|
Services:
Attractions Contact Us Disclaimer Travel Directory Pictures Town and City Guides Home Page
Hotels By Country:
Channel Isles Hotels |
ManchesterLocation: Manchester, North West England, UKPopulation: 392,000 Tourist Information Office: Tourist Information Office, Manchester Visitor Centre, Town Hall Extension, Lloyd House, Manchester, M60 2LA Shopping: Manchester City Centre is the main shopping centre for the North West. The prime retailing area is based around the pedestrianised Market Street and one of Europe's largest shopping malls, the Arndale Centre. Most major high street stores are located here. In a recent study, Manchester was found to be the UK's second most popular location for retailers outside London; this is confirmed by the success of the area around Deansgate, King Street, St Ann's Square and the Victorian Barton Arcade, which have brought in top names in high fashion such as Armani, Boss, Vidal Sassoon, Westwood and DKNY. City Centre shopping facilities have been targeted for environmental improvements, and the growth of complimentary businesses, such as café bars, has further increased attractiveness for shoppers. Consequently, smaller scale and specialist retail areas around the core are also flourishing, such as the southern end of Deansgate and Oldham Street/Tib Street. There is a good choice, however, of other places to shop. Two large retail parks lie just outside the City Centre, which focus on the sale of bulky goods such as electrical appliances and toys. Manchester also supports 15 district shopping centres, and 21 local centres (with 25 or more shops), which put essential - and sometimes specialist - shops within easy reach of all. Outside of the City Centre is the Trafford Centre, opened in September 1998, and within easy access of Manchester by car along the M602 and the M60 motorways - about 15 minutes drive. This has all shopping facilities as well as a considerable range of leisure activities all under one roof, with parking for more than 10,000 vehicles. Nightlife: Manchester offers an almost overwhelming choice of pubs, clubs and bars, from the very chic to the very laid-back. The in-crowd flock to Deansgate Locks on the city outskirts. Here, cool little bars cluster under the arches of the railway bridge. The Quays also offers sophisticated venues and the city centre is filled with traditional pubs, smart cafés and trendy new bars. For laid-back evenings, the boho Northern Quarter is the place to head for and of Manchester's 150 clubs, the offering here is among the most cutting edge. The best late night watering holes can be found in the Gay Village. World-famous entertainers of pop and rock come to the Manchester Evening News Arena. The Bridgewater Hall, home to the Halle and BBC Philharmonic, features classical music with a complimentary programme of world music. Dubbed the 'West End of the North', The Palace and Opera House is the venue for opera, ballet and hit musicals. The Royal Exchange, The Library Theatre and the two theatres of The Lowry present the best classical and contemporary drama. Eating Out: Greater Manchester now has more entries in the Good Food Guide than any other location outside London, making it the natural choice for anyone who loves excellent food, fantastic beers and wine, and cool, stylish places to simply hang out. There is a world of flavours on offer. You can eat Japanese, Italian, Indian, Korean, Spanish, Armenian, Chinese or even traditional English food in Manchester at a huge number of restaurants. There are big name chefs in Manchester, too. Raymond Blanc's Le Petit Blanc recently opened with a fanfair, joining equally distinguished offerings from Paul Heathcote, Terence Conran and Steven Saunders. The world famous Yang Sing restaurant in Chinatown is a must on any food lover's itinerary, while the growing number of Canalside bars serve good food alongside gorgeous beers to reinforce Manchester's distinct fusion of food, fashion and fun. Attractions: Sportcity The Sportcity complex in East Manchester has superb sports venues and facilities: * The City of Manchester Stadium * An indoor and outdoor tennis centre * An indoor and outdoor athletics facility * England's National Squash Centre * The National Cycling Arena These facilities hosted elite athletes during the Commonwealth Games in the summer of 2002 and can now be enjoyed by the public. The City of Manchester Stadium became home to Manchester City Football Club in August 2003. Manchester Cathedral Manchester Cathedral welcomes visitors every day. Come and look around some of the finest medieval carving in Europe and a whole wall of twentieth-century stained glass by the artist Anthony Hollaway. Try and catch a daily service and hear some of the best choral music in town! G-Mex Created out of the former Central Railway Station, G-Mex is one of Europe's most exciting exhibition and events centres. It plays host to a whole programme of shows, sporting events and sell out concerts. The Museum of Science and Industry The museum is partly based in the buildings of the oldest passenger railway station in the world. The huge, 7½ acre site has five historic buildings packed with fascinating exhibitions, hands-on galleries, historic working machinery and superb special exhibitions. Manchester Art Gallery After a four year, £35 million transformation, Manchester Art Gallery has now re-opened. The gallery houses one of the world's finest collections of art, displayed in spectacular surroundings. As well as the impressive works of art, there are fun interactives and special exhibitions to enjoy. Cornerhouse Manchester's lively centre for international cinema and visual arts. Its three galleries exhibit contemporary art, sculpture and photography. Three cinema screens show a wide variety of independent films. Plus bar, cafés and bookshop. Local Transport: Extensive integrated transport network of local buses, plus tram system. National Rail connections to all parts of the UK. International Airport. Accommodation: Manchester hosts a number of hotels and guest houses throughout the City as well as offering self catering accommodation. Our Rating: 
|
|
|
AccommoGator is part of the Gator Solutions Network of Travel Sites. Our other sites: Best Guest Houses Directory, Top Edinburgh Hotels, Top London Hotels, Top Manchester Hotels, Top Torquay Hotels, Top York Hotels |
