Vacation

The people of Manchester have an attitude to life and a way of doing things all their own. Mancunians are an easy, self-deprecating group with a wicked sense of humour and an appetite for adventure (and a party). Their city reflects this, buzzing with events, clubs and bars, sports, music, theatre and the arts, you'll never be short of things to do.

It is this attitude to life that has seen Manchester voted the coolest place in the UK outside London by a 2002 survey of 18-30 year olds and came second in a 2002 survey of the UK's most musical cities. According to a Comic Relief 2003 survey, it is also the third smiliest place in the UK (joint with Exeter). Manchester is also a dramatic mix of old and new. The futuristic design and innovative shapes of its contemporary architecture allowed Manchester to claim two of the England's top 10 Architectural Highlights of 2003. These contemporary highlights sit side by side with the spires and grinning gargoyles of Manchester's proud past.

Being in a central location of the country, Manchester also acts as a good base for travelling further a field around the UK, with all the major roads and railway lines passing through the City. London is only 2 hours away by train whilst Edinburgh, the Capital City of Scotland, is only 3 and a half hours away.

This section only provides a brief overview of what the city has to offer. For a more comprehensive guide of tourist attractions and visitor information, please see the Visit Manchester Tourist Information Site