what to do in Manchester?
 

I'll be in Manchester in February for 6 days and I already have most evenings planned because the trip is based around a lot of events, but I have lots of free days.
I'm wondering what to do in Manchester- museums, places of interest, whatever..I've only spent a day in Manchester previously for football and all I saw was piccadilly and what I could see from the tram.
I'm pretty open to seeing what Manchester has to offer so any ideas would be very welcome.

I'm glad you posted this, as a trip to Cumbria/Yorkshire is in the works. Since I'd fly through Manchester, I'd like to know if it's worth a day's attentions...

Have a look at http://www.visitmanchester.com/

The finest prospect a Mancunian can behold is the East Lancs Road (which goes to Liverpool).

But the train gets there faster. Liverpool has Britain's largest collection of public art outside London. More conservation-grade buildings than anywhere other than London (far more than Oxford, Cambridge or Edinburgh). UNESCO-recognised World Heritage site. Amazing beaches to sober up on after a night in the world's greatest Victorian gin palaces. The country's most accessible red squirrel population...

I could go on for the rest of the morning.

Party! And eat curry.

Imperial War Museum North.

thanks for mentioning curry, that's definitely a must. any recommendations for good indian places?

As for Liverpool- I've actually spent time in the museums there. v. good suggestion, but I really want to devote time to exploring Manchester.
I'll look into the site link
thanks

Conventional tourist sights/sites:
Science and Industry Museum
The Lowry Centre
Imperial War Museum North
City Art Gallery
Museum of Manchester
Manchester Cathedral
St Anne's Church
Hidden Gem (small, ornate RC church)
John Rylands Library
Urbis
Man Utd Tour
Man City Tour

Entertainment/Culture
Palace Theatre
Opera House
Lowry Theatre
Library Theatre
Exchange Theatre
Northern Quarter
Appollo
MEN Arena

Eating/drinking
Clubs and cafe-bars
Pubs
Chinatown (Yang Sing most celebrated)
Rusholme's Curry Mile (Sanam most popular)
Good restaurants, in city centre: Simply Heathcotes, Le Mont (in Urbis), Establishment, Le Petit Blanc, Second Floor (in Harvey Nichols store), Restaurant Bar & Grill

I'm a Mancunian too but by the time I'd logged in to answer this Alec had taken my breath away. You'll be hard pressed to fit all that into 6 days. My favourite for curry is Shezan in Rusholme.Have fun.

Forget another Utd home game, tickets are damn hard to come buy unless you spend big bucks or are friends of the Glazers!

Matt

Loads of good suggestions here, but if you do decide to try a day trip, what about Portmeiron (where the series The Prisoner was filmed)? Their website says its about 2.5 hours drive. http://www.portmeirion-village.com/

emjoy

I envy you; I am mad for the Pre Raphaelite artists, and Manchester City Art Gallery is said to have an outstanding collection of the genre.

I plan on seeing the collection someday, and I hope you stop and see it and write a trip report.

Once when I was in Manchester I either took the train or hired a car and drove to see an old weaving mill. I remember the countryside being beautiful and the whole mill experience fascinating. Such a huge part of the history of this area. For the love of me I can't remember where it was but any tourist information place would have some details. (it was about 20 years ago!!) Another time again I hire a car and drove to the Forest of Bowland, which is not very far at all, it is magic countryside and the village of Downham was my favourite, complete with ducks and village pond. The countryside around Manchester is terrific, you are so close to the Yorkshire Dales and the Lakes District, don't feel you have to limit yourself to the city alone. Get a car and head north!!!

The mill might have been Quarry Bank Mill. It's in Styal, Cheshire, just south of Manchester. http://www.quarrybankmill.org.uk
Well worth a visit.

Or for a good time, you could hop the train to Marple ;)

Okay then for the mill, jump in the car and head south!!! I told you I couldn't remember where it was. It was Styal, I recognised the name straight away. I think you can take the train from memory.

tuscanlifeedit: We were in Liverpool for a Pre Raph exhibit a while back and I'm really excited Manchester offers more to view.

Matt_From _England: I'm NO friend of the Glazer's, but I already have tickets to a match. and we're doing the tour this time too since I've never done it before.

I'll definitely find my way to Rusholme's Curry Mile so thanks for the tips.

Thanks for all the suggestionsl. I hadn't any idea where to start. I would have wandered around asking directions to Coronation Street without this board!

Can anyone tell me about the area around the unniversity? I'm spending most of my evenings at the Academy for various shows.

oh and is there still a bus tour of the city? One of those hop on hop off buses...I thought maybe I'd do that on my first day to figure out where things are in relation to each other.
thanks

Take a day trip to Chester, walk the Roman Walls, stroll along the river, visit the stunning Cathedral, marvel at the medieval 'Rows' and architecture.

www.cityofchester.org

Around the university? Not much that I recall in the immediate area, there's a lot of redevelopment around there. The Whitworth Art Gallery is worth a look. There's a classic alternative vegetarian restaurant On the Eighth Day straight out of 60s San Francisco, concerts in the Royal Northern School of Music and sometimes in the University Music department. Don't think we have got a Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour yet, but maybe there is one by now. I know there is a free shuttle bus from Piccadilly to Victoria stations you can hop on and off, which goes through the main shopping areas. Other than that the main action is off Deansgate, round Castlefield. Don't miss Chinatown and Canal Street. A city map will show you where to go!