When you spend 2 or 3 days in a city, you usually need a city guide, telling you about what can be enjoyed there. During any stay in Manchester, it’s good to focus on the Northern quarter and street art because the area is really attractive and has been for some years now. Of course you have to visit other places, go to other areas but it’s good to take your time. In this article you can find some of the cool stuff that there is to see and do in Manchester.
For the history fans
For those who like to photograph architecture, the contrasts between brick, glass and steel and do street photography like me, Manchester is a paradise! Unfortunately you can run out of time and can’t enjoy it as much as you would have liked. It’s a shame because the weather can sometimes be surprisingly good! Who can claim to have had 3 days of sunshine in a row in Manchester? Loads of people!
In another genre and also focused on the history of Manchester, it’s good to drop by the People’s history museum which traces the history of ordinary workers in England and their struggles. Here, in the city that saw the birth of the Trade Union movement and where people fought for universal suffrage, this museum makes a lot of sense. You would also have liked to visit The Whitworth Museum for its architecture, renovated in 2015, which now mixes brick walls and ice galleries. Inside there are historical works that have been there since the creation of the institute in 1897 (Blake and Turner among others) but also more contemporary artists such as Pissaro, Van Gogh, Degas or Gauguin.
If you like libraries very much, there are two that are worth a visit and to which I would like to return. One is the great John Rylands Library. On the outside this Victorian style building looks like a church, on the inside it’s very Harry Potter. Typically the kind of library you would expect to find in England! I also liked the period toilets, made of wood and white ceramics. At the moment there is an exhibition on the Women who shaped Manchester. The good news is that it got recently refurbished.
For the daredevils
For the people that like a bit more of a pulse-racing excitement there is a bunch of great casino’s. There’s the Manchester235 for example. If you’re into the Las Vegas style casinos this is one of the top ones on the British Isles, with great cocktails, good food and all the classic games you can wish for. If you’re looking for traditional class the Grosvenor has to be your establishment of choice. A prohibition style bar with classy restaurants and a nicely brushed off casino. Relive the 40’s in this place! For the people that would like to enjoy casino games from the comfort of their home we recommend to have a look on a specialised website like Betiton, amongst others. You get a welcome bonus when you sign up and one of the great advantages is that it’s safe and accessible from either your computer or smartphone.
Just strolling
Castlefield is the area you don’t expect to find at all in Manchester. It’s a small residential village situated on the banks of interlocking canals. Here you can stroll quietly to the sound of passing trains and to the rhythm of barges that park or those that take the road again! There is a brooklynesque atmosphere under the bridges of Castlefield.
There are many addresses which bloom a little everywhere through the city. Everyone likes Gindsmith on Deansgate. If you like the Breaking Bad series then don’t miss the portrait of Walter White by the Manchester street artist Akse which adorns its walls. You can take a walk and have a coffee from Pot Kettle Black, located in a place that deserves a visit. It is in the heart of Barton Arcade, a passage to Victorian architecture in which I stopped only too little. It is a recommended address for weekend brunches.
