Manchester: Innovator and world-shaper

Affectionately nicknamed "Ironopolis", Manchester had a huge impact on the modern world. This city is currently considered to be Britain's new cultural centre. 

Best time to visit for Manchester events

Manchester is an interesting city to visit, for its wide selection of events occurring all year round. The most popular is the magical Manchester Jazz Festival, which starts at the end of July and continues into the month of August for over 10 days. Attendees can experience various concerts, spread over a range of venues. The Manchester Food and Drink Festival is held in September, and the Manchester Literature Festival falls in September and October. In January and February, the city is brought to life with an explosion of colour and festivities by way of the Chinese New Year celebrations. 

Things to consider before you travel

The cost of living in Manchester is about the same as any other major UK cities, aside from London, which is more expensive. Visit the Manchester Information Visitor Centre at Piccadilly Plaza for advice on tourist attractions.   

Transportation and accommodation options 

Travelling from the Manchester airport railway station to Manchester Piccadilly takes around 15 minutes and costs about £4.50. The Metrolink also provides services to central Manchester. Fares cost around £4.50 and the journey time is approximately 35 minutes. The number 43 bus also travels to the city centre and taxis take about 25 minutes. Taxi ranks are situated at terminal 1 and prices cost around £18. 

If on a budget, you should be able to find accommodation for around £15 a night per person, although you'll be sharing a room. With a little more to spend, you can book a 3 star hotel, for approximately £60 a night per person.

Most of the city's sights can be explored on foot, although public transport in Manchester is reliable and efficient. The Metroshuttle bus provides services across three major central areas, free of charge. Stagecoach buses cost around £1.50, and all day tickets for the tram cost around £5. The "any bus day ticket" and "system one" ticket can be purchased from TfGM and are both valid on all of the buses, irrespective of the operator. Taxis in Manchester are a lot cheaper than those in London, although traffic in the city centre is slow moving.