Manchester Area Guide

Ever since the UK's "Summer of Love" in 1989 Manchester has become a serious rival to London for entertainment, nightlife and its hip music scene. The city has also produced some of the best bands of the last decade. Manchester was originally a market town up until the Industrial Revolution when, due to its damp climate, it became the ideal location for England's cotton mills. The city still produces over half of the UK's manufactured goods.

Today Manchester is a large metropolitan city. It has a population of approximately 422,300 and was voted "England's Second City" in poll of British people in early 2004. The shopping facilities are excellent, for example the super mall the Trafford Centre is a shoppers' paradise whatever the weather. Manchester's museums (Imperial War Museum, Museum of Science and Technology, and the Manchester Museum) and art galleries (The Lowry, Castlefield Gallery and The Cornerhouse) make the city a dynamic and cosmopolitan city with a huge variety of attractions to suit all ages and tastes.

Useful Links

If you are looking for some more information on the city of Manchester and the region of Greater Manchester then we recommend the follwing very helpful sites:

• Imperial War Museum - Visit one of Manchester's most popular attractions
• Manchester Airport - A very useful website all about Manchester Airport
• Manchester City Council - A good place to start for general local information
• Tourist Information - Great information portal all about Manchester and the surrounding area