Apartments and Guest Houses – finding accommodation in Manchester
Metropolitan Manchester is one of Europe’s most exciting cities and is ideal for a city break or short holiday. Manchester has much to offer in terms of attractions and history and
Mancunians are both proud and hospitable people. There are many hotels and hostels in Manchester to suit all budgets, and many are located in Manchester’s most hip and happening areas. Manchester is also just a stone’s throw from
Liverpool,
Sheffield and the
Peak District National Park. Why not plan a holiday in the north of England? Short-stay apartments are perfect for when you plan to visit several locations. Enjoying a few days in Manchester followed by time spent in the peaceful Peak District is an ideal way to enjoy two different sides to northern England.
Fun Facts
An unusually large amount of some of the world’s most famous bands formed in Manchester including Oasis, The Stone Roses, The Smiths, Simply Red and The Fall.
20 Nobel Prize winners have come from Manchester.
The first industrial city in the world was Manchester.
Manchester was originally called Derryfield.
Visiting Manchester
Manchester has much to offer visitors to the city. Its rich industrial history contains many ups and downs and there are several museums devoted to telling the city’s story.
The People’s History Museum chronicles the lives of Manchester’s working people over the past 100 years. It documents the first unions, known as guilds, and their struggle for democracy. There are plenty of interactive exhibits which make the subject matter far from dry.
The Manchester Museum is another of Manchester’s high quality museums and specialises in exhibits from the natural world and different cultures. The museum is huge and it’s worth spending a bit of time here. Both museums are free entry giving you the freedom to walk in and out at your leisure.
Pub Life
There is a large amount of pubs in the city centre and you’ll get a real feel for the Mancunian way of life.
57 Thomas Street in Manchester’s city centre is a good pub to start at. This pub is home to Manchester’s best known microbrewery, Marble Beers and specialises in keeping things simple and doing it well.
The Circus Tavern located on Great Portland Street is worth having a look at, even if you can’t get a seat. This pub is known as the smallest bar in Europe and until recently sold just one drink – Tetley’s beer!
Manchester Food
No trip to Manchester would be complete without a visit to the legendary
‘curry mile’, located in the Rushholme area. The road is famous for its large amount of restaurants, take-aways and kebab houses specialising in Middle Eastern and South Asian cuisine. If you’d like to taste some typical English food, we recommend you visit
Sam’s Chop House. Large portions of typical Northern-English food are served at this well-known eatery just north of the centre.
‘Bury Black Pudding’ is worth hunting down. This recipe has developed over centuries and the company pride themselves on their product. It is a typical
Lancashire delicacy – look out for sandwich shops selling black pudding sandwiches – delicious!
Manchester’s music scene
Manchester’s music scene is legendary. Ever since The Sex Pistols performed in the city in 1976, Manchester has forged a musical path no other city can keep up with. Those who were in attendance at the gig, most notably soon-to-be members of
Simply Red,
Joy Division,
The Smiths and
The Fall went on to change the face of music. Manchester continued to produce successful bands in the 1990s and 2000s, most notably
Oasis and Elbow. Mancunians are very proud of their musical history and there are many live music venues in the city where you can go and watch Manchester’s musical future in action. We recommend you visit The
Night and Day Café on Oldham Street, which hosts plenty of local bands and artists alongside more international acts. The café is small and the experience intimate. We also recommend you visit the
Führer Bunker, which hosts concerts in Manchester’s former industrial district of Salford. Bands play in a cage and it is the home of up-and-coming record label SWAYS. The
Manchester Apollo is one of Manchester’s mid-sized venues where you can watch international acts play. The Apollo is a former 1930s-style cinema and is well worth visiting if you enjoy watching performances in ornate settings. Many of Manchester’s most famous musicians still reside in the city and are very much in the public eye – keep an eye out for The Stone Roses’ Ian Brown, The Fall’s Mark E Smith and Happy Mondays singer Shawn Ryder!
Getting Around
Manchester Airport is located to the south of Manchester. The best way to get to the city centre from the airport is via the train system and the journey takes 20 minutes. Over 50,000 journeys are made on
Manchester’s Metro Link daily. The Metroshuttle service connects Manchester railway stations, shopping centres and businesses and there are three lines traversing the city centre. The best part about the Metroshuttle? It’s totally free! Manchester has two main train stations, Manchester Oxford Road and Manchester Picadilly. From these stations you can get to Sheffield and Liverpool within an hour. We also recommend you visit the seaside town of
Blackpool. There is a fantastic light show to experience called the Blackpool Illuminations which is held each autumn. Along the quaint seaside promenade you can see trams trundling along the seafront. Visit Manchester – the heart of Northern England!
£39per nightDouble Room in West Ferry Dockland, 5London, United Kingdom