Manchester is the city of comebacks. It was once the crucible of the Industrial Revolution, of textile mills, of steam railways and canal transport, and its cityscape of neo-gothic palaces bears all the hallmarks of immense 19th-century success. Then came the sucker punches of World Wars and globalisation, and Manchester found itself on the ropes. But this a metropolis of grit and resilience; it has since picked itself up, dusted itself off and created a 21st century-ready identity.
You’ll be struck by how youthful the population is here (a quarter of the population is aged 20-29) — which is mostly fuelled by no fewer than five universities, a hub for devolved media, a cutting-edge music scene, and two grounds that host world-class football games.
It’s also a city of surprises, and one that throws convention out of the window. The leading theatre is what looks like a giant lunar module that landed inside the palatial Edwardian Royal Exchange. And, its version of a bierkeller, Albert’s Schloss, inhabits a Grade II listed Methodist Hall, previously associated with abstinence. Its main cathedral, about the size of a parish church, more commonly hosts gigs for upcoming indie bands than sermons. That’s Manchester, through and through.
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What to do
A chequered history means that the city centre in Manchester has splintered into districts. Head for St Peter’s Square, dominated by the ornate Town Hall (under restoration until 2024), to start at its core. The commercial hub is around Exchange Square, with the giant Arndale shopping centre lurking behind. Then there’s the trendy Northern Quarter, with quirky shops and co-working spaces housed in restored warehouses. You’ll find distinctive Chinatown down Faulkner Street, lined with restaurants, and an adjacent Gay Village along Canal Street, pumping with music.
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If you want to find out about the Industrial Revolution, the Science and Industry Museum inhabits former brick warehouses and a historic covered market on Liverpool Road, with a collection of the (still working) spinning and weaving machines that catalysed the whole thing.
Once you’ve got your head around the centre, expand your horizons by heading west out to Salford Quays. This restored docklands and hub of rebirth is just a short tram ride away, and it now hosts MediaCity, with BBC and ITV studios (Coronation Street tours), as well as the award-winning Lowry arts centre, whose galleries have the world’s largest collection of LS Lowry’s paintings of industrial cityscapes.
Where to stay
Bed down in one of the signature buildings that are part of the city’s history: the iconic Midland Hotel* was purpose-built in 1903 to serve rail travellers from London, with its ballroom, tall ceilings and chandeliers.
Or, try one of its glorious conversions such as the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel*, formerly the Refuge Assurance Building, designed by Alfred Waterhouse, architect of London’s Natural History Museum, whose imperious clock tower has been standing at the top end of Oxford Road since 1895. No expense was spared for the 1,300 insurance clerks who worked here, and today’s 224 rooms are all polished tiles, parquet floors and oak panelling.
Railway station neighbourhoods have always attracted hoteliers, and Manchester’s Piccadilly is surrounded by plenty of new-builds to suit every budget, from the Premier Inn on Lena Street to the glass palace that is Doubletree by Hilton*, with its seasonal terrace by the Rochdale Canal.
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Most common here are apartment hotels that have been converted from former industrial buildings. Check-in at Native* on Ducie Street, a grade II listed warehouse with spacious apartments gathered around a huge atrium. On the ground floor there’s a separate co-working space and restaurant, where the in-crowd meet for coffee and cocktails after work.
Food and drink
You can’t come to Manchester without testing your stamina for spice on the Curry Mile — a section of the Wilmslow Road so called because of its 70-odd ethnic restaurants. Among them, Mughli is a standout favourite; a cheerful, buzzy Indian charcoal-pit restaurant whose food is intensely flavoured and relatively inexpensive, and plates up far more variety than its run-of-the-mill neighbours offering vindaloos.
There’s no shortage of hipster food halls here. Take fussy eaters to the Northern Quarter’s Mackie Mayor, an airy, light-filled market hall from 1858, lined with individual kitchens offering everything from Japanese ramen and Thai stir-fries, all ordered to your seat through one app. Alternatively, Escape to Freight Island, in the former Mayfield railway depot, is more of a burgers-and-pasta late-night eatery and music venue, with video screens and dancing thrown in.
If you’ve got the cash to splash, the distinctive Refuge restaurant serves innovative small plates in a polished and grand neo-gothic interior. At the other end of the scale the domed Corn Exchange is perfect for hard-to-please little ones with several big brands such as Zizzi and Pizza Express housed inside its grand façades.
Don’t miss
The Metrolink tram network is as synonymous to Manchester as the tube is to London — but the former allows tourists to watch the cityscape unravel as they travel.
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Transport innovation has long been a theme here; it’s the place where railway and heavy goods canal transport was effectively invented. Get a snapshot of how it once looked, all in one place, at the canal basin in Castlefield where the Rochdale and Bridgewater canals interlock, and are crossed by a fretwork of ribbed bridges bearing scurrying trains. The warehouses on the wharves are mostly repurposed, some into indie bars and restaurants.
Finally, there’s the business of football, which is immense in the city thanks to its two giant clubs, Manchester United and Manchester City*. Both offer stadium tours and even if you are not a fan of either, the tours, and the National Football Museum in the heart of the city, give an insight into the far-flung social significance of the beautiful game.
Know before you go
This is an informal city, and you’re unlikely to feel out of place whatever you wear. Most of the centre is easily walkable and safe — although Piccadilly Gardens can become disreputable late at night. Matchdays have a big impact both on hotel rates and downtown ambience during the football season, so do your research and avoid these dates if you can. The equally colourful Manchester Pride (usually held at the end of August) and the Christmas markets are two other big annual attractions, but both can also trigger a surge in hotel prices.
Take me there
Inspired to visit Manchester but yet to book your trip? Here are the best hotels from Booking.com* and Hotels.com*
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