| | | Manchester is a city with a proud industrial past and hopes for a vibrant future. |
Covering 45 square miles it's essentially a Victorian city which was
the centre of the cotton industry and thrived during the industrial revolution. |
| The Manchester Ship Canal gave the city an advantage over rivals - an inland city which was able to be a port. |
| With such a rich industrial past and many changes to bring the city into the 21st century, it's hardly surprising that there's stacks of things to see and do in Britain's second city. |
| Football fans will insist on a trip to Old Trafford, home of Manchester United - one of Britain's greatest clubs. |
| There's also a museum which traces the club's history and highlights some of the highs - and lows- of the club, including a trophy room and the Legend's Corridor, where there's memorabilia from some of the club's best known players. |
| As part of a major millennium plan to upgrade the area around Manchester Ship Canal, The Lowry Arts complex has opened at Salford Quay, just 1.5 miles from the city centre. This includes two theatres, restaurants, designer outlet stores and a cinema. There's also a major art gallery which pays tribute to one of Manchester's best known artists - L.S. Lowry. There are more than 300 paintings of his famous 'matchstick men' which pictured the gritty industrial heritage of Manchester during the 1930s. |
| A big feather in the cap of Manchester was its' successful bid to host the 2002 Commonwealth Games, an event which brought millions of pounds to the city and increased the profile. |
| For food look no further than Manchester's very own Chinatown, with award winning restaurants, bakeries and the colourful Chinese New Year parade. |
| There are too many attractions to mention but try and check out Urbis - an eyecatching glass building which looks at how people live in cities all over the world. |
As well as the new, there's plenty reminders of the past in Manchester,
with architecture like the cathedral worth a look. |
Coronation Street fans will make a bee-line for the Granada Studios tour, where they can have a pint in the Rovers Return, walk down the famous cobbled streets or buy Bet Gilroy's outlandish earrings! |
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Forthcoming events for Manchester | | | >
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