What's on near Smolensky Gallery
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.
From £20.00
Experience the sights, smells and sounds of the engine-driven ideas and industry that started in Manchester and went on to change the world.
Free entry
This Valentine’s Day, join Jonathan Schofield’s special walking tour and discover the stories of love, adventure and peril.
From £20.00
Explore the ways in which Manchester helped shape and reinforce the ideas of the fathers of communism, Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx.
From £20.00
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.
From £20.00
You can get the behind the bar and mix with the best of them in a cocktail making masterclass from The Botanist on Deansgate.
From £39.95
The Hallé invites audiences to a year of classical masterpieces, world premieres and appearances by some electrifying artists and composers.
From £17Where to go near Smolensky Gallery
Experience luxury moviegoing at this three-screen boutique cinema and bar located close to Spinningfields.
Old Granada Studios has announced Low Four: a new studio and music project that will stream and archive live music performance as part of a new generation of music TV programming. The inclusion of a viewing balcony also means that these recordings, along with special events and concerts, will be made open to a few […]
Friendly Coffee Shop that also hosts events in Spinningfields.
High-end restaurant and cocktail bar, with stunning views of the Manchester skyline.
New Zealand-inspired food and drinks, plus a dedicated coffee roastery at this high-profile new restaurant, opening in August.
A Rat Pack-style restaurant with of live music and upscale Italian-American dining, and strictly no phones.
Wagamama’s home in Spinningfields serves up high-quality Japanese cuisine in modern surroundings.
This family favourite has moved from John Dalton Street to its new home in Spinningfields, with a brand new look featuring modern decor teamed with vintage items sourced by Bill himself.
A converted Victorian school house nestled on the edge of Spinningfields, the Great John Street Hotel has a relaxed and decadent atmosphere.
The Lawn Club is Manchester’s answer to an alfresco oasis in the heart of the city.
At Fazenda Rodizio Bar & Grill Manchester, you can enjoy the finest all-you-can-eat steaks and skewered meats, carved at the table.
Four floors of luxury dining in this impressive development from the team behind the world-famous Ivy restaurant.
Manchester District Guides
Culture Guides
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.
Hear ye, hear ye. Take some eating-out tips from our wintertime guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.
Theatre across the North West splits between festive escape and sharp, urgent work exploring politics, power and resistance.
Step away from the usual. Tours and activities that spark curiosity, inspire creativity and offer something refreshingly different.
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.
Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.
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.