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, From £25.00 - Book 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 The University of Manchester

Secrets of the University of Manchester with Interior Visits at The University of Manchester, Manchester, 26 March–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

Suffragettes, Significant Women and Manchester

Suffragettes, Significant Women and Manchester at Manchester Central Library, Manchester, 28 March–11 October 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

In 1905, the Suffragettes raised their first ‘Votes for Women’ banner at Manchester’s Free Trade Hall. It’s just one of many pivotal moments in the fight for equality explored here.

Emmeline Pankhurst statue, St Peter's Square
Jonathan Schofield

Southern Cemetery Tour

Southern Cemetery Tour at Southern Cemetery, Manchester, 4 April–5 September 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

The UK’s largest public cemetery is home to fascinating stories, beautiful architectural details, and the inspiration behind one of The Smiths’ best songs.

Southern Cemetary Chorlton by Tom Jeffs
Tom Jeffs

Truly Madly Brutal

Truly Madly Brutal at New Century Kitchen, Manchester, 5 April 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

You’re knowledgeable and experienced tour guide will peel back the layers of history and tell you some fascinating stories about these buildings, while also exploring the wider intentions and ideals of Brutalism.

Truly Madly Brutal - Jonathan Schofield Tours
Jonathan Schofield Walking Tours

Secrets of Ancoats and New Islington

Secrets of Ancoats and New Islington, 11 April–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

Worsley – The Delph to the Old Hall

Worsley - The Delph to the Old Hall, 12 April 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

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

Monton - Worsley
Jonathan Schofield Walking Tours

Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx in Manchester

Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx in Manchester at John Rylands Research Institute and Library, Manchester, 2 May–28 November 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

The remarkable tale of two men who changed the political world is told on this tour, which explores the ways in which Manchester helped shape and reinforce their ideas.

John Rylands External Copyright of The University of Manchester, 2015
The University of Manchester

Strangeways & Cheetham Hill

Strangeways & Cheetham Hill at Victoria Station, 3 May 2026, From £20.00 - Book now

A real city centre hinterland, Cheetham Hill comes loaded with incredible stories and heritage. It contains a lost river, a Roman road and the sparse remnants of one of the greatest of Victorian buildings…

Manchester Jewish Museum
Joel Chester Fildes

Secrets of Didsbury

Secrets of Didsbury, 16 May–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

The Kimpton Clocktower Tour

The Kimpton Clocktower Tour at Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Manchester, 23 May–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

More Jonathan Schofield Walking Tours

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.

Horse and Jockey Chorlton
Walking TourManchester
The Secrets of Chorlton

From a hamlet on a road to nowhere to one of Manchester’s most desirable suburbs. What’s the story behind Chorlton-cum-Hardy?

TourManchester
Sleazy, Sinister and Haunted Manchester

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

Stockport Plaza
TourManchester
Secrets of Stockport

Join Jonathan Schofield Tours and explore the fascinating stories and stunning architecture of a town on a meteoric rise.

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.

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.

Knutsford for Creative Tourist
TourKnutsford
Secrets of Knutsford

From wild buildings to wilder characters, explore hidden histories and architectural oddities in the Cheshire town of Knutsford.

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.

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

MusicManchester
Thundercat at Aviva Studios

From cult hero to global collaborator, Thundercat is back with his first album in six years, and a headline show at Aviva Studios.

From £37.50
Until
ActivityManchester
Film Course: French New Wave at HOME

Coinciding with the release of Richard Linklater’s film Nouvelle Vague, this HOME course offers an accessible overview of one of cinema’s most influential movements.

From £65

District guides

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    Oxford Road, Manchester

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

  • 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 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.

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Visitor guides

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

  • A busy image created using generative AI. The image depicts a man at the centre with grey hair and rosy cheeks, surrounding him are fairies that appear to be created in his own image with multiple limbs and unique bodily proportions. Around them are hundreds of vials, microscopes and dated scientific equipment.
    Exhibitions

    Across Manchester and Salford, exhibitions are thinking hard about how things are made – and how materials carry stories.

  • Theatre

    Closer, riskier, more immediate. Our small-scale theatre picks stretch from unsettling fables about nationhood to the inner workings of a mind trying to hold itself together.

  • 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.

  • Fatoumata Diawara by Alun Be.
    Music

    This month’s live music picks move between ambitious new work, grassroots celebrations and a few memorable settings.

  • Food and Drink in the North

    Spring has arrived, bringing with it al fresco dining and a rush of high-profile food and drink-related events in Manchester.

  • Emily Lloyd-Saini as Grace in Space and Harrie Hayes as Lieutenant Strong in Horrible Science
    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.

  • 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.