Manchester is known worldwide as the first industrialized city in the
world, but the city also has an important cultural and musical offer.
legacy. The city’s role in showcasing innovative punk bands in the
70s and 80s underground music cemented Manchester’s reputation
as a modern and vibrant area.

The city’s nightlife, restaurants and cultural facilities rival the
from the capital city, and the shopping facilities are second to none.
Millions of pounds of regeneration funds have been flooded in since the
IRA bomb of 1996, and the city developed world-class sports
facilities for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

The continuing rise in importance of Manchester is evidenced by the new
Beetham Tower, the UK’s tallest residential building and ‘B of
the Bang’, the tallest sculpture in Britain.

History

Manchester was the first industrialized city in the world. Frederick
Engels wrote his 1844 treatise “The Condition of the Working Class in
England’ while living in the city; and Elizabeth Gaskell was just one
of the authors of illustration to set novels in Manchester.

The Manchester Museum explores local and national history, and features
an incredible 6 million displays. Exhibits are separated by theme, and
these include anthropology, archaeology, botany, and zoology.

Other museums include the Greater Manchester Police Museum, the Imperial War
Museum and Museum of Popular History.

Art Galeries

Mancheter Art Gallery is the largest of several galleries in the city,
housed in a 19th century Grade I listed building and exhibiting
works by local, national and international artists.

The Whitworth Gallery houses 31,000 watercolours, prints, drawings,
modern art, sculpture and textiles. Displayed items of the permanent
The collections rotate regularly and temporary exhibitions are organized
hosted frequently.

The Castlefield Gallery comprises numerous exhibition spaces, and
change screens regularly. Cornerhouse exhibits contemporary art
in its galleries, and the Center for the Urban Built Environment
explore innovative architectural design.

theaters

The Manchester Opera House is one of three theaters in the city
complex, and has a capacity of just under 2000 people. productions
hosted on-site tend to be large-scale traveling shows, and have
including West End shows.

The Palace Theater is 19th century, Grade II listed, and
including three levels, two balconies and stalls, with seating for 2,000
people. The Royal Exchange is also Grade II listed and specializes in
classical theatre, contemporary drama and new writing. the theater studio
It was opened in 1998 and has a capacity of 120.

The Library Theater is an intimate place, in the basement of the
Central Library. Others include The Dancehouse, The Contact Theater and
The Green Room.

Restaurants

110 Restaurant is a popular fine dining establishment, located within
a casino and serves British and European cuisine until 1 a.m. The bar
and the play areas are open until 6am and for legal reasons children
are not allowed inside the building.

Manchester’s ‘Curry Mile’ is known across the country and is home to
more than seventy restaurants and takeaways. Shaandaar, Hanaan and Lal
Haweli are popular Indian restaurants on ‘The Mile’, and Saki Turkish
Bar and Grill is much appreciated by the locals.

Wong Chu is a traditional Chinese restaurant; and Pan Asian more
upscale establishment serving Chinese, Japanese, Malaysian, Thai and
Vietnamese dishes. Chaophraya included a bar and gourmet Thai food.
restaurant, with capacity for 120 people.

Pubs/Bars

The Temple is one of Manchester’s 500 pubs, but unique in its location
inside a converted public toilet. There is a wide selection of authentic
beers, a unisex bathroom, and a jukebox stocked with the works of
Manchester bands.

The city’s cocktail bars include Panacea, with a restaurant and
selective door policy that attracts celebrities; Pure space, too
serving tapas and situated above a Northern Soul and funk club; Opus
One, inside the Radisson Edwardian Hotel 5*; and Mojo, presenting
classic rock from the 50s to the 90s.

Canal Street is home to a wide variety of lively gay bars. Queer got a ‘men
unique area and its own radio station in the bathroom; Tribeca & Bed is a
‘New York Attic’-style venue, with plush seating –
including full size beds; and Churchill’s presents karaoke and talent
quizzes in a traditional pub setting.

night clubs

One Central Street is located in the basement of a Grade II listed
building, and presents funky house and disco four nights a week. Tea
the door policy is selective, and the bar serves a variety of wines, beers
and cocktails.

Sankeys is an award winning deep house, funky house, tribal and break
beats club, with stylish décor and top-notch sound
system.

Essential is Manchester’s premier gay club, with a strict gay-only door
politics and a kitsch fashion decoration that includes a spiral
stairs and neon lighting. The club is open four nights a week, with
live music events on Mondays, commercial pop and funky house
the rest of the week.

5th Avenue is a popular indie club, open six nights a week until 3am.
Jilly’s Rockworld presents rock, metal and goth music four nights a
week, with live music on Wednesdays, and placed third on the Kerrang!
the best club nights in the UK.

Shopping

Most of Manchester’s abundant shopping streets are entirely pedestrianized and some of
the aisles are covered. The Shambles and King Street are the places
to find designer clothing boutiques; St Ann’s Arcade is home to a number
of prestigious jewelers, clothing and footwear stores; and Barton Arcade is
a commercial and office complex. The Arndale Center included 200 high
street shops and several restaurants, with parking for 2000 cars.

Covering an area the size of thirty football fields, and comprising
four separate shopping areas, the Trafford Center has been dubbed ‘a
temple of consumerism’. There is parking for 10,000 cars, numerous
leisure facilities and children’s play area. There is also a
Food hall of various kiosks, including a mini-Chinatown.

Sports

Manchester Aquatics Center is one of twenty leisure centers in the city, and
contains two 50-meter swimming pools, a gym, a training studio, a
health suite and loungers. There is a full schedule of classes and
groups, including ‘women only’ sessions.

The Ten Acres Astro Center includes an outdoor Astroturf field and
sports pavilion.

The main Olympic cycling track in the UK is the Manchester Velodrome, which
it also contains twelve netball courts, ten badminton courts and one
basketball court. Cycling classes are also available for adults and
kids.

Manchester Golf Club and The New North Manchester Golf Club are two of
fifteen golf courses in the area, both with eighteen holes.