, home to Halle Orchestra. One of the city's main avenues, Dearsgate, features notable icons such as the John Rylands Library, a Victorian-Gothic masterpiece, and the Pumphouse People's History Museum. Along the city's waterfront area you'll come upon the Lowry, Manchester's ever-popular complex of shops, theatres, library, and galleries.
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