Manchester
A few days exploring Manchester.
Manchester, a City often known for its incredible musical history from electronic to indie, the curry mile, rather rainy days and so much more. Fortunately for me, it wasn’t living up to its rainy reputation on my recent visit but was beaming with sunshine instead, it had been such a longtime since I had spent any time in the City that this bout of sunshine felt like a clean slate and a chance to see the city in a new light.
Manchester has many incredibly beautiful buildings which are a real mix of old and modern, reminiscent of the streets of New York due to the amount of run down buildings with cool stair wells, many of which seem like they have a real story to tell behind the boarded up windows and make me want to know more about what went on within them.
Perspective
Manchester
Views from above
Flowers
Street Art
Lost Hills street art
Parade
Where to stay
With any City break or visit, it can be done on a budget or extravagantly, Manchester accommodates for both. The centrally located City Suite Apartments is a great place to spend a few days if you have some cash to splurge, it’s close to Manchester Victoria railway station which is a gorgeous station for anyone who appreciates a railway station. It is classed as Salford as its just over the river but is actually a stones throw from Manchester Cathedral and the city centre, making it easy to access all Manchester has to offer. For a more budget friendly version, there is Malacuna right in the heart of the Northern Quarter, a hostel and hotel style accommodation, Wilson Social an on site bar along with access to some excellent shopping in the vibrant and diverse area including independent bookshop, Unitom, Fred Aldous for all your Art and Craft supplies, Craft and Design Centre, for music galore at Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Exchange, Afflecks Palace for an array of cool shops and eateries and many more. If you keep an eye out you can spot the old fish market walls which are gorgeous to see and highlight the history lurking on the streets of the City.
Manchester is made up of many different areas, all offering something unique, including the colourful Gay Village, The Civic Quarter, Petersfield, Deansgate, Oxford Road, Castlefield, Piccadilly, Piccadilly Gardens, Spinning fields and Ancoats to name a few.
Along with the many areas to be discovered, you’ll find the Manchester streets full of street art, a great City to explore the free outdoor galleries. There is so much to be discovered around The Northern Quarter, St Stephenson Square, Tibb Street and Piccadilly Gardens, also areas with great shops and eateries.
Stairwells from heaven
The old amongst the new
Colorful buildings
Beautiful buildings
Things to do
The Corn Exchange is a relatively new addition to the city centre, full to the brim with delicious eateries and one which I particularly recommend would be Tampopo for its simple and tasty Vietnamese Cuisine, Pad Thai and Vietnamese coffee please. There are many other options available here too and when you’re finished you have a choice of popping into The Arndale Shopping centre, Manchester Cathedral, The National Football Museum, Selfridges or you could nip onto a tram and ride onto another area of the City and explore.
Manchester is no stranger to a canal and even has it’s very own canal street, which comes alive when the city plays host Manchester Pride. If you take a short walk from the city Centre you’ll find the beautiful building and surroundings of Factory International home to brilliant art, music and theatre projects, The Whitworth Art gallery, Home MCR, and if you’re looking for more unusual things to do there is a lovely list complied here. Of course, it can’t not be mentioned that Manchester is well known for its nightlife too, well known for The Warehouse Project, The Blues Kitchen, The O2 Ritz, Manchester Academy and other late night venues.
Whatever you like, you can find it in Manchester, whether it’s chaos or calm, or do both, why not?