Manchester United
Supporters Club
1. Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in the city and is famous for its intricately carved wooden decorations. Visiting the church is free, I recommend booking a paid tour for those interested in architecture. Always find in the Manchester Cathedral Events take place, from concerts to deaf church services to the gin festival - so it's worth looking at the calendar of events.
Manchester Cathedral, Victoria St.
2. Whitworth Art Gallery
If you're only looking at one art museum in Manchester, it should be the Whitworth Art Gallery. Why? Because here the best contemporary art to see in Manchester is on display because there are events such as readings, concerts, film screenings and English courses and because you have an incredible view of the adjacent Whitworth Park from the restaurant on the top floor.
Whitworth Art Gallery, Oxford Rd.
3. John Ryland's Library
Absolutely no longer an insider tip, which is no wonder, after all, the library in neo-Gothic style counts to the most beautiful buildings in Manchester. Plus a floor-to-ceiling collection of books: a book lover's paradise! The huge book collection is spread across different rooms, from small study rooms to large reading rooms. The various corridors and winding stairs are also very impressive (and Instagram-worthy).
No, this is not a cathedral: this is the great reading room of John Ryland's Library in Manchester
Admission to John Ryland's Library is free - and the best part: you can not only look around here, but actually sit and work. Bring your notebook or laptop and look for one of the numerous tables without having to register. Unfortunately, there are no sockets for your charger, but fast and free WIFI. You can even bring your own water, provided it is in a bottle.
John Ryland's Library, 150 Deansgate
4. Manchester Town Hall
Manchester's landmark in the middle of the city is Manchester Town Hall, the Manchester Town Hall. The Victorian and Neo-Gothic building is imposing both outside and inside, so it's worth spending some time there. Due to renovations, the interior of the Town Hall cannot be visited until 2024, but the Town Hall Extension can. Around the Town Hall on Albert Square there is always the huge one in December Manchester Christmas Market instead of and Santa Claus "Zippy" is enthroned under the iconic bell tower of the building.
Manchester Town Hall, Albert Square
5. National Football Museum
If you are already in the city of football, then a visit to the football museum is also a good idea - you may be familiar with it Football Museum in Dortmund - This is the English branch, so to speak, even if they have nothing to do with each other purely for business purposes. The National Football Museum in Manchester is all about the round leather - and it's about a lot more than English football. Probably the most famous exhibit is the jersey that Diego Maradona wore during the quarter-finals of the 1966 World Cup in Mexico - anyone who remembers the “hand of God” knows what I'm talking about.
Worth seeing for all football fans: The National Football Museum in Manchester
Also to visit: the ball that scored the infamous Wembley goal, with which Geoff Hurst defeated the German national team and thus England won the football world championship for the first and so far only time.
National Football Museum, Urbis Building Cathedral Gardens
6. Old Trafford
Speaking of football: You may think what you want of Manchester United, a visit to Old Trafford is a must for every football fan. The home of the English first division club is one of the most famous football stadiums in the world and can be visited on non-match days with a guided tour, during which you can even visit the changing rooms.
The tour includes a visit to the attached museum and if you want you can have breakfast or lunch in the “Red Café” afterwards (or book an exclusive “Dining Experience”).
You have to go under 7 bridges: a boat trip on the canal in Manchester
If you'd like to see United's football stadium, but just take a look from the outside, you have two options: either you just take the tram that drops you from the city center right at Old Trafford, or you cruise past it on a boat tour have a fantastic view from the water.
Old Trafford, Sir Matt Busby Way (Tram Old Trafford)
7. Northern Quarter
The Northern Quarter is Manchester's hip area, with its many bars, restaurants, clubs, cafes and small shops. The Northern Quarter is the best place to go for street art in Manchester, eat cake or just run around and get inspired. Because I do that Northern Quarter so worth seeing and I stop by every time I visit Manchester, I have dedicated a separate article to the coolest area in Manchester - here you get the best tips for Manchester's trendy districts: The Northern Quarter in Manchester.
Northern Quarter Manchester
The place to go for street art in Manchester: The Northern Quarter
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8. Victoria Baths
When in 1993 the Victoria Baths closed their doors, an institution that had been one of the finest bathing establishments in Great Britain since 1906 fell to the ground. Unfortunately, you can no longer swim in this retro swimming pool, but you can still look at the beautiful building with its magnificent decor. Every now and then events and festivals take place here and every Wednesday there is a guided tour through the completely preserved Edwardian interior of the swimming pool.
Victoria Baths
9. Chinatown & Chinese Arch
Manchester has its own Chinatown and, surprisingly to many, it is Europe's largest Chinatown. The obvious one Chinese Arch shows the way to the Chinese Quarter, which is full of Asian restaurants, bakeries, small shops and stores. The cultural and festive highlight in Chinatown is during the festivities Chinese New Year, which always takes place at the beginning of the year and lasts for several weeks (you can find the exact dates here). But also outside of the “Chinese New Year” celebrations, a visit to the Chinese quarter in Manchester is worthwhile, not least to photograph the gold-red-green archway.
Manchester Chinatown
Manchester's Chinatown is the largest in Europe
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10. People's History Museum
Manchester was shaped by its industrial past - and the people who live here. The People's History Museum is about people, not just the Mancunians, but all of us. That People's History Museum is dedicated to our important and time and again endangered good of democracy. Here you will learn everything about them History of Democracy, with a special focus on Britain. The changing exhibitions and events, such as "Music of Protest", where musicians from the University of Manchester interact with visitors - and with free admission (donation recommended) are also very exciting and instructive!
People's History Museum
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11. Southern Cemetery
The Southern Cemetery was opened in 1879 and has served as the eternal resting place for the city's great daughters and sons ever since. Many well-known Mancs are buried in the cemetery in the south of Manchester, including John Ryland, founder of the library of the same name, and Robert Gretton, former manager of the legendary Manchester bands New Order and Joy Division. It's easy to get around the huge grounds of the Southern Cemetery - so a tour like the one offered by Emma Fox is ideal. From the mouth of a real Mancunian you will hear stories, big and small, about the cemetery and the people who are buried there.
Southern Cemetery / Emma Fox Show Me Manchester
12. Heaton Park & Heaton Park Hall
With over 600 hectares, Heaton Park is an oasis of calm in the north of Manchester. The centerpiece and gem of the park is the Heaton Park Hall, a listed mansion from the 18th century in neoclassical style. The park is great for walking or jogging, and you can even go boating on a small lake. There is also a lot to do outside the country house (which is worth a visit in itself): either you watch the golfers practice the perfect swing or you can pet goats, donkeys and alpacas in the Animal Park.
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13. Richmond Tea Rooms
During your Manchester city trip you shouldn't miss a tea time. The ideal place for one Afternoon tea in Manchester, the Richmond Tea Rooms are right in the city center. In the opulently furnished rooms you will feel as if you have been transported back to the Victorian era - or to your childhood. Because the “Mad Hatters Tea Party”, an afternoon tea with, is particularly popular Scones, sandwiches and small baked delicacies in Alice in Wonderland style. If you've got an appetite and want to immerse yourself in the magical world of Alice, you should definitely reserve a table beforehand.
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14. MediaCityUK
Media City in Manchester is not necessarily a classic sight, but interesting for anyone interested in either media or architectural photography. The 200 hectare residential and business area is home to over 2,300 employees of the English BBC alongside other technology and media workers. Located directly on the canal in Salford, it is a particularly impressive sight when you pass it by boat and the modern buildings are reflected in the water.
Many events take place on the grounds of MediaCity, such as races such as the Great Manchester Run, swimming competitions, Games Night and events for members and interested parties of the startup scene. A large number of bars, restaurants and cafés ensure that you do not have to starve or die of thirst in MediaCityUK, especially if you like “hipster food” or are vegan or gluten-free. My tip: The Botanist's cocktails, especially the Strawberry & Cucumber Breeze.
15. Alan Turing Memorial
Have you seen the Oscar-winning film "The Imitation Game" with Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley? Then you will surely know who I am talking about. Or if you are simply interested in computers, then you will be familiar with Alan Turing anyway. For everyone else: The mathematician Alan Turing from Manchester was and is one of the pioneers of “modern computing” famous, among other things, for being with the during World War II Enigma machine to have deciphered encrypted radio messages from the Nazis.
In the further course of his life Alan Turing had to fight his own demons and those of others, which in the end tragically cost him his life. That Alan Turing Memorial in Manchester's Sackville reminds of the great son of the city and his work. Incidentally, this memorial also marks the start of the Free Manchester Walking Tours that I went to come soon.
17. Salford Quays
Culture, entertainment, restaurants and exciting architecture - and all of that by the water. The Salford Quays area is well worth a visit if you want to get to know the very modern side of Manchester. Stroll through the district, have a coffee here and have a sushi there and be inspired by 21st-century Manchester. This was once a busy harbor district - after the end of the industrial revolution, the area became a lonely and deserted place.
The center of culture and arts is now where the Salford and Trafford canals meet The Lowry, an outlet and on the other side of the canal that Imperial War Museum North. Incidentally, this is also in the immediate vicinity Old Trafford Stadium, a tour of which can be easily combined with a visit to Salford Quays.
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17. Salford Quays
Culture, entertainment, restaurants and exciting architecture - and all of that by the water. The Salford Quays area is well worth a visit if you want to get to know the very modern side of Manchester. Stroll through the district, have a coffee here and have a sushi there and be inspired by 21st-century Manchester. This was once a busy harbor district - after the end of the industrial revolution, the area became a lonely and deserted place.
The center of culture and arts is now where the Salford and Trafford canals meet The Lowry, an outlet and on the other side of the canal that Imperial War Museum North. Incidentally, this is also in the immediate vicinity Old Trafford Stadium, a tour of which can be easily combined with a visit to Salford Quays.
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18. Free Manchester Walking Tours
If you want a real Manchester local to show and explain the most important sights and a few curious must-sees in a very funny way, then I wholeheartedly recommend the Free Manchester Walking Tours. In three to three and a half hours, you'll find out everything you need to know about your first visit to Manchester. In addition to the typical places and buildings worth seeing, Josh and his guides have little stories and insider information about almost every corner that show you why Manchester and its residents are so special.
Both Free Manchester Walking Tour you can also find out more about the Vimto Monument, including tasting - and a lot about Manchester's music and street art scene. If you go there (and you absolutely should!) Give Josh a special greeting from me (and give him a big tip because he more than deserves it).
19. Altrincham Market
Altrincham is a formerly neglected suburb of Manchester that has seen a huge boom for several years. So much so that it is now one of the most expensive residential areas in Manchester and millionaires and English football players like to settle here. Altrincham is about 20 minutes from Manchester city center by tram and is a very green area with handsome houses.
The Altrincham market hall at daybreak when nothing is going on. It gets extremely crowded here later.
The No. 1 trend spot is the Altrincham Market, an old one Market hall that was brought back to life a few years ago. In the beautiful, covered hall there is a market with food and products from the region, there is also a market Street food. Next door is the indoor market hall, where the Manchester crowd meets for dinner in a market hall atmosphere. You eat at long tables at which everyone can sit down, and you choose your dish of choice at one of the fixed stands. They are particularly popular Neapolitan pizza from the wood stove or the Pies. The prices are a bit high, but still within reasonable limits, but it can get really crowded, loud and warm in the hall - but around it there are some nice little restaurants that you can switch to if necessary.
20. Chorlton-cum-Hardy
Chorlton, the district in the south of Manchester, was named the “best place to live in the UK” in 2018. A very special vibe runs through Chorlton - the connection between the long-established community and new hip residents seems to work quite well here, even if that is of course here Gentrification is taking its toll and rents are rising. There are no sights in Chorlton, but there are a lot of very good cafes and restaurants. I recommend a visit to the bakery and deli “Barbakan”, the breakfast sandwich there is awesome. Then maybe a piece of cake - it tastes good in the "Tea Hive" especially good and served with a very decent cup of tea.
Chorlton-cum-Hardy, or “Chorlton” for short, is probably the hippest part of Manchester
Excursions in the closer surroundings of Manchester
Stockport
"Um ... have a beer at Robinson's Brewery, that's all I can think of." That was Jimbo's answer when I asked him what I could do in Stockport. Growing up in Stockport in the 1970s, my friend couldn't really understand what I wanted in the city to the southeast of Manchester. I had come to Stockport more or less by chance - or by exchanging houses - and at first I didn't really know what to do there.
Every two weeks on Sundays: Vintage Market in Stockport
Because: Stockport is not exactly a beauty and is a bit dusty and broken in some corners. Still, I think you wanted to visit Stockport from Manchester when you still have some air and don't know what to do with a time. Because there are some really great things to see and do in Stockport. Above all the Market hall, which is from the same operator as the Altrincham Market and which is open every other Sunday Vintage market takes place where you can buy great second-hand clothes and other vintage objects.
Stockport Market & The Vintage Village
Peak District
The Peak District is the oldest national park in Great Britain and a paradise for hikers, cyclists and nature lovers. Breathtaking views, beautiful hikes, breaks in small tea rooms and the reward beer at the end in the pub: the Peak District is a place of longing and easy to reach from Manchester. From Manchester to the pretty little town Edale, from which many hikes and round trips start, is just 45 minutes by train. The train ride through the green plateau, past what feels like a million sheep, is an experience in itself.
Less than an hour from Manchester by train. the breathtakingly beautiful Peak District
Sheffield
Sheffield, also known as "The Steel City" due to its industrial past, is now best known for its art and culture scene. The best English bands come from Sheffield, such as Pulp, Arctic Monkeys or Moloko come from here and on every normal day you are spoiled for choice between a multitude of concerts.
The modern university city is full of restaurants and cafes and one of the main attractions is the "Sheffield Winter Garden" where you can have a coffee, buy nice Sheffield knick-knacks or just relax. Sheffield is on the other side of the Peak District and the approximately one hour train ride from Manchester goes right through the national park.