This was published 5 years ago
Travel tips and advice for Manchester, England: The nine things you should do
Anyone with even a slight interest in football will probably find something to enjoy in Manchester's National Football Museum.Credit: Trabantos
THE ONE EDUCATION
The People's History Museum is all about the representation of the working classes in politics, which might not sound immediately rip-roaring, but it ends up being a charged insight into the development of Labour unions, democratic history and workers' demands for rights turning into political parties. The starting point is the Peterloo Massacre in 1819, where soldiers killed protesters demanding a greater say in the running of the country. See phm.org.uk
THE ONE LIBRARY
Chetham's Library is the oldest surviving public library in Britain, dating back to the 15th century. The likes of Marx, Engels and Daniel Defoe used to read in there, and entering feels like taking a trip into a time machine. Gothic arches, dark wood-beamed ceilings and shelves reaching towards the heavens combine with thousands of centuries-old, vellum-bound books. See library.chethams.com
THE ONE SHOPPING SPREE
The Manchester Craft and Design Centre on the edge of the Northern Quarter is inside an old fish and poultry market, which has been given over to jewellers, painters and ceramic artists. The studios double as shops, and while browsing around to see what's for sale, you're more than likely to find the creator huddled at the back in concentration, making more. See craftanddesign.com
THE ONE DRINK
The Northern Quarter's as much about the drinking and dining as the shopping, though, with several cocktail bars and craft beer joints to turn into a glorious pub crawl route. On the old-fashioned boozer side of the fence is the Port Street Beer House, which offers 19 taps, 14 of which are given over to rotating guest beers from across the north of England. Go experiment … See portstreetbeerhouse.co.uk
THE ONE MUSEUM
Anyone with even an inkling of interest in football will probably find something to enjoy in the National Football Museum (nationalfootballmuseum.com; adults £10) is equal parts nerdy and fun. The geekier parts have quizzes about FA Cup finals, and footage of legendary footballing moments on touch screens, but elsewhere you take part in a penalty shoot-out or try your hand at commentary. See nationalfootballmuseum.com
THE ONE STADIUM
Still on the football pilgrimage tip, Manchester is one of the world's great sporting cities, and a lot of that is down to Manchester United. Fans will lap up the behind-the-scenes tours at United's Old Trafford ground, heading into the changing rooms, press box and dugouts before finishing with an outrageously hagiographic museum. Non-fans will enjoy the insights into the logistics required to host a Premier League match. See manutd.com
THE ONE GOLF CLUB
Mini-golf is undergoing a long overdue renaissance, and it's places like the Junkyard Golf Club that can be thanked for it. Here, the courses are made from salvaged materials such as tyres and hub caps, with fibreglass sheep and cows thrown in for good measure. DJs play and craft beers, milkshakes and hot dogs are available to sustain golfers on their round. See junkyardgolfclub.co.uk
THE ONE MEAL
Evuna NQ brings a taste of Spain to the Northern Quarter, with maps of Spanish wine regions on the walls, and tasting flights that aim to show there's more to Spanish wine than iffy rioja. It's the sort of place you want to linger in, too, so tuck into the tapas – including Galician tuna pastries, beef and pork albondigas and more-ish chicken skewers – and make an evening of it. See evuna.com
THE ONE APARTHOTEL
Whitworth Locke, near the flamboyant cluster of gay bars on Canal Street, is a stylish conversion of a 19th-century cotton mill. It takes over what was once a side street, covering it with a glass atrium lobby and filling it with plants. The rooms go for urban loft living chic, with handy kitchenettes. Studios cost from £108. See lockeliving.com
ONE MORE THING
You can pay tribute to one of Manchester's greatest heroes in Sackville Gardens. There's a statue of Alan Turing, the godfather of computing, whose code-breaking work during World War II helped bring the conflict to a close.
MORE
David Whitley was a guest of Marketing Manchester.
Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter
Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now.