Walking Tours in Manchester by Jonathan Schofield

Johnny James, Managing Editor

With its rich industrial past, iconic architecture and vibrant arts scene, Manchester is a city that begs to be explored step by step. It’s the only way to truly connect with the place. But one better than strolling solo is to book onto a walking tour, led by a guide who knows the city like the back of their hand.

Enter Jonathan Schofield, Manchester’s top walking tour provider and a registered Blue Badge Guide since 1996. What Jonathan and his team don’t know about this city isn’t worth knowing, and the mix of information and entertainment they bring is pitch perfect.

Led by a knowledgeable and experienced tour guide, you’ll get closer to the sights, sounds, and spirit of the city. You’ll also uncover more than meets the eye. After all, this is a city of stories. Of people who shattered convention. Of ideas that changed the world. Of workers, of thinkers, of dreamers.

The walking tours below will place you at the heart of these stories, while Jonathan Schofield and his team bring them to vivid life. Some take place in the city centre, others leafy suburbs, and there are even a few walks near Manchester, for those wishing to nip beyond the city limits.

Whether you’re a history buff, culture enthusiast, or just looking to uncover the soul of Manchester, these Manchester walking tours are the perfect way to get to know the city a whole lot better.

Our top picks

The Manchester Music Walkabout

The Manchester Music Walkabout: Explore the City’s Musical Legacy at The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester, Until 5 June 2027, From £25.00 - Book now

Manchester’s famous musical legacy comes to life in this walking tour around the city, which will take you from the 1960s to the present day as you tread in the footsteps of everyone from Joy Division to Oasis.

2025-06-21-Jonathan-Schofield-MCR-Music-Walking-Tour-(©FionaFinchett)-30-L
Fiona Finchett

The Manchester Pub Walkabout

The Manchester Pub Walkabout at Manchester Central Library, Manchester, Until 5 June 2027, Free entry - Visit now

Stagger across three hundred years of Manchester’s drinking history in one of the city’s most fun-loving walking tours, packed with fascinating stories, brilliantly bizarre facts and hilarious fun and games.

The Manchester Pub Walkabout Jonathan Schofield Tours
Jonathan Schofield Waling Tours

Secrets of Didsbury

Secrets of Didsbury, 24 January–3 October 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

No matter how well you think you know Didsbury, there are hidden histories, fascinating buildings, and lots of local personalities that you almost certainly won’t know on this walking tour.

Jonathan Schofield Walking Tours - secrets of Didsbury Image
Jonathan Schofield Walking Tours

Secrets of Ancoats and New Islington

Secrets of Ancoats and New Islington, 31 January–11 July 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

Manchester is a city with many stories hidden beneath the surface, you just have to know where to look. Sleazy, Sinister and Haunted Manchester takes you deep into the shadows, unearthing a side of the city that rarely sees the light of day. 

Jonathan Schofield Walking Tours -Tour Ancoats & New Islington
Jonathan Schofield Walking Tours

Sleazy, Sinister and Haunted Manchester

Sleazy, Sinister and Haunted Manchester at Manchester Cathedral, Manchester, 7 February–18 July 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

Join Jonathan Schofield Tours and explore dark side of Manchester with shocking stories, grubby stories and hilarious stories.

Image supplied by Creative Tourist

The Kimpton Clocktower Tour

The Kimpton Clocktower Tour at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Manchester, 14 February–14 November 2026, From £25.00 - Book now

Explore the incredible history behind one of Britain’s grandest and most storied commercial buildings while getting exclusive access to hidden spaces full of original features.

jonathan schofield giving tour
jonathanschofieldtours.com

Valentine’s Day Tour

Valentine's Day Tour at People’s History Museum, Manchester, 14 February 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

This Valentine’s Day, join Jonathan Schofield’s special walking tour and discover the stories of love, adventure and peril. You think Paris is the city of love? Just wait.

Jonathan Schofield - Valentine's Day Walking Tour
Jonathan Schofield Walking Tours

The Secrets of Chorlton

The Secrets of Chorlton: The Surprising Manchester Series at Beech Road Park, Manchester, Until 21 June 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

Join Jonathan Schofield Tours in this South Manchester suburb, where you’ll hear about the good, the bad and the ugly characters that have inhabited it. Starting at the historic Hough End Hall and ending at Chorlton Library, you’ll thread your way through Chorlton’s most storied streets. You might even find yourself digging in a graveyard, so to speak.

Horse and Jockey Chorlton
Ben Williams

Secrets of The University of Manchester with Interior Visits

Secrets of the University of Manchester with Interior Visits at The University of Manchester, Manchester, Until 10 December 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

Epic architecture, hidden green spaces and ideas that changed the world. The University of Manchester is home to some incredible stories, and this walking tour places you at the heart of them.

The University of Manchester
The University of Manchester

Alexandra Park and Whalley Range Tour

Alexandra Park and Whalley Range at Alexandra Park, Manchester, 14 March 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

One of the earliest of Manchester’s suburbs, Whalley Range comes with a fascinating story, incorporating one of the earliest and most complete of the city’s Victorian parks.

Foggy trees in Alexander Park, Hulme.
JJ.

Secrets of Stockport

Secrets of Stockport, Until 7 November 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

The ‘new Berlin’, which it’s been dubbed recently, might be a bit of a stretch, but Stockport is most certainly on a meteoric rise, with so much of interest to see and learn here.

Stockport Plaza
Stockport Plaza

Secrets of Knutsford

Secrets of Knutsford at Tatton Park, 22 March–18 December 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

Set in the Cheshire countryside, Knutsford is a real gem. In a way, it’s the embodiment of the lowland English market town – charming, quaint, and packed with history. But it’s also brilliantly eccentric.

Knutsford for Creative Tourist
Jonathan Schofield Walking Tours

More Jonathan Schofield Walking Tours

Emmeline Pankhurst statue, St Peter's Square
Until
TourManchester
Suffragettes, Significant Women and Manchester

Explore the Suffragettes’ epic fight for equal rights on this guided tour around significant buildings and landmarks.

Southern Cemetary Chorlton by Tom Jeffs
TourChorlton
Southern Cemetery Tour

Within Chorlton’s Southern Cemetery lie fascinating stories, beautiful architectural details, and the inspiration behind one of The Smith’s best songs.

Truly Madly Brutal - Jonathan Schofield Tours
TourManchester
Truly Madly Brutal

Explore the fascinating history of Brutalism in Manchester, while also exploring the movement’s wider intentions and ideals.

Monton - Worsley
Tour
Worsley – The Delph to the Old Hall

Join Jonathan Schofield Tours for a stroll around the internationally important village of Worsley, taking in a superb canalscape and many historic buildings.

John Rylands External Copyright of The University of Manchester, 2015
Until
TourCity Centre
Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx in Manchester

Explore the ways in which Manchester helped shape and reinforce the ideas of the fathers of communism, Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx.

Manchester Jewish Museum
TourManchester
Strangeways & Cheetham Hill

A real city centre hinterland, Cheetham Hill comes loaded with incredible stories and heritage. This tour places you at the heart of it all.

Castlefield Viaduct by JJ
TourManchester
Trees, Flowers and Manchester City Centre Green Spaces Tour

Hidden gardens, re-wilded viaducts, and endless canals – explore Manchester’s softer side on this guided walking tour.

Rochdale Town Hall
TourRochdale
The Secrets of Rochdale with a Visit to the Town Hall

Discover Rochdale’s rich history on this guided tour, featuring the newly restored Town Hall, St Chad’s Church, and the Pioneers Museum.

Angel Meadow
TourManchester
Secrets of Angel Meadow and the Irk Valley

Explore green spaces, striking architecture, and fascinating stories at Angel Meadow and the Irk Valley, which has a dark past but bright future.

Salford Lads Club Exterior
TourManchester
Salford Lads Club Tour

Salford Lads Club shot to global fame as the iconic backdrop on The Smiths’ album The Queen is Dead, but its significance goes far beyond its musical ties.

Peterloo Tour Jonathan Schofield
TourManchester
The Peterloo Massacre Tour

Visit key locations associated with a moment that helped shape the future of the nation, tracing the footsteps of those who stood for change.

Science and Industry Museum
TourManchester
The Railway Age Begins: An Anniversary Tour

In 1830, the world’s first fully operational, steam-powered passenger railway opened between Liverpool and Manchester. Take a closer look at this breakthrough moment.

Elizabeth Gaskell's House
TourManchester
The Manchester Literary Tour

On the eve of Elizabeth Gaskell’s birthday, join Jonathan Schofield Tours for a stroll around the sites (and sights) of Manchester’s literary past.

Manchester Destruction after IRA Bomb
TourManchester
Bombed and Besieged: Manchester at War

Marking the anniversary of the Christmas Blitz, this walking tour explores Manchester’s history of conflict, from the English Civil Wars to the World Wars and beyond.

Photo of the exterior of the Palace Hotel
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Hotels in Manchester

To make life easy when it comes to booking your stay, here’s our guide to Manchester's best hotels.

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More things to do in Manchester

Until
TheatreMediaCityUK
To Kill A Mockingbird at Lowry

Hailed “unmissable and unforgettable” by Rolling Stone, Aaron Sorkin’s award-winning stage adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird comes to Salford.

From £22.50
Legowelt Press Image
MusicManchester
Legowelt at The White Hotel

Vintage machines, sci-fi dreams and 30 years of restless invention. Legowelt plays in deepest darkest Salford this January.

From £19.90
Textured portrait image of Jarman
TheatreManchester
Jarman at Hope Mill Theatre

Mark Farrelly channels Derek Jarman in a vivid solo performance about risk, creativity and living without compromise.

From £14.50

District guides

  • Deansgate, Manchester

    When you think of Deansgate, you might think about the long (seemingly endless) street that runs from the Manchester Cathedral all the way down to the Deansgate Towers. And you...

  • Outside Aviva Studios by the River Irwell
    City Centre, Manchester

    The heart of Manchester is packed full with history and stories. This industriousness is evident across the city centre, where proud heritage meets contemporary ambition, and a forward-looking mix of...

  • Cutting Room Square
    Ancoats & New Islington

    Ancoats, just off the Northern Quarter in Manchester, is one of the city's most increasingly desirable neighbourhoods. Find out why.

  • Northern Quarter, Manchester
    Northern Quarter, Manchester

    Manchester’s most characterful, independent district is a jumbled network of streets to one side of Piccadilly Gardens. Here are the places you need to check out.

  • Salford museum and art gallery exterior
    Salford, Greater Manchester

    Cross over the River Irwell, and you’ll find yourself in another city entirely – Salford, which is enjoying something of a regeneration.

  • The cafe in the trees at the Whitworth
    Oxford Road, Manchester

    We cherrypick our favourite spots on Oxford Road, taking in unique theatres, characterful gig venues and fascinating museums.

  • The front of Didsbury restaurant Volta.
    Didsbury, Manchester

    Didsbury has the perfect split between big brands and independent businesses, welcoming all from far and wide.

  • Chorlton, Manchester

    Chorlton is a left-leaning suburb a few miles south of Manchester’s city centre (and only 10-odd minutes away by tram). A sprawling hive of artisan coffee shops, boutique clothing stores,...

  • People enjoying drinking in Altrincham
    Things to Do in Altrincham

    Plan a day out down Altrincham way, and you’ll soon find that one day isn’t nearly enough. Getting there is easy on the tram, or how about cycling along the...

  • chinatown, manchester in sun by ben williams
    Chinatown, Manchester

    Chinatown is a network of back streets dotted with Chinese restaurants – go to Ho’s Bakery for perfect honey buns, Hunan for spice and Middle Kingdom for a very affordable menu.

  • The Quays, Greater Manchester

    The Quays is home to MediaCityUK (the largest media hub in Europe) and studios purpose-built for the BBC’s move up North in 2011.

  • Cheetham Hill, Manchester

    Cheetham Hill gets a bad rap as an area, however as you begin to look round you will find it has plenty to do. Let us be your guide.

Ego Death
Spotlight on

Hidden Bars in Manchester

Manchester's best secret, hidden and hard to find bars - here's our guide.

Take me there

Visitor guides

  • New Openings in Manchester

    Manchester’s food and drink scene is thriving. Here are the recently-opened venues who are worth your pounds, shillings and pence.

  • Manchester Restaurant Deals

    Manchester's restaurants are bending over backwards to create deals that take the sting out of eating out. Here are the best of the bunch for January.

  • Bars & Pubs

    Pint of mild, limited-run natural wine or cocktail drowning in dry ice? You'll find them all in Manchester. But maybe not together

  • Vegan and Vegetarian Food

    Whether you’re a proud vegan or merely curious, let us guide you towards the best vegan food in Manchester for Veganuary.

  • Tasting Menus in The North

    Looking for the finest luxury multi-course restaurants in Manchester? Look no further. We've picked out the very best tasting menus in the city.

  • Casual Dining in Manchester

    Casual dining doesn't mean low effort. Manchester has a host of laid-back restaurants where you can drop in and kick back.

  • Sunday Roasts in Manchester

    Looking for the finest roast dinners in Manchester? Look no further. We've picked out the very best Sunday dinners in the city.

Bluecoat
Spotlight on

Tours and Activities in the North

Step away from the usual. Tours and activities that spark curiosity, inspire creativity and offer something refreshingly different.

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Culture guides

  • Music in the North

    We have an eclectic mix of gigs for you this month, moving from experimental electronics and noise rock to synth pop, opera, and hyper-local R&B.

  • Food and Drink in the North

    Hear ye, hear ye. Take some eating-out tips from our wintertime guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.

  • Textured portrait image of Jarman
    Theatre in the North

    Theatre across the North West splits between festive escape and sharp, urgent work exploring politics, power and resistance.

  • A doll with makeup peeks out of a hanging wall of butter yellow fabric. Red and black threads descend and cascade around the doll.
    Exhibitions in the North

    This season, exhibitions across the North West feel attuned to the world beneath the world – the forces and stories shaping how we see, feel and imagine.

  • A performer in a bright red costume sits on a snowy stage set, holding a large snowball between their legs with a surprised expression. The colourful winter backdrop features snowflakes, hills, a snowman, and a traffic light with glowing lights.
    Family things to do in the North

    Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.

  • A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
    Cinema in the North

    There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.

  • Poet Helen Mort.
    Literature Events in the North

    One to add to your TBR pile, our latest round-up is a bumper edition and features some amazing events in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and beyond...

Hotels in Manchester

Chancellors Hotel is a Grade II listed Victorian mansion located in South Manchester surrounded by five acres of beautiful landscaped gardens, in a relaxed, scenic and picturesque setting.
Manchester
Hotel
Chancellors Hotel

Chancellors Hotel is a Grade II listed Victorian mansion located in South Manchester surrounded by five acres of beautiful landscaped gardens, in a relaxed, scenic and picturesque setting.

iStock.com/SimoneN
Manchester
Hotel
Malmaison Manchester Deansgate

The building’s striking architecture combines classic brickwork with sleek, modern design elements, creating an inviting atmosphere that captures the essence of Manchester’s vibrant energy.

Manchester
Hotel
Forty-Seven

Forty-Seven is a luxury boutique hotel on Peter Street in Manchester city centre, above the high-end Indian restaurant Asha’s.

City Centre
Hotel
Treehouse Manchester

Treehouse Manchester brings a new kind of luxury hotel experience to Manchester, with food curated by some of the city’s most admired names.