A guide by LennyLennyLenny
It's an easygoing exploration of the architectural sights of Manchester city centre. Will also take you past some very nice bars, restaurants and shops.
Be spontaneous if you can and pick a sunny day, start at about 11am. Manchester doesn't get much more rain than most of the Southern English cities (and certainly less than Wales, Scotland and South West England) so there should be plenty of opportunities!
Start at Sackville Street and explore that area first. There are some magnificent buildings and if you are new to the city you will find yourself confused - it often reminds me of continental European cities (particularly northern Europe) with its mix of rich Victorian and gothic styles. Walk through Canal Street (Gay Village) as well, not far from Sackville Street and make your way towards Oxford Road.
Take a look at the magnificent Palace Hotel and have a drink at the Cornerhouse bar (on the first floor) which also gives a good view of the surrounding hustle and bustle. Then head towards the Central Library (the round pantheon-like building next to the Town Hall) and have a good look at the surroundings. You will be stunned by the variety of styles and ages of the architecture. Explore the various side streets around there and the Town Hall.
Then head to Cross Street and walk down towards Victoria Station from the top of Cross Street (where it crosses Princess Street/John Dalton Street). You will go past the various shops and bars. But when you first get to Cross Street, have a coffee at Caffe Nero near the start: to me it feels like Milan in Manchester!
Once you get to the end of Cross Street you are at the heart of the city centre main shops: Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, all that is in that area. Have a look at Urbis and Victoria Station, which you can spot from the area behind Selfridges (it has a big screen across a shopping centre called the Triangle). If you are hungry by then, try a late lunch at Wagamama (outside the Printworks, across the road from Urbis). From there walk past Harvey Nichols which is by the Manchester Cathedral and head towards St Anne's Square to take in the continuing varied architecture. You have a medieval looking church (St Anne's I think) in the middle of a Victorian architecture shopping centre.
Just before the church is the Royal Exchange Theatre in the middle of the square to the left. Go in and have a look. When you are inside the main building and look up at the very tall ceiling, you will be stunned! I won't spoil the surprise though. Anyway, go up to King Street past the Church, explore the boutiques and then take a right and head to Deansgate (a few yards’ walk) and then turn left and head towards the new Beetham Tower skyscraper.
Once you get there, there is a nice restaurant called Dimitri's that does Spanish and Greek Food. If it's summer sit outside at the back. It's lovely. And then finally finish your architectural walking tour by transporting yourself thousands of years back to Roman times at the Roman ruins and remains of the old wall just off Liverpool Road (which is where the Museum of Science and Industry is). From Deansgate, if you are tired of walking, you can get the number 2 free bus that takes you back to just outside the Cornerhouse - not far from where you started at 11 am!
If you're feeling lazy but still want to have a look around the city centre, take the number 2 free bus. It goes in a loop around the city centre so you could hop on and off because they go every 10 minutes or so during the daytime. There are two other free routes (1 and 3) but they are not as good for sightseeing as No 2.
You can catch it from outside Victoria station, Oxford Road station and various stops along the route (for example Hulme street near the BBC, anywhere along Deansgate, by Marks & Spencers at the bottom of market street).
This imposing building on the edge of the Salford Quays is made up of huge shards designed to represent a globe fragmented by war. Architect Daniel Libeskind, who also created the Jewish museum in Berlin, knows how to make an impact with his stark aluminium design and dramatic angular lines.
Inside, exhibitions centre around a timeline and feature traditional artifacts alongside interactive material, with giant screens and surround sound films bringing the harsh realities of war to life. There's a good section on the role of women at war, but perhaps, most harrowing is the collection of letters sent home from soldiers on the front line.
Climb or take the lift to the top of the air shard which shoots up from the main building for an impressive view of Manchester's cityscape and beyond.
Free admission
Open 10-6
Trafford Wharf Road, Trafford Park, Manchester M17 1TZ
www.northiwm.org.uk
Cinemas, galleries, bars, general arty hangout and good value meals, all under one roof. Great place to catch more interesting films, or just to have a quiet drink.
Oxford Road, right by the station.
A Manchester institution, serving students and other fans on this site since 1972. Delicious old-skool wholesome and filling veggie and vegan food, with some lighter alternatives these days, legendary salad dressing. They aren't shy about putting their recipes on the web so you can make them in slightly smaller quantities at home. There's a great food shop upstairs, too.
Eighth Day,
111 Oxford Road,
Manchester,
M1 7DU.
www.eighth-day.co.uk
9.30am 'til 7.30pm Monday to Saturday
Closed Sundays and Bank Holidays
Unique triangular shaped pub dressed in garish green tiles. This pub is an insitution in Manchester. Three contrasting rooms surround a central bar area from which great Guinness and fine ales are dispensed. This pub has a local feel for a city centre pub with the usual suspects propping up the bar and passing trade all getting along famously.
Great Bridgewater Street, close to Oxford Road and Deansgate stations.
Manchester is too flat for great views. But the town hall tower always offers a lofty welcome as you head down hill on Bury New Road. There will soon be wonderful vertiginous views from the top of the Beetham Tower, a 47-storey (157m) hotels and apartments block now rising at the end of Deansgate.
Town Hall Extension (off St Peter's Square), Lloyd Street; tel: 0161 234 3157
Nice quirky but chilled out pub, in an area usually dominated by student dives punting cheap vodka. Good music, regular DJ and poetry reading nights, good beer and the nicest food - the panninis are brilliant and portions are gigantic!
2a, Landcross Rd, Fallowfield, Manchester, Lancashire M14 6NA
Tel: 0161 224 0467
It is on a small side street just off Wilmslow Road beside the Cheshire Cat.
As an Aussie who lived in Manchester for 5 years, the only answer to the prepackaged lunch ordeal had to be, Shlurp!
Tucked away on Brazennose Street, opposite the town hall, Shlurp offers wonderful homemade soups, tasty salads and wonderful wraps - all made on the premises daily. It also serves the best coffee in Manchester - coming from a Melbourne-born coffee snob, that title is not lightly bestowed!
Lucy, who owns and runs Shlurp is passionate about food and people - what a combination!
The food is affordable and fresh, give Shlurp a go and say hi to Lucy from Claudine!
Unit 2, Brazennose House
East Brazennose Street
Manchester, M2 5BP
www.shlurp.co.uk
Has to be a tram. Ride with a rumble and a hoot from St Peter’s Square, up the slope by the G-Mex exhibition centre and on to the Lowry cultural centre by the Manchester ship canal in Salford. Cross over to Daniel Libeskind’s Imperial War Museum North and then ride back.
A cool restaurant and bar tucked down an alley. Lovely laid back atmosphere, fantastic burgers, and really on-the-ball, friendly staff. They also have a lobster tank if you fancy something a bit upmarket!
5 Ridgefield, Manchester, M2 6EG
New restaurant on Cheetham Hill Road Manchester, Amazing, amazing curries and kebabs. I go there all the time and it gets better and better. Go and see for yourself.
www.kebabishoriginal-ch.co.uk
0161 834 4544 (Near Manchester Victoria Stn)
Just beside Dukes 92, this is marvellous outdoors when the weather allows. Very friendly staff, reasonably priced and tasty mediterranean food. All in all, a very attractive corner of Manchester.
20 Castle Street, Manchester. Tel. 0161 839 9818
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