Manchester City Walking Tour

Manchester has always been a city with stories to tell. This guided walking tour will bring those stories to life. Led by a local expert, the experience is set to be a lively introduction to the people, places and ideas that have shaped one of the UK’s most influential cities.

The tour will begin at Manchester Central Library, that impossible to miss, grand circular landmark on St Peter’s Square. The neoclassical design has made it one of the city’s most-loved buildings, holding thousands of stories in its walls and on its shelves. The square itself has long been a gathering place for political movements and civic pride, from the Peterloo Massacre in 1819 to modern-day demonstrations and celebrations. 

From here, the tour takes you through the city’s heart, down the colourful streets of the Gay Village and the calming Sackville Gardens. It is here that you will see the monuments that honour Manchester’s role in the fight for equality and the city’s pioneering LGBTQ+ community along the now famous Canal Street. 

This guided tour is filled with monuments and tales from many moons ago. The Medieval Quarter is the perfect place to soak in all that history. It is here where you will see the oldest public library in the English-speaking world, Chetham’s Library. Housed in a beautiful sandstone building which actually dates all the way back to 1421. Following that, the tour brings you back to the 21st century with a visit to the lively Printworks area, a reminder of the city’s industrial roots now reborn as an entertainment hub housing a cinema, bars, restaurants and more. 

During all this walking, your guide will point out local street art, hidden corners and stories you’d easily miss on your own. Tales of suffragettes, reformers, musicians and everyday Mancunians who’ve all left their mark on the city in their own way. 

Lasting around 90 minutes, the tour runs daily from 10:30am throughout the year, with additional tours starting at 2pm between May and October.