Manchester City Centre is the beating heart of the entire city, with unbeatable shopping, a huge range of restaurants and bars, some great culture and some of the most vibrant nightlife in the country. Easily accessible by both Victoria and Piccadilly train stations as well as Piccadilly bus station and the Shudehill Interchange, the city centre is a hub of activity both day and night and boasts some of the best attractions Manchester has to offer.
One of the major draws to the city centre is definitely its shopping, where you can find anything from high-street bargains to designer splurges all in one area. Market Street, the major high street that cuts through the city centre, is always packed with shoppers and the perfect place to start your Manchester shopping trip. The Arndale Centre nearby also offers some high street classics, housing pretty much everything under one roof including Topshop, River Island, Next, Hollister and New Look. If you’re looking for something a little special, head over to Selfridges or Harvey Nichols; both strong spots for shopping and have clothing, accessories, shoes and food just a short walk from the main high street. And round the corner on King Street, Cross Street and Exchange Square is where you’ll find your luxury designers and upmarket boutiques like Ted Baker, Paul Smith, Emporio Armani and DKNY amongst others.
If you’re hungry don’t worry – there’s some great eating out options in the city centre that vary from cheap food on-the-go to luxury dining. For your fast-food fix head to the Arndale Food Court, where you will find all your major fast-food chains that are perfect for a quick bite in-between shopping. The centre also has plenty of restaurants, including the popular Thai Chaophraya where you can get a true taste of Thailand in a sumptuous setting. Other great places to eat include Sam’s Chophouse, The Grill on New York Street and 47 King Street West, as well as Rio Ferdinand’s Rosso – a popular haunt for local celebs that serves up delicious Italian fine dining and a great cocktail menu. Go a little south from the city centre and you’ll find yourself in Manchester’s China Town – the second largest in the UK and a hotspot for Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Thai cuisine as well as Oriental supermarkets, bakeries, massage parlours and karaoke bars. Favourites include Red Chilli, Yang Sing, Pearl City, Pacific and Ho’s Bakery.
The city centre also has some of the best nightlife the city has to offer. First up is The Printworks – an entertainment venue housing a number of bars, clubs, restaurants and cinema. Tiger Tiger is one of The Printworks’ most popular clubs, with eight different bars housed all under one roof and offering one of the biggest parties in town. Bierkeller, Norwegian Blue and Lloyds No.1 are located here and offer a great night out every weekend. And you can’t mention nightlife without talking about Manchester’s Gay Village on Canal St., showcasing some of the most vibrant and fun-filled nights the city has to offer and celebrating the large LGBTQ community that flock to the area. Hotspots include G.A.Y, Velvet, Tribeca and the Sackville lounge - plus The Village is also the host of the annual Manchester Pride Festival, with tens of thousands attending the celebrations.
Manchester city centre is also teeming with culture and great days out, including the wonderful Manchester Art Gallery which houses collections including works from Cezanne, Renoir and L. S. Lowry to name a few. And for theatres don’t miss The Royal Exchange – a former Victorian trading hall which is now one of the most celebrated theatres in the country. Another highlight is the relatively new National Football Museum, which showcases all things football-related and houses some interesting exhibitions in the striking Urbis building. There are also a number of libraries, including the Central Library’s £48m redevelopment in St. Peter’s Square, the classical Portico Library and 15th Century Cheetham’s Library which dates back to 1215 and is the oldest surviving public library in the UK.
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