This list of places to see in Manchester will help you make the most of your time in the north of England's most important city.
The world's first industrialised city and a key player in the Industrial Revolution, cosmopolitan Manchester has recently become a fashionable destination for tourists thanks to its extensive cultural and leisure offerings, well-kept parks, football, traditional pubs, music and lower prices than London.
Although you can visit all the city's tourist attractions in one or two days, if you have more time, Liverpool, another of England 's must-see cities, is only half an hour away by train.
The best time to visit Manchester, as in the rest of the UK, is between May and October when temperatures are more pleasant and rainfall is less intense.
As one of the perfect cities to visit in Europe for an exciting and fun weekend away, here's a list of the must-see places to visit in Manchester.
1. John Rylands Library
One of the best things to do in Manchester is to enter the beautiful neo-Gothic Victorian style John Rylands University Library for free, where you'll feel like you're inside a Harry Potter book or film.
Inside this Gothic cathedral-like building filled with old books and magical nooks and crannies, you'll find unique works such as the Fragment of St John, believed to be the oldest extant text of the New Testament, first editions of Dickens' novels, still in their original wrappers, and a first edition of Shakespeare's sonnets, among many others.
Other libraries worth visiting in the city include the Central Library, housed in a circular neoclassical building, and Chetham's Library, the oldest library in the country with several memorable rooms.
A good way to learn about the history of the city and its most important sites is a free, English-guided tour of Manchester, which starts in front of the Central Library.
Visiting hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm; Sundays and Mondays from 12pm to 5pm.
2. Manchester City Hall
Another of the most beautiful places to see in Manchester is the Town Hall, an impressive neo-Gothic Victorian building, located in the central Albert Square.
Completed in 1877, the building has a magnificent exterior façade of sculpted stone with an 87-metre-high clock tower that bears some resemblance to London's Big Ben.
The interior, which will not be open to the public until 2024 due to building work, is no less beautiful with several ceremonial rooms such as the Sculpture Hall and the Great Hall, decorated with murals by Ford Madox Brown depicting the history of the city from Roman times to the industrial revolution. There is also a free entrance to a tea room that will take you back to Victorian times for a moment.
After visiting the Town Hall you can go to Albert Square to see the Albert Memorial, a Gothic-style pavilion built in memory of Queen Victoria's husband.
Visiting hours: Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. Guided tours are available on Tuesdays and Sundays and can be booked on this page.
3. Northern Quarter
From Piccadilly Gardens, a meeting point for tourists and locals, you can start a tour of the Northern Quarter, the most alternative neighbourhood to visit in Manchester.
In this increasingly trendy area, you'll find everything from street art and graffiti to bars, restaurants, tattoo and piercing parlours and all kinds of vintage and independent shops where you'll find unique pieces.
Among its most famous and atmospheric streets is the picturesque Oldham St., where there are plenty of handmade clothes shops and restaurants where you can sample food from all over the world.
Some of the more original shops include Retro Rehab clothing shop, Den furniture store, vintage shop Café Pop and Oklahoma Bazaar, but the best known is Affleck's Palace, a five-storey building of alternative shops.
A good way to make sure you don't miss anything important in this neighbourhood and learn about its history is to book this alternative tour or this one that includes entrance to the Manchester City stadium, both with an English speaking guide.
4. Old Trafford
For any football fan, Old Trafford Stadium, also known as the "Theatre of Dreams", is one of the must-see places in Manchester.
This legendary 76,000-seater stadium has been home to Manchester United, one of the world's most famous and successful football teams for over 110 years, which has had some of the country's greatest players such as Bobby Charlton, George Best and David Beckham in its ranks.
If your visit does not coincide with a match day, the best option to see the inside of the stadium is to book this tour of just over an hour, always accompanied by a guide, which will take you through a tunnel to the pitch and the dugout area, passing through the changing rooms and ending in the museum, where you will find all the club's trophies.
To get to the stadium you can take the blue or purple tram lines from Picadilly Gardens.
Remember that if you are a Manchester City fan you can take this tour inside the Etihad Stadium.
Visiting hours: Monday to Saturday from 09:30h to 17h and Sundays from 10h to 16h.
5. Cathedral, one of the best places to see in Manchester.
Entering the interior of the Cathedral, a medieval church that dates back to 1215, is another of the best things to do in Manchester for free.
This Victorian-era church, which was enlarged and restored after being bombed during World War II, impresses with its Gothic façade and unique tower.
Inside, the early 16th century choir with its beautifully carved wooden choir stalls, the pulpit and the colourful stained glass windows are striking.
Visiting hours: daily from 8.30am to 6.30pm.
Our recommended hotel in Manchester
Our recommended accommodation in Manchester is the ibis Styles Manchester Portland, located in the heart of the city centre, right opposite Piccadilly Gardens and just 300 metres from the train station. In addition to its great location, the hotel has a 24-hour reception, friendly and English-speaking staff, spacious rooms, good breakfast and one of the best value for money in the city.
6. Museums to visit in Manchester
As well as art galleries and temporary exhibitions, we recommend these museums with important collections:
Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI): a huge interactive museum where you can travel back in time on a steam train, see World War II aircraft, and learn about the evolution of science, technology and industry.
National Football Museum: A temple for every football fan, you'll be taken on a journey through 150 years of the greatest game in the world. You can book your ticket in advance here.
Manchester Museum: set in a beautiful neo-Gothic architectural ensemble, it has an important collection of natural history and other subjects.
Greater Manchester Police Museum: a former police station converted into a museum, which houses archives explaining the history of the city's police force.
Most of these museums are open daily from 10am to 5pm and are free of charge.
7. Chinatown
Another neighbourhood to visit in Manchester is Chinatown, the second largest Chinatown in the UK after Liverpool and the third largest in Europe.
A tour of this central neighbourhood should start at the typical Faulkner Street welcome arch known as Paifang, which was brought from China. Once you cross it, you will feel like you are in another China because of the large number of restaurants, supermarkets and shops from this country, as well as from other Asian countries such as Thailand, Japan, Vietnam, Nepal and Malaysia.
The best time to visit Chinatown is at night when the red lanterns are lit and the smells of Asian cuisine begin to envelop the atmosphere.
8. Castlefield
Castlefield, where the first Romans settled and where the Bridgewater Canal, considered to be the world's first industrial canal, was built, is another great thing to do in Manchester.
In addition to these two historical facts, the former Liverpool Road railway station was the terminus of the world's first passenger railway in 1830, linking Liverpool and Manchester. Today, this station is part of the Museum of Science and Industry.
Near this museum you can also see some of the remains of the ancient Roman city of Mamucium, today's Manchester, including a fort and several ruins.
To get to know this neighbourhood, walk along Deansgate Street, which passes in front of the 168-metre high Beetham Tower, one of the symbols of the city, until you reach the canal area where you can have a good pint in a traditional pub.
Castelfield, one of the places to visit in Manchester.
Recommended travel cardsRemember that to avoid paying commissions and to always have the current exchange rate we recommend you to use the Revolut card and the N26 card. They are the ones we use, they are free and they will save you a lot of money.
You can find more information in this article on the best cards for commission-free travel.
9. Shambles Square
One of the most charming places to visit in Manchester is Shambles Square, which has several medieval-style buildings and a large terrace, perfect for a drink in the open air at sunset.
Among the most famous pubs are The Old Wellington Inn, built in wood in 1552, and Sinclairs Oyster Bar, another of the buildings that survived World War II and an IRA bombing. On another side of the square is the Crown & Anchor pub and The Mitre Hotel, built in 1815.
A few metres from this area, known as The Triangle, is the Manchester Arndale, the most important shopping centre in the city, and a giant Ferris wheel with a certain resemblance to the London Eye.
10. Heaton Park
If you have enough time and want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, we suggest you take the yellow line tram to Heaton Park.
In this relaxing municipal park you can do everything from sports, picnics, stroll along the trails, take a boat ride on the lake or play golf on the 18-hole course.
In addition to these outdoor activities, the park has several points of interest such as Heaton Hall, a magnificent 18th century country house, and an ornamental circular temple, situated at the highest point in the city.
Map of things to do in Manchester
Want to organise a trip to Manchester?
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Book the best tours and excursions in Manchester in English here
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If you'd like to help us complete our list of the top 10 places to see in Manchester, add your own in the comments.
