Mad Manchester
In the north of England you find its greatest city: Manchester. We will allow you a second to wipe up your spilt coffee before continuing. Manchester – yes Manchester, not London – is England’s finest city. Allow us to go in-depth and showcase everything this brilliant city has to offer, but before we do, let us elaborate a little more on the extravagant claim that London is inferior to Mancunian life.
London is a fantastic city, it really is. However, it is a city comprised of endless queues, overpriced food, really good landmarks – we try to be unbiased here – it is a city to be seen, not experienced. If you go to Manchester you soak everything up; something which in the sprawling metropolis of London is difficult to accomplish.
If you want to see what England’s all about then a trip to Manchester is without doubt the ideal destination for you. And with it being thesixth best city to live in Britain, perhaps you may even consider laying down roots.
Below, we will sell the city like it has never been sold before. Rather than focus on landmarks, which, admittedly, the city is short of, we will look at its sporting institutes, the music scene, nightlife, and other tourist hotspots.
Sport
The sport scene in Manchester is something that put it on the international map. We have to start with Manchester United. Not only are they the most successful football side domestically, but they are valued by Forbes as the third most valuable sports team
in the world, with a value of a whopping $2.8 billion. Last season, United were sub-par aftetr losing their beloved manager Sir Alex Ferguson to retirement, as his replacement – David Moyes – turned out to be hapless.
This season, however,new manager Louis van Gaal has got things back on track, and United look certainties to return to the Champions League. Their home ground, Old Trafford, is well worth a visit. Being one of the 75,000 fans watching players like Wayne Rooney, Angel Di Maria, and Juan Mata is certainly a magical experience, especially if Rooney continues scoring wonder goals like the one he recently produced against Aston Villa.
Across town you have United’s bitter rivals, Manchester City.
History has always seen City play a secondary role to their bitter rivals, but the arrival of Sheik Mansour in the summer of 2008 has changed everything. With a wealth estimated to be over £20 billion, Mansour has turned City from perennial losers into title challengers; City are currently the defending Premier League champions. City play their games at the Etihad Stadium, which, although considerably smaller than Old Trafford, is a sublime stadium and a real architectural triumph. The sports village that the stadium is located in is awe inspiring.
Just down the road from Old Trafford, is another Old Trafford. Again, this is another impressive stadium, especially by cricket standards. This Old Trafford is the home to cricket side Lancashire, one of the oldest cricket sides in the English game. With the renovations of the stadium now complete, it is now a stadium on the cutting edge of modernity, enabling the stadium to host international games once again. If you have never spent the day at the cricket then you are missing out. Picture this: it is a glorious summer evening, there is some pulsating Twenty20 cricket going on at the crease and you have an ice cold beer in your hand, bliss doesn’t quite cut it.
Rugby also plays an important role in Manchester’s sporting DNA. In Rugby Union you have the Sale Sharks, while in Rugby League you have the Salford Red Devils.
Manchester even has a rich history in lesser-known sports. Belle Vue Stadium is of huge importance to the world of sport; it was the location of the first ever greyhound race around an oval track, while it also serves as the home of the Belle Vue Aces, a speedway team. Picking a winner in the greyhound betting is always a joyous experience, whilst watching speedway is also a pretty unique evening out.
Music
The music scene in Manchester is arguably more prestigious and appealling than the city’s sporting attractions! Before we discuss where to watch music, let us first talk about the talent this city has produced.
Joy Division, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Happy Mondays, Oasis, The Chemical Brothers, Elbow, New Order, and so many more are Manc natives. Type in “popular music of Manchester” into Wikipedia if you want your mind blown by musical prestige.
New talent on the cusp of making it usually end up rocking The Deaf Institute. Few places in the world can offer the same setting as The Deaf Institute, which is a renovated 1878 building. The main room has an extremely high ceiling, giving the place great acoustics, while the dingy basement downstairs gives for an immersive feel.
Not only is Manchester alive with the sounds of rock ‘n’ roll, it is also leading the way in Britain’s dance scene. The Warehouse Project attracts the best DJs from all over the world, as well as 5,000 dance hungry fans. The venue’s current placing of 19th in DJ Mag’s ‘Top 100 Clubs’ list should tell you everything you need to know about this raving mecca. If you love the feeling of base reverberating up your spine, you’ll love Warehouse.
Anywhere around Oxford Street in the city is jam-packed with live bars and clubs offering up the best music Manny has to offer; it is very much Manchester’s version of Camden Town. Finding live music in Manchester is practically as easy as walking into a bar.
The city loves music and musicians love this city. Together they ensure that Manchester is always rocking.
Nightlife
If you were fancying a night out but without the music then a trip to the Northern Quarter is essential. This, in essence, serves as Manchester’s main strip. Here you will find numerous traditional boozers, as well as more high brow cocktail bars and nightclubs. Interspersing these drinking houses are an array of lovely restaurants.
Anywhere around Oxford Street in the city is jam-packed with live bars and clubs offering up the best music Manny has to offer; it is very much Manchester’s version of Camden Town. Finding live music in Manchester is practically as easy as walking into a bar.
The city loves music and musicians love this city. Together they ensure that Manchester is always rocking.
Nightlife
If you were fancying a night out but without the music then a trip to the Northern Quarter is essential. This, in essence, serves as Manchester’s main strip. Here you will find numerous traditional boozers, as well as more high brow cocktail bars and nightclubs. Interspersing these drinking houses are an array of lovely restaurants.
However, if your funds are limited head to Fallowfield and Didsbury. This part of Manchester is where the students call home. The nightlife is cheap, but much more importantly, enjoyable. These lot know how to party, and, in all likeliness, they will probably invite you back for some afters.
Other Attractions
Retail therapy always helps when visiting a new place, and in Manchester you have one of the countries best hideaways. The Trafford Centre is absolutely massive; its food court is the largest in Europe! The centre, which channels the opulence of a Las Vegas mall, has 280 stores for you to choose from. Lack of alternatives does not exist here.
Another way to relax is to spend the afternoon in Heaton Park. This 600-acre green space is perfect for taking a leisurely stroll, or chucking a blanket on the floor and just chilling out.
Honestly, you cannot rave about Manchester enough. It has everything that a good city should have, and some. The only occasion visitors leave disappointed is due to the unpredictable nature of the weather, but sadly that is a countrywide endemic and it shouldn’t put you off visiting this wonderful city.