Further Afield
The North West
The North West is made up of the five counties of Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Lancashire and Cumbria.
The region is at the geographical centre of Britain, conveniently close to major cities and the capital. With a population of 6.8m, it is the largest region outside London and the South East.
The North West's beautiful scenery makes it an ideal place to visit. 18% of the region is made up of National Park and 11% of areas have been designated as those of outstanding natural beauty. A trip to the Lake District, Peak District or the Pennines makes it clear why the region welcomed 1.37m overseas visitors in 2002 alone. Dotted amongst the spectacular scenery are historic market towns, traditional seaside destinations and picturesque villages, which offer speciality local produce and hold a host of annual events.
The region has a wealth of heritage sites including castles, country houses and landscaped gardens, not to mention its cultural assets such as museums and art galleries. We also have facilities on our doorstep which cater for lovers of outdoor pursuits such as hiking, pony-trekking and water sports. In addition, the region's cities are famous for their individual cultures, amazing architecture and great facilities for shopping, dining and entertainment. This is to say nothing of their incredible nightlife. Liverpool is undergoing a transformation in preparation for its stint as City of Culture in 2008 while Manchester has been voted England's 'second city' after London, and has a high international profile.
Further information can be found at Visit England's North West
The UK
Britain is full of contrasts; whichever direction you travel you will find a wide variety of landscapes and diverse cultures to explore. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are all unique countries with their own customs, cultures and traditions.
Manchester is situated in the centre of the country and as such it is quite easy to access other areas of the UK. A train will take you to London from Manchester Piccadilly in 2 hours 15 minutes for as little as £20 return. You can also reach the historical city of York in 1 hour 30 minutes and within an hour you can be in the heart of Wales and Snowdonia National Park
Manchester also has a large International Airport that also serves several domestic routes. Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland can be reached in 36 minutes and with the rise of Low Cost airlines, this can cost as little as £25 return.
For more information on places to visit within the UK, please see the Visit Britain Website.