Not so long ago Manchester was brushed aside as a drab city that had the industrial remnants of the bygone Revolution minus the former glory. After a successful facelift, Manchester has moved on to a heyday of a different kind. With its giant football stadium (Old Trafford), two premier football clubs, over 50 museums and galleries and a mix of grand monuments and futuristic, glassy designs, Manchester is a vibrant city very much worth discovering on a coach tour.
Tour Manchester
Like most major cities Manchester's shopping scene is impressive, offering visitors various venues in which to part with their money. The Arndale Centre and the adjacent Selfridges on Corporation Street are within easy reach, and the Trafford Centre just outside the city is the favoured choice of many, with 280 stores, 38 restaurants and cinema. Guided tours are plentiful and can allow tourists a peek around anything from Manchester United's football grounds to the neo-Gothic Town Hall in Albert Square. Then there are the city's endless eateries to enjoy , which serve up everything from Oriental delights in Chinatown to Indian on Rusholme's Curry Mile.
- The sleek new Lowry Centre that opened at the heart of Salford Quays in 2000 is a must-see on a coach trip to Manchester. Featuring theatres, galleries that showcase contemporary and other art, as well as a decent choice of restaurants, bars and cafes, the Centre was designed to show off the waterways and vice versa – and it works.