Manchester city guides

What to do in Manchester: The ultimate Manchester travel guide.

09-02-2023

Dylan Mitchell

Manchester is a city full of history, culture and great architecture. Often referred to as the ‘capital of the North’, it’s no wonder that so many people visit this wonderful city every year. In fact, it’s estimated that around 119 million people visit Manchester annually. If you are one of those people and you’re wondering what to do in Manchester, you’ve come to the right place. Check out our ‘What to do in Manchester’ guide.

Things to do in Manchester.

Manchester has so many activities and amazing places to visit for people of all ages and backgrounds. If you like football then you’re in for a treat with two of the biggest clubs in the world with Manchester United and Manchester City here. There are also museums to spend your time in to learn and educate yourself and your children. Plus, there are many Manchester restaurant deals to be had in the city by signing up to tastecard.

So, what are you waiting for? Here’s our list of Manchester things to do:

Manchester United stadium tour
National Football Museum
Science and Industry Museum
LEGOLAND Discovery Centre
Manchester Art Gallery

Manchester United Stadium Tour.

If you’re a football fan then you should find this one interesting. The 20-time English league champions and three-time European champions, Manchester United, have one of the biggest and best stadium and museum tours in the world. Take in Old Trafford and all of its silverware on this must-do activity.

National Football Museum.

Equally, the National Football Museum is a great place for fans of football. There is so much history of the beautiful game packed within this building that you can easily spend hours here. Hop on the tram and spend a day at the most interesting museum for sports fans there is!

Science and Industry Museum.

Manchester was the world’s first industrial city so find out about its incredible history at the Science and Industry Museum. Find out how the city's heritage is interwoven with the cotton industry in the Textiles Gallery and see science brought to life in the interactive, child-friendly gallery, Experiment.

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre.

Take the kids out for a day at one of the most exciting adventure fairgrounds in the country. LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester is packed full of excitement for kids of all ages and is a perfect place for the whole family to visit.

Manchester Art Gallery.

Finally, take in centuries of culture with the Manchester Art Gallery. Spend a pleasant afternoon exploring the incredible art that’s on display in this wonderful gallery – it’s the perfect Sunday activity.

Where to eat in Manchester?

All of that tourism and walking around will make anybody peckish, so you’ll need to find somewhere to eat. Fortunately, Manchester has a wealth of food spots for all types of diets and cultures. Luckily, tastecard has compiled lists of the best places to eat in Manchester, including the best vegetarian restaurants, vegan restaurants, family-friendly restaurants, Italian restaurants and much more.

You can read about all of the wonderful restaurants in Manchester on the tastecard blog.

Where to stay in Manchester?

With Manchester being home to so many tourist attractions, it’s bound to have plenty of places to stay. Thanks to the awesome public transport on offer in the city, with buses, trams and taxis available on almost every street corner, you’ll easily be able to find your way around the city.

You could stay in the Northern Quarter near Piccadilly Gardens, or you could stay in Deansgate near the Science and Industry Museum. Right at the heart of the city is the Crown Plaza if you really want to push the boat out.

Images sourced directly from partners and/or their Instagram accounts. All restaurants available on tastecard at the time of publishing.

Save on your trip to Manchester.

Now you have ideas of what to do in Manchester, you should start thinking about saving some money while you’re there! With tastecard, you can enjoy 2 for 1 meals or 25% off food & drinks, cinema ticket savings, and discounts on days out. Check out the best cinemas in Manchester, where you can save money on a movie (or two!).

Subscribe today and enjoy discounts galore!