12 Best Things to Do in Manchester, England

First, let’s mention some general facts about this city. Manchester is the fourth most populous city in England, having over 480,000 citizens and it is the third most visited one as well, located in northeast England.

It is renowned for its architecture, culture, music and of course football.

The average temperature is around 20 degrees with warm, pleasant summers along with cool, windy winters while the level of rain is lower than in most of Britain which overall makes up for a great tourist experience.

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Moving further, we will discuss specific landmarks that you should visit while you are here.

1. Castlefield

Undoubtedly one of the best places to start your exploring is the beautiful park Castlefield, designed for tourist walks and relaxation. Ancient Romans founded this landmark and named it “Mamucium” which in translation means the “breast-shaped hill”.

This park is fully traffic-free allowing tourists to spend their time here in peace and tranquility with numerous canals and boats adding up to the aesthetic pleasure of this remarkable landmark. Furthermore, this park features a movie theater, an art gallery and a museum of science and industry.

Tourists often say that they feel as if time stops in Castlefield and life passes by much slower, meaning that this is the perfect spot for anyone looking to relax and doze off while spending their time in Manchester.

2. Manchester Cathedral

Manchester Cathedral dates back to the 15th century and it remains a religious monument of breathtaking beauty.

Today, this cathedral is a perfect mixture of medieval architecture and the modern one, the most notable being the modern stained glass windows that are featured in its interior.

The cathedral is beautifully carved with many wooden shapes and details standing out upon entering, having a small area where children can play as well. Additionally, you can get daily tours with those on Thursday mornings being completely free of charge.

3. Manchester Art Gallery

The gallery that truly has it all is the Art Gallery of Manchester, featuring works of art that vary from historical collections to new additions of exhibits that are updated weekly.

Its renowned collections are those that date from the 19th century, especially their pre-Raphaelite works, focusing on the beauty and tradition of Great Britain.

It is truly a perfect place for any tourist to learn something new about British culture, and for locals to spend some time away from all the hustle and business of an industrial city.

4. Warehouse Project

In case you are looking to cut some shapes and have a great nightlife experience, look no further than the Warehouse Project club. On weekends, some of the world’s biggest artists in various genres perform here; this year’s most notable being Diplo, Nina Kraviz, WizKid, and Carl Cox.

Even though this club supports numerous genres the most prevalent one is techno, with world-renowned DJs performing here with the support of local musicians.

5. Chetham’s Library

If you prefer a more peaceful time, however, Chetham’s library collection of over 100.000 books (65,000 of those published before the 1850s) might satisfy you.

This combination of a museum of literature and a library operates as an independent charity organization, providing book-reading services and tours completely free of charge to all locals and tourists.

There are tours as well which are available daily that show the full beauty of the library as well as medieval buildings that surround it.

It is worth mentioning that Karl Marx held his meetings here occasionally, which further increases the historical value of this landmark.

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6. The Lowry

Laurence Stephen Lowry was a crucial figure in the development of art in Britain, especially in the region of Lancashire hence the name this theatre and gallery complex inherited.

The Lowry is built in a dazzling waterside location, containing three theatre spaces where you can enjoy various artistic programs of both national and international value.

Firstly, there is the main gallery which is mainly composed of paintings painted by L.S. Lowry followed by a wide arrange of contemporary artwork. Tourists can participate in various creative workshops, eat traditional British food or simply gaze at the art.

7. Band on the Wall

Music has undoubtedly played a major role in shaping England’s culture, and there is no better place to witness this than the Band on the Wall.

The building itself is almost two hundred years old, formerly serving as a pub and being a globally-popular jazz club today. It features weekly live shows and performances by local artists.

This one, in particular, is a personal recommendation as this award-winning music venue proved to be a significant cornerstone in the development of Manchester’s music image.

8. Football in Manchester

Perhaps the thing that ultimately defines Manchester as a city is their passion for football. Manchester United and Manchester City pride themselves upon accomplishing various international achievements with United being the second most crowned English football club.

Generally, football is an essential part of British culture and everyday life featuring the most competitive club football league in the world.

Consequently, both of these Manchester giants performed very well throughout the years with City being the more dominant side in recent times. Nevertheless, we are here to present to you their stadiums as important landmarks not to dwell on football so let’s begin.

9. Etihad Stadium

The first one we’ll talk about is the Etihad Stadium of Manchester City. It has a capacity of roughly 55.000 seats and it is the fifth-largest stadium in the English Premier League.

The stadium itself is supposed to represent standards that Manchester City as a club promotes, fast modernization, top-notch quality, and they consistently expand the stadium and facilities that surround it.

The Premier League games are usually played on weekends and you can experience the atmosphere and the intensity of matches as a spectator here.

During half-time or while watching the game you can treat yourself with a wide variety of cold-served drinks and tasty food as well.

Daily tours during weekdays are also available when you can learn more about the history of the club and visit interesting sections of the stadiums that are not usually inaccessible such as the players’ dressing room.

10. Old Trafford

While Etihad represents industrialization and development, Old Trafford represents history, tradition, and origins of English football.

It is the biggest stadium in England, having over 74.000 seats divided into 4 stands named after Manchester United Legends, with the northern stand being the biggest one in size and capacity.

It is one of the most prestigious stadiums in world football and is rightfully named “The Theatre of Dreams” because many footballing legends started their careers here.

Weekends and European nights are especially berserk here with tens of thousands of United fans cheering their team to victory. The atmosphere is remarkable and is worth seeing even if you are not a football enthusiast.

However, if you are visiting on a weekday, you are bound to take the daily pass which permits entrance to players’ dressing rooms, press rooms, and upon exiting you even get your personalized certificate as proof you’ve visited this glorious stadium.

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11. National Football Museum

Perhaps the most attractive museum in Manchester for some is England’s National Museum of football, built in the center of Manchester.

This museum is considered to be the biggest football-related museum in the world, explaining how football became an integral part of every Brit. The interior of this state of the art building relives many defining moments in the historical development of English football and football in general, possessing some of the most valuable memorabilia.

The facility is open 7 days a week, presenting various interactive galleries and unique objects related to football.

12. Heaton Park

We have started this article with a beautiful park and we are going to end it with one. Heaton Park is a beautiful historic landmark that is today a home of many entertainment facilities such as play areas, cafes, bowling arenas, golf courses and more.

On weekends, local families spend their time here enjoying plays, outdoor concerts, dramas, and participating in various family-oriented programs. Its historic value, however, lies in the fact that Heaton Park is a center of public events for centuries, formerly being a place where boat races were regularly held.

Conclusion

Manchester truly has it all. Whether you are looking to relax and enjoy some nice music, to learn something more about the culture and history of Great Britain and this city, or perhaps enjoy the atmosphere of a football game, it is all possible in this city. Ultimately it has everything a tourist might desire in a traveling experience and should be paid a visit.

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