Things to do around Manchester

The biggest city in Northern England, Manchester is one of the leading urban centres in the UK outside of London. Whether it is fantastic shopping, rich cultural diversity or sporting excellence you are after, the city is sure to have something for you.



With a population of well over two million people, Manchester is one of the most diverse places in the UK and the presence of so many ethnic minorities has given the city a unique feel. The Chinatown district features unique fusion architecture not found anywhere else in Britain and is home to numerous excellent Chinese restaurants. Also worth a visit is the city’s famous Curry Mile which is where some of the best South Asian food in the country is to be found. Manchester also has a rich Jewish heritage and the city’s Jewish Museum is one of the finest of its kind in the UK.



Manchester is perhaps second only to London as the UK’s premier shopping destination and has several major shopping districts located close by each other in the city centre. It also boasts a number of impressive shopping malls, including the out-of-town Trafford Centre and the recently redeveloped Arndale Centre in the middle of the city, which now lays claim to the title of biggest shopping mall in Europe. There’s also The Triangle in the city’s Millennium Quarter which caters to a more upmarket audience with big name tenants including Selfridges and Harvey Nichols.

One of the biggest attractions in Manchester is undoubtedly the city’s two famous football teams, United and City. Manchester United play at their century-old Old Trafford ground in the city’s Trafford borough and the 75,000 seater stadium dominates the surround area. City, meanwhile, play their games at the newer City of Manchester stadium in the Bradford area of Manchester. With both clubs flying high in the English Premier League in recent times, local derbies have reached a new level of intensity and are a must-see for sports fans who get the opportunity to watch a game live.



Manchester is also a major transport hub for the north of England with flights jetting off to Mediterranean resorts regularly as well as a full complement of services to large cities all over the world. The airport, located to the south of the city, is one of the fifty largest in the world so leave plenty of time to find your departure gate and navigate your way through its abundance of shops. Those taking an early flight should consider staying overnight at a hotel in Manchester Airport to make getting there as easy as possible.



Isla Campbellwrites for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.