A perfect city break in Manchester

Situated in the North-West of England, Manchester is an eclectic mix of the old and the new. It may not always have the best weather, but it is top of the list when it comes to friendly Northern charm and it’s openness to different ways of living and being.

Manchester became notable in the late 18th century, which was the time of the industrial revolution. It’s growth was propelled by cotton production and around this time it became known as ‘Cottonopolis’. To this day there are still many indictors to Manchester’s industrial past including the architecture.

Manchester has been my home city for 12 years, and the city has has experienced another period of evolution since I have called it home. There has been rapid economic and population growth here and this has led to regeneration in the city. In the last decade it has been one of the fastest growing cities in the World and with that has become a lot of investment. What this means for your city break is that you get to experience an exciting city that feels very alive!

Manchester is perfect for a city break if:

· You like a variety of activities; there really is something for everyone

· You want a busy, bustling atmosphere and vibe

· You like visiting a museum or two!

· You’re interested in architecture and want to see an eclectic mix of beautiful buildings with a whole lot of history!

Things to do on a Manchester city break

St Peter’s Square

Here you will find the beautiful central library built in 1934. The building itself is absolutely stunning and it is worth going inside just to have a look around, although you may not want to spend too much time in the library itself. Time is precious on a city break!

My advice would be to skip the café because there are better ones very close by, including the one at the art gallery (see below).

Manchester town hall is next to the central library and is currently undergoing a huge renovation. It is due to re-open in 2026. It really is a huge and beautiful building and I suspect it will be well worth the wait.

Opposite the central library you will find a bronze statue of Emmeline Pankhurst, who was key in the suffragette movement. Pankhurst was born in Manchester in 1858 and was a prominent supporter of women’s rights and contributed to women gaining the right to vote in the UK.

There are lots of places to sit in the square so it is a fantastic place to people watch especially on a sunny afternoon. The square is also a major tram stop and you will be able to catch the tram here to many places within the city.

Manchester Art Gallery

Just on the edge of St Peter’s square, Manchester Art Gallery is an interesting place to spend a couple of hours. They have a range of exhibits so it is possible to do a full tour or to choose what just what interests you. You will find maps on the ground floor to help you to navigate.

The gallery is closed on Mondays so you will need to take this into account if you are visiting for a city break. Entry is free with a donation suggested but this is not obligatory.

The café is also a great place for a coffee or lunch. It’s particularly good if you like soup or a fresh sandwich and has a range of vegetarian options.

John Ryland’s Library

John Rylands Research Institute and Library is a truly beautiful building to visit and have a look around. It opened in 1900 and is one of the finest examples of neo-gothic architecture in all of Europe. If I were to describe it, I’d say that in many ways it looks like a cathedral, but dedicated to books and learning. I’d say that this is a must see on your visit to Manchester!

The library is also free to enter and is open to the public Wednesday to Saturday. It’s worth saying that the entrance is to the left of the old building itself, and through a more modern glass building. I say this as I often see tourists trying to get into the front, which is not possible.

People’s Museum

The People’s History Museum is another great option, and is around 11 minutes walk from St Peter’s Square. The museum is very interesting  if you are into history, politics or want to be amazed at what ordinary people have been able to achieve. There are themes around equality and social justice across the displays and these can be very inspiring to learn about.

It is also free to enter and is closed on Tuesdays.

Manchester Museum 

Manchester Museum underwent a multi-million pound renovation recently and re-opened its doors in 2023. There’s a lot to love about it, including the range of exhibits and the beautiful building situated at Manchester University.

The museum is located around 25 minutes walk from St Peter’s Square, or can be reached by bus. If you like coffee I’d highly recommend University Green – Bold Street Coffee before or after your visit.

It really is possible to spend a full day at Manchester Museum so factor this in to your city break. Popular permanent collections include Egypt and Sudan, Zoology and of course dinosaurs!

The museum is free to enter and is closed on Mondays.

Castlefield viaduct

Castlefield Viaduct is a Victorian viaduct which has very recently been turned into a garden by the National Trust. The project is very much in it’s early stages but is free to enter and is well worth a visit, especially on a sunny day.

It’s open Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 5pm and is a few minutes’ walk from Deansgate station.

Shopping

There’s no doubt that Manchester has world class shopping and there are two shopping centres to choose from.

Check out the Arndale Centre in the City Centre, and the Trafford Centre a few miles out of town. The Trafford Centre has ample parking and can also be reached via tram from town (including from St Peter’s Square).

If you are coming to Manchester for a city break then you do not need to visit both shopping centres. Most tourists tend to prefer visiting The Trafford Centre because it is quite unique and is also fully undercover, so is good for a rainy day. Personally I’d rather shop in the city centre, not solely in the Arndale centre, but you will find many great shops in the surrounding areas. Also there are much better options for restaurants and coffee shops in the city centre, so it’s better when you need a pit stop!

Restaurants 

Best for British food – Mr Thomas’s Chop House

If you are looking for traditional British cuisine in a historic building, I’d highly recommend Mr Thomas’s Chop House.

This restaurant and bar is located in Manchester’s only remaining Baroque building. It was historically a place for business negotiations to take place and really has a sense of historical grandeur to it. You can go here for just a drink, but the food is really excellent here. They serve traditional British dishes including fish and chips, steak and a range of pies.

Best for Pizza – Franco Manca

If you enjoy pizza, then Franco Manca is a great option. There are two branches in the city centre: one near Piccadilly gardens and one on King Street. I am not usually the biggest fan of pizza, but Franco Manca is always delicious.

Best for Afternoon Tea – The Radisson Blu Edwardian

Afternoon tea is a British classic. If you are looking for the best afternoon tea, it has to be in the library of the Radisson Blu. The setting is beautiful here, but more importantly the cakes and sandwiches are the highest quality: fresh and delicious.

The best skybars in Manchester

Cloud 23 is Manchester’s original skybar located on the 23rd Floor of Beetham Tower – the home of the Hilton Hotel. Cloud 23 is legendary for its cocktails and afternoon tea with panoramic views over the city. It can get very busy here so I would always recommend that you book your table in advance.

Another option for great views is 20 Stories – Restaurant and Bar – Manchester. Again this is a great place for a cocktail and is super-instagrammable!

Both are excellent options and so it is hard to recommend one over the other. I’d say that 20 stories can attract more of a younger crowd particularly on a Saturday so if this is not what you’re looking for go for Cloud 23.

Manchester Gin Experience

For something a bit different I would thoroughly recommend the Distillery tour & guided tasting. Not only do you get a refreshing G&T, and the opportunity to try 5 different gins, you get to hear the story of how Manchester Gin was founded and an introduction to how the gins are made. The tours are led by charismatic individuals who are great at making it fun and keeping you engaged!

Things to do outside of the City Centre

There is so much to do around the Manchester region. These are my highlights and the most popular attractions.

Altrincham Market

Dating back to around 1290, Altrincham market is a truly historic building which now houses 10 independent food retailers. It was refurbished in 2014 and has since brought a new lease of life to the town. Historically Altrincham was part of Cheshire and not greater Manchester, and the architecture here is quite different to the city centre. It is very typical of a traditional market town in Cheshire and the market hall itself is a great example of this.

The best days to visit the market are Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays when there are additional stalls as well as the standard food vendors. On these days you will find gift stalls, flowers and even antiques.

The market has indoor and outdoor seating and you order food via an app. Whilst the food is great from each the vendors, my personal bugbear is that food can tend to arrive at different times, even if you order from the same venue. One way around this is to order sharing plates, which also means you can try a bit from a few of the vendors which is nice if you are visiting from afar.

Quarry Bank Mill

Quarry Bank is a great place for a day trip. It’s a historic cotton mill which has been restored as a museum by the National Trust.   As well as the mill itself which is incredibly interesting, there are huge gardens to explore.

The museum provides an insight into Manchester’s history of cotton production and trade. The machinery has been restored to working order and is very interesting to understand and see in action. The museum doesn’t shy away from the difficult aspects of this history including child labour and slavery, so it is a humbling place to visit.

It is located 12 miles South of the City Centre and it’s easiest to access by car. However it can be reached by direct train from Manchester Piccadilly station, to the nearest station Styal. The station is around half a mile away from Quarry Bank so will be a 10 to 15 minute walk.

There are a couple of options when it comes to local parks and natural spaces in South Manchester, namely Dunham Massey, Tatton Park and Quarry Bank Mill. Out of the three, I personally would choose Quarry Bank Mill because of the museum and history and because I think it is prettier. The only exception is if you want to see deer roaming freely, which case Tatton Park is the best option.

Football ground tours

Manchester is world famous for it’s football teams. I have done a tour of Old Trafford and it was interesting but I am not a huge football fan, so it wouldn’t be my first choice of activity. However these are very popular attractions in my city and so it felt wrong not to include them in my city break itinerary.

For Manchester United, you can take a tour of Old Trafford. For Manchester City, you can take a tour of the Etihad stadium.

Both grounds are easily accessible by tram from the city centre.

Where to stay for a city break in Manchester

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There are lots of great hotel options in the city centre. My favourites are:

The Midland Hotel which is right next to St Peter’s Square so can’t be beaten in terms of location. It opened in 1903 and the building maintains it’s historic charm and character. Rooms are large, comfortable and clean. It is extra special around Christmas time when they have a beautiful Christmas tree in the lobby.

Earlier in the article I mentioned Cloud 23, the sky bar at the Hilton Deansgate. If you get the opportunity I’d very much recommend staying at the Hilton on your visit to Manchester. It’s a great location, the rooms have epic views over the city and you get the amazing service that you would expect to receive at a Hilton hotel. You also get to stay in an iconic building that many people associate with Manchester. There is a swimming pool in the hotel and if you stay in an executive room you will have access to the executive lounge, which is on the same floor as Cloud 23.

When is the best time for a city break in Manchester?

Manchester has many positives but unfortunately the weather is not one of them. It is often rainy and grey here but is beautiful when the weather is better.

To have the best chance of sunny (or at least dry) weather, it is best to visit late May to September. As well as better weather, the city is generally quieter because:

• local people leave the city for their summer holidays
• Manchester is a University city and so there are fewer students around in the summer months
• The football season is over and so the city centre is less congested

This makes summer an ideal time for exploring and sightseeing. One caveat is that there can be more outdoor concerts locally in the summer months so hotel prices can spike around these events, so take this into account when planning your city break.

If you visit in May, you may interested in Manchester Jazz Festival where there will be events all over the city. Some of these are free so well worth looking into if you like Jazz music.

If you visit in November or December you will have the opportunity to visit the Christmas markets, which are brilliant. However prepare yourself for cold weather and bring lots of layers!

Last but not least: 

If you’re feeling hedonistic – go for a delicious curry in Manchester’s legendary ‘Curry Mile’. Located in Rusholme, a few miles from the city centre, there are around 70 restaurants here including Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi. It’s easy to get a bus here from the city centre, using Google Maps to navigate. Prices in the restaurants are generally very affordable.

If you want a sense of accomplishment – Make sure you wear a pedometer or Fitbit when exploring the city. Its easy to clock up 15,000+ steps exploring so you’ll have definitely earned a cocktail or piece of cake by the end of the day!

Reasons to be optimistic – I’m going to get very philosophical with this one; Spending time in the city helps you to appreciate the mix of old and new. When you’ve lived here long enough you get to see restaurants shutting down and new ones taking their place. The city is like a living thing, and I love how it reminds me of how endings are also a new beginning.

Please note our destination guides contain personal recommendations and not professional advice