Manchester

Cosmopolitan, colourful Manchester is the shopping and entertainment centre of North-West England. Boasting the busiest international airport outside the London area, and excellent motorway and rail links, it’s easily reached from elsewhere in Europe and a seriously super spot for a short break.

Manchester is a vibrant testimony to urban regeneration (arguably the best in Europe), offering a fresh take on Britain’s industrial heritage. One symbol of this is Salford Quays on the Ship Canal - capable of taking the hugest cargo and passenger ships: narrow-boat cruises by day and evening reveal its past, but now the Quays are buzzing with hotels, shops and restaurants – and iconic attractions such as the Imperial War Museum and the award-winning steel-and-glass The Lowry, boasting state-of-the-art theatres and art galleries, one celebrating the mills and back-to-back houses of the past - populated by local artist L.S. Lowry’s characteristic ‘matchstick men’.

At Deansgate Locks, another testament to urban regeneration, spaces under the arches are overflowing with bars, clubs and cafés, including the interestingly-named club-of-the-year Sankey’s Soap. Here, too, is the best stand-up-comedy venue outside London: the Comedy Store, birthplace of many of today’s leading artistes: enjoy an evening studying the British sense of humour. Canal Street is nearby, focus of Britain’s friendliest and liveliest gay quarter.

Manchester’s rise from economic doldrums to blossom as a tourism and business centre does not mean exorbitant prices, either! You’ll find street markets and shopping malls offering local crafts alongside designer labels: have a look for brightly hand-painted canal ware – household goods in the style of the old bargees as objets d’art – and maybe take home a mini-kettle or watering can; hunt out hand-woven woollens in next-season’s colours, fresh from the loom; and look for places to try local dishes.

Manchester is a city with a marvellous ethnic mix: not for nothing is Wilmslow Road known as ‘Curry Mile’, complete with Asian markets, jewellery and sari shops adding brilliancy, while just across town around Faulkener Street is Britain’s largest Chinatown – in Manchester ‘local’ means any flavour cuisine you fancy, including Britain’s designer-chefs Gary Rhodes and Paul Heathcote and superb continental fare. Each October sees the city’s Food Festival, guaranteed to set the taste-buds alive. But the traditional staple of fish and chips and mushy (mashed) peas is a must to try, as is Lakeland lamb and an appetising stew of salted beef, potato and herbs – Lobscouse. Don’t be put off by the name ‘Wet Nellie’ – it’s a delicious cake!

Manchester has a proud brewing tradition, with four traditional family-run breweries; pubs are great for budget dining - perhaps accompanied by local brew from Thwaites or Hydes. And sports fans could time their visit to enjoy a home match of Manchester United FC (and the new National Football Museum is in nearby Preston), though the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ is worth a visit even when there’s no game scheduled.

The music and theatre scene in Manchester is a rival to London’s West End: Bridgewater Hall attracts first-rate international classical musicians as the Opera House does singers, while many musicals and straight plays transfer from London to the Palace or the super-stage at the Lowry. In addition to this the contemporary music culture of the city has had a large impact over the past few decades producing such internationally acclaimed bands as New Order, the Smiths, the Stone Roses and Oasis.

Whatever the season and whatever the weather, getting about in Manchester is quite straightforward: buses are frequent and inexpensive and there are modern trams, too. The city is a railway hub linking it with the rest of England, into Scotland and Wales. Look for off-peak bargain fares and special tourist tickets.

If trains (not to mention planes and automobiles and engines in general) are your thing, then a visit to the Museum of Science and Industry is a must, built into the oldest passenger railway station in the world. Looking forward as well as backward, this museum houses some amazing gadgets and there are buttons galore to push, making a great interactive experience for all ages.

Interaction is the name for many of Manchester’s nicest places to stay: they take hospitality and good service very seriously. You’ll find a wide range of accommodation on offer, ranging from the two Travel Inns - a comfortable budget option, to the Manchester Thistle and the Marriott resort at Worsley Park.

If there is a single ‘must-do’ for Manchester, then in my book is has to be a trip to the top of the Urbis tower: this signature building in the city’s Millennium Quarter (and oh-so-visible proof of Manchester’s recent rebirth) has the stylish Le Mont restaurant and a museum of urban life reached by breath-taking glass lift: one look at the panoramic view will confirm that this is a city with something for everyone!

Out and about: on the threshold of the Pennine hills (Brontë territory), near Liverpool (Merseyside, its stunning waterfront, modern cathedral - and the Beatles!) plus the lovely Lake District (Beatrix Potter country) and Blackpool, England’s liveliest seaside resort, with amazing electrical illuminations each autumn – Manchester is well placed for all these and more.