There are roughly 500,000 Mancunians to be found in the north west of England. Manchester is also the 3rd most visited city inside the United Kingdom by foreign visitors behind England and Scotland’s capital cities, London and Edinburgh. Manchester is also a favourite with tourists from the UK
Manchester was established in 79 AD by the Romans. In the 1st century, following the Roman conquest of Britain, General Agricola ordered plans for the construction of a fort to make sure that Roman interests in Chester and York would be guarded against challenge put up by the Celtic people identified as the Brigantes that lived in the area during these times. This Roman fort and settlement was Mamucium.
The city of Manchester is recognised by owning two of the most famous football teams in the world as well as having a different range of culture.
Museums
Manchester is home to a number of museums remembering the city’s wealthy history throughout the years beginning with its Roman beginnings to its involvement in the Industrial Revolution.
The Museum of Science and Industry is situated on the site of the world’s oldest remaining passenger railway station. The 7.5 acres site is can be found in five buildings. This family friendly museum tells the story of Manchester’s historical past in science and industry through many galleries and collections.
The Manchester Museum can be found on The University of Manchester grounds. The museum has four floors of displays and exhibits in 15 galleries. Here you’ll be able to discover galleries of well-known Egyptology and also the remarkable wonders of nature including Stan the T-Rex, a skeleton of a sperm whale and a host of live animals.
Manchester Art Gallery houses one of the UK’s best art collections. The gallery has undergone a £35 million transformation to bring its collection to guests in imaginative new ways. A number of talks, tours and hands on activities are available every day.
Music
A host of the United Kingdom’s most popular bands of all time have emerged from the Manchester music scene. Well known groups such as The Smiths, The Buzzcocks, Joy Division, The Stone Roses, New Order and Oasis all came from Manchester. Manchester has been credited as the home of indie in the 1980s when a host of bands burst on to the scene. This scene was referred to as the ‘Madchester’ scene, centred around The Hacienda night club.
Sport
Manchester features a fantastic heritage in sport. Probably the most famous is it’s 2 soccer clubs that ply their trade in the Barclays Premier League. Manchester United play at Old Trafford, the Theatre of Dreams and Manchester City play at the City of Manchester Stadium, which was also home to the Commonwealth Games in 2002.
There are a number of wonderful sporting arenas to be located in Manchester such as the National Squash Centre, Manchester Aquatic Centre and The Manchester Velodrome, recognised as being one of the greatest indoor cycling tracks in the world.
Where to stay?
As Manchester is the 3rd most visited city in the United Kingdomby foreign visitors, you can find plenty of locations to stay whether you happen to be in search of hotels in Manchester city centre or accommodation a little further afield in the surrounding suburb regions.There are several luxury 4 and 5 star hotels in and about the city centre however, not all of the accommodation arecostly. A number of of the best value hotel chains also have hotels scattered across Manchester to suit everyone’s demands and spending budgets.