Manchester'''Manchester''' is the principal city in the north west of England. With a metro population of 2.5 million, a large financial district and massive cultural and sporting influence, Manchester is the UK's second city. Manchester was the host of the 2002 Commonwealth Games, has hosted many other sporting events including the final of the UEFA Champions League and is home to three universities, including the University of Manchester which currently has the highest funding for research in the UK outside of the 'Golden Triangle' of Oxford, Cambridge (England)|Cambridge and London. Formerly Manchester was under jurisdiction of Lancashire in the north of England. == Districts == *Manchester/City Centre|City Centre *Manchester/South Manchester|South Manchester *Manchester/Northern Quarter|Northern Quarter *Manchester/Salford Quays|Salford Quays == Understand == Voted Britain's second city in 2004 by the British people, Manchester is home to many things we take for granted today. Birthplace of the industrial revolution, home to the world's first programmable computer and birthplace of modern atomic theory, Manchester has influenced life greatly. The Manchester region is famous for its music scene, from which sprung forth some cool bands including Joy Division, New Order, the Happy Mondays, the Stone Roses, Oasis, and The Smiths (Morrisey). Unfortunately it is also famous for its rain. Located in a basin between the Pennine mountains and the Irish Sea, this city gets more than its fair share of rain. In fact the city expanded massively in the 19th Century because the damp climate suited an explosion of cotton mills that made Manchester the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution. It was a hot-bed of Radical thought, and strongly supported Free Trade and other new ideas. Lincoln Square, near the Town Hall, holds a statue of Abraham Lincoln, donated by people of the United States in recognition of the refusal of Manchester cotton workers to handle slave-grown Southern cotton during the Civil War. The feel of Manchester is very much '''Victorian England''', with an industrial twist - the buildings are generally Victorian gothic except for post-war redevelopment and those re-built since the IRA bomb in the mid-1990s. The city is an open and clean space and the suburbs around it affluent and mostly comfortable. The reputation Manchester has for crime and "grimness" is now becoming more and more ill-founded. Manchester is also the setting of the UK's longest running television soap opera, "Coronation Street", hosted the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and is of course home to the world famous Premiership Football teams "Manchester United" and "Manchester City". With three universities Manchester is home to one of the '''largest student populations''' in Europe. The adjective for Manchester as well the name for its people is "Mancunian". The city of Manchester is immediately surrounded by other cities, primarily Salford and Stockport, although these can be regarded as little more than districts of the Manchester Conurbation 20th century post-industrial decline hurt Manchester badly. However, the 1990s saw an entrepreneurial expansion of city-centre accommodation, which coupled with the expanding gay community based around Canal Street and the constant Chinese population gave the city centre a new lease of life. It has now cemented its role as the commercial hub of the North-west of England, and plays host to thousands of people who stream into the city at the weekend for booze and partying. The '''Manchester Tourist Information Centre''' is located at the Town Hall Extension, St. Peter's Square, Manchester, M60 2LA (phone: 0161 234 3157). There is a large stock of leaflets, most of which are free. The information centre has up-to-date information on where to eat out and where to stay in Manchester. ==Get in== ===By plane=== The largest international airport outside London [http://www.manchesterairport.co.uk/ international airport] is in Manchester, with nearly 100 operators flying to hundreds of locations worldwide, also, [http://www.jet2.com/jet2/I7/EN/booking/destinations.php/ Jet2]has recently opened up new flight paths to Manchester from many European destinations at budget airline prices. There are direct '''coach links''' from Liverpool airport to Manchester's coach station (45 minutes), for some airlines even free. If you're flying to Manchester Airport and want to get to the city centre, there is a direct train about three times an hour, taking about 25 minutes and costing about £3. A taxi will cost you about £15 and take about 45 minutes. ===By train=== By train Manchester is about 2 hours 40 minutes from London: on every day except Sunday a new 'Pedalino' service cuts the travel time to two hours. There are several train operators serving Manchester so it is worth looking out for special offers, such as early bookings. Fares vary massively according to time of day and train operator. Book online and far in advance for huge (70%+) discounts. The main train station, Piccadilly, is located in the centre of Manchester, connecting Manchester to other towns in the UK, including London. The other main station, Victoria is also situated in the city centre. They are linked by tram. ===By bus=== A coach trip from London takes about 4 hours, depending on the hour of the day. Coaches stop at Chorlton Street Bus Station, which is right in the centre of Manchester next to Chinatown and the Gay Village. Coach services are operated by [http://www.nationalexpress.com/ National Express]. The coach is the cheapest way to get to Manchester. Recently, the budget [http://www.megabus.com MegaBus] coach line has opened up a Manchester-London route, less comfortable than National Express but much cheaper. Must be booked in advance over the Internet. ==Get Around== Once in Manchester, there is an extensive '''bus network''' and two '''[http://www.gmpte.com/content.cfm?category_id=102783 tram lines]'''. '''Taxis''' are considerably cheaper than in London, and you can get around the whole of the city centre (not including Salford and the Lowry Centre) by foot. As a general rule, £5-10 should get you anywhere within the city. You will find it difficult to get one after the pubs shut on Friday and Saturday nights in the City Centre, so have a back-up plan. ==See== *'''Chinese Arch''' on Faulkner Street. Manchester boasts the second-biggest Chinatown in Europe, and around the glorious arch are supermarkets, restaurants, and a visitor museum. *'''Manchester Museum'''. http://museum.man.ac.uk/ (''free admission'') Good collections of Egyptian mummies and some fine Victorian exhibits. These include a collection of stuffed apes in best "aggressive wild beast" poses, which can't be changed to reflect more modern sensibilities because of the historical importance of the exhibit. *'''Museum of Science and Industry'''. http://www.msim.org.uk/ (''free admission''). This is a great museum for those interested in our (global) industrial heritage: sited at one end of the world's first passenger railway line, the working cotton weaving machines are particularly worth experiencing. Regular demonstrations of their operation are worth catching, since it drives home just how awful conditions were. There is also the opportunity to explore the city's former sewers (now fully cleaned !) to get an idea of the living (and dying) conditions of Manchester's cotton workers. *'''People's History Museum'''. http://www.peopleshistorymuseum.org.uk (''£1 admission; free on Fridays'') This museum aims to document the way that the lives of ordinary people have developed since the industrial revolution. Contains sections on trade unionism, factory working conditions, and working-class leisure; also has a large collection of banners from unions and political organisations from around the UK. Well worth a visit in its own right, it also works well as a complement to the nearby Museum of Science and Industry (though the two are run separately), giving the 'view from below'. *'''Imperial War Museum'''. http://www.iwm.org.uk/north/ (''free admission'') The Imperial War Museum in London contains tanks, guns, 'planes and uniforms to delight all comers: The Northern experience focuses largely on people's experiences of war and has an extensive audio visual collection of people's experiences. The building itself is visually very striking, so combine it with a trip to the Lowry for a feel of modern architecture. *'''Manchester Art Gallery'''. http://www.manchestergalleries.org/html/mag/mag_home.jsp (''free admission'') The main attraction is the collection of pre-Raphaelites from Waterhouse and Alma-Tadema, but a changing display area and modern art of the city are represented too. *'''The Lowry Art Gallery'''. http://www.thelowry.com/ This art gallery contains an impressive selection of works including, unsuprisingly, a large selection of works by L.S. Lowry. *'''Whitworth Gallery'''. http://www.whitworth.man.ac.uk/ (''free admission'') Combines more modern art than the Manchester Art Gallery with some displays of costume and textiles. *'''Urbis''' - museum of city life. http://www.urbis.org.uk (''free admission, except for temporary exhibitions'') Telling the story of the development of the modern city globally, Urbis also gives a history of the growth of Manchester, providing plenty of information on living conditions in the infamous Angel Meadows which were visited by Freidreich Engels when he began to formulate the theory of communism, as well as the story of Manchester's many immigrant communities over the last 200 years. It also gives visitors that chance to consider the problems of city life and leave a note of their solution. The sideways lift also provides a great panoramic view of the city. *'''Royal Exchange''' http://www.royalexchange.co.uk/ The Royal Exchange was the commercial heart of Manchester, and at one time the largest commercial room in the world. A beautiful classical building, it fell into disuse in the 1970s, only to be rescued in the 1970s by the restoration of the building and the addition of a ultra-modern theatre in the round in the centre of the main trading hall, squatting like an alien invader. Pop in during the day for a coffee or a drink: it's in the centre of the posh shopping area. You can admire the trading board, which still shows the prices of goods in Liverpool on the last day of trading. *'''John Dalton Library''' on Deansgate http://rylibweb.man.ac.uk/spcoll/guide/ is a fantastic building. Built in the first years of the 20th century in a high neo-Gothic Victorian style, its ridiculously medieval style hides innovative technology like heating and air conditioning. Secular saints like Shakespeare stare down on readers and visitors in the beautiful main reading room. *'''Gay Village''' Based around Canal Street, this area of converted cotton warehouse flats, bars, and clubs, is host to a vibrant and exciting gay community. Some establishments welcome all orientations, some are more exclusive, but the general attitude is tolerant of all orientations, and there are some great places to eat and drink. *'''Chethams Library'''. http://www.chethams.org.uk/ *'''MEN Arena'''. http://www.men-arena.com/ The MEN Arena is the largest arena of it's type in Europe, with a capacity of over 20,000. It hosts many world class concerts and events, with an event every day of the year. *'''Carling Apollo'''. http://www.carlinglive.com/venue_content/manchester_carling_apollo.html The Carling Apollo in Manchester is a major international concert venue with artists from around the world performing on a regular basis. *'''SportCity'''. SportCity in the east of Manchester was the site of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. As well as the stadium (now home to Manchester City) there are numerous sporting facilities, including the National Cycling Centre and the National Squash Centre as well as an athletics arena. These are open to members of the public. New facilities are being added to the area all the time, including plans for a casino, a new hotel, a large swimming pool with artificial beach and wave machine, a new "urban sports" facility and more. *'''Manchester United'''. http://www.manutd.com/ *'''Manchester City'''. http://www.mcfc.com/ ==Buy== * Merchandise from the football club '''Manchester United''' is popular with some tourists. There is a dedicated shop, which Tourist Information in the Town Hall can no doubt direct you towards. * '''Manchester City''' football club also has its own retail outlet. This is a dedicated shop beside the stadium, which Tourist Information in the Town Hall can no doubt direct you towards. * The '''Arndale Centre''' is a the largest city-centre shopping centre in Europe, with 280 stores, including the largest Next store in the UK. * The '''Triangle''' is an upmarket shopping centre based in the beautiful old Corn Exchange, worth a visit for the building as well as the selection of designer outlets inside. * The '''Trafford Centre''' is another large shopping centre, once again with 280 stores, a massive food court, one of the largest cinemas in the UK and some impressive architecture. The Trafford Centre also includes one of two Selfridges in Manchester as well as the new John Lewis' department store. * '''Afflecks Palace''' near the Arndale Centre is a shopping arcade in a five storey Victorian building, featuring a range of 50+ independent stalls catering to a young alternative crowd. * '''Selfridges''' and '''Harvey Nichols''' opposite the Triangle offer luxury fashions and produce to Manchester's rich and famous. == Drink == Manchester has a diverse nightlife and can offer a wide range of night-time activities. Famed for it's musical past, the [http://www.manchesteracademy.net University of Manchester Student' Union] hosts almost nightly gigs in it's three venues on Oxford road ranging from local unsigned bands, to international superstars. The '''Manchester Apollo''' is a slightly bigger venue having boasted appearences from '''Blondie''' to new-comers like '''Kasabian'''. Smaller bands can also be seen at a range of excellent venues in the city including the '''Roadhouse''', [http://www.nightnday.org/ Night and Day] and '''Jabez Clegg'''. The club scene in Manchester is varied with the dance-orientated clubs you'd expect from a city sitting comfortably alonside indie, rock and gay clubs. For the commercial dance music fan, the 'place to be' would be '''Deansgate Locks''' where the clubs and bars can be expensive but are always full of fashionable types and members of the local student population. More eclectic dance music styles are played at the '''Music Box''' near Jillys, and '''The Phoenix''' on Oxford Road. For fans of rock music, '''Jillys''' on Oxford Road is something of an institution. On a Thursday is costs just £1 to get in, whilst Friday's see them open until 6 or 7 am. It has three rooms incorperating punk, ska, metal, goth and everything in between. Also check out '''Rock Kitchen''' on a Saturday night at the '''Manchester Metropolitan University''' Student's Union, again on Oxford Road. For fans of indie and alternative music there are a whole host of new exciting clubs opening, to keep up to date with what's one it pays to purchase a copy of the weekly '''City Life''' listings guide, which is very complete and always up-to-date. Current successful nights being championed by [http://www.citylife.co.uk/ City Life] include [http://www.killingfantasy.com/ Killing Fantasy] on the last Thursday of the month at the '''Retro Bar''' on Sackville Street, with a playlist that includes '''Blondie''', '''The Ramones''' and '''Le Tigre'''. [http://www.myspace.com/investinproperty Invest in Property] at '''Joshua Brooks''' is also another of these nights, falling on the last Friday of the month. Again, expect a mix of indie, electro, punk and rock. Weekly, '''Smile''' at the [http://www.starandgarter.co.uk/ Star and Garter] is something of a local indie institution with a great playlist but be warned, it sells out very early and can often be unbearably busy as a result of this. Saturday's also play host to '''Tiger Lounge''' at the '''Tiger Lounge''' near the '''Town Hall'''. This plays more in the way of lounge alongside experimental and indie sounds. If you want to hear music by Manchester bands like '''The Stone Roses''', visit '''Fifth Avenue''', often brimming with students - unsuprising when you see the cheap drinks prices! To enjoy Gay Manchester it is probably best just to visit '''Canal Street''' with its concentration of bars and clubs and visit places that appeal along the way. Just off '''Canal Street''' the most popular gay clubs are '''Essential''', a multi-floor super-club open until the early hours and [http://www.poptastic.co.uk/ Poptastic], a two-room pop and indie club held at '''Mutz Nutz''' every Tuesday and Saturday night. Although entry can be expensive, this is usually reflected in a reduced price bar inside the club. For bars, try the so-hip-it-hasn't-got-a-sign cocktail lounge '''Socio Rehab''' on Edge Street (ask a taxi driver where it is) and '''Gaia''' or '''Tribeca''', both on Sackville Street (near the Gay Village). ==Get Out== Manchester is within reach of York, Liverpool, the Peak District, Blackpool and Chester. ==Stay Safe== Like most of the UK, Manchester is very safe and the casual tourist has nothing to fear. However, certain parts of the city have had a 'colourful' past with regards to gang violence and gun crime. These problems are behind Manchester now thanks to efforts by the communities involved and the Greater Manchester Police. As usual with most cities, petty crimes like pick pocketing and mugging can occur if you do not maintain sufficient awareness of your surroundings, but crimes like these are very rare. ==External Links== WikiPedia:Manchester [http://manchester.openguides.org The Open Guide to Manchester - A wiki guide to Manchester. {{stub}} First page | Prev | Next | Last page |

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