Culture Guides
Destination Guides
Manchester’s most characterful, independent district is a jumbled network of streets to one side of Piccadilly Gardens – once home to busy textiles warehouses and even the occasional umbrella factory. Now, the red brick buildings with their New York-style fire escapes are regularly used in film sets, and the streets are bursting with independent cafés, shops, bars, and cultural hotspots.
The Northern Quarter has become a destination in its own right, with the laid-back, bohemian vibe during the day transforming at night into teeming pavements of people in search of good food, craft beer, pop-up events and live music.
When walking around, keep your eyes peeled for public art, including the sculptures of birds high on a wall on John Street (reflecting the area’s reputation in Victorian times as a ‘pets paradise’), the illuminated, 12 metre-tall Big Boys Toy on the top of the NCP car park, and the artistic graffiti on the outhouse in the middle of Stevenson Square.
Ho Tzu Nyen: The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia Volume 10: N for Nameless at CFCCA
CFCCA presents Singapore artist Ho Tzu Nyen’s alternative ‘A to Z’ account of Southeast Asia, focusing on the region’s neglected histories.
Queer Cinema Collective/ Rafiki at Nexus Art Cafe
Queer Cinema Collective are back with a screening of Wanuri Kahiu lyrical lesbian romance, Rafiki. Notable…
Eat The City – Scranchester Tours
Satisfy your hunger for knowledge as well as lunch with Scranchester’s food tours of the city centre. You may discover a new favourite hidden gem or learn a bit more about the cultural or historical significance of the food you eat all the time.
Meditation at the Manchester Buddhist Centre
Learn how to meditate with the welcoming community at Manchester Buddhist Centre. Their beginners classes are the perfect way to find your feet and develop your own meditation practice.
Photorealistic drawing workshops at Galleria Quattro
Join Krystan-Grace Sharpe-Young for a double bill of workshops, in which, you’ll learn the skills needed, to create your own photorealistic artwork.
Gengahr at Band on the Wall
North London alt-pop band Gengahr’s latest tunes suggest a very good album to come. Two weeks before it drops, catch them at Band on the Wall.
Collage based Zine making workshop
Let go of the day’s stresses and get creative after work, with this crafty zine making workshop featuring artisan pizzas.
Rae-Yen Song: *May-May Songuu* at CFCCA
An exhibition by artist Rae-Yen Song at CFCCA which explores British-Chinese identity through the prism of her own family history.
Rock and Goal Tour
Join Joe Feeley a Mancunian through and through, who guides you into Manchester’s two pillars of cultural excellence with his Rock and Goal tour.
Places to go / stay / shop / eat / drink
Manchester Visitor Guides
Free family things to do in Manchester
The world’s at your fingertips with free history, art, science and creative capers for all ages in Manchester.
Vegan Food in Manchester
Whether you’re a proud vegan or merely curious, let us guide you towards the best vegan food in Manchester.
Afternoon Tea in Manchester
The finest places in Manchester to sip Darjeeling, eat dainty finger sandwiches and slap extra clotted cream on a freshly baked scone.
Art Galleries in Manchester & Salford
Away from the buzz of London, Manchester and Salford arguably have one of the highest concentrations of fantastic art galleries in England. Here’s our pick.
Libraries in Manchester
Bibliophiles, rejoice: we have rounded up the best libraries in Manchester for your perusal.
Restaurants in Manchester
The very best restaurants in Manchester’s city centre, including ones you know, and future favourites.
Manchester District Guides
Medieval Quarter, Manchester
The Medieval Quarter, or Cathedral Quarter as it is sometimes known, is one of the oldest parts of Manchester and home to some historic gems and cultural must-sees.
Burton Road, West Didsbury, Manchester
Burton Road is the heart of West Didsbury, a beautifully maintained leafy hubbub of shops,…
Beech Road Chorlton, Manchester
A laid-back mix of gift shops, independent outfitters, restaurants, pubs and parks, on a sunny weekend afternoon it’s heaving.
Didsbury, Manchester
Follow Oxford Road South through the Curry Mile, along Wilmslow Road, past Platt Fields Park…
Chorlton, Manchester
Chorlton is a left-leaning suburb a few miles south of Manchester’s city centre (and only…
Cheetham Hill, Manchester
As an area, Cheetham Hill gets a pretty bad rep. The foreboding architecture of Strangeways…
Things to do right now
Powered by
