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Manchester is a vibrant city in the North of England. A city of heritage, art, music, theatre, sport and excitement. Manchester is surrounded by dramatic countryside and many significant attractions.
As a symbol of England's industrial heritage, Manchester might not be on the top of most visitors' list of “must-sees” when it comes to planning a trip to England, but this cosmopolitan city has a few surprises up its sleeve.
Manchester is located in northern England between the cities of Liverpool and Leeds. Settled by the Romans in A.D. 79, Manchester experienced a boom in the 18 th century and served as a center for shipping and industry. It is often regarded as England's “second city,” next to London. Today, Manchester has built a strong identity as a center for history, culture, and sports.
A good starting place for a trip to Manchester is the Manchester Wheel. Although it may not be quite as grand as the famous London Eye, the Manchester Wheel is still an impressive structure that offers stunning views of the city.
Manchester is home a number of museums dedicated to its industrial past, including the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester. Other museums and galleries include the Imperial War Museum North, the Gallery of English Costume, the Manchester Jewish Museum, and the Whitworth Art Gallery.
Manchester has a pulsating music scene and is home to the world's busiest indoor music venue, the Manchester Evening News Arena. This massive 21,000-seat arena attracts more concert-goers than New York's Madison Square Garden and London's O2 Arena. A number of well-known bands got their start in Manchester, including The Smiths, Oasis, Joy Division, The Stone Roses, and New Order. Manchester is also home to a thriving classical music scene, including two symphony orchestras and a chamber orchestra.
Manchester, like London, is a melting pot of cultures, and a number of ethnic restaurants are available within the city. Indian food is by far the most popular cuisine, and there is no shortage of curry restaurants to choose from. The Curry Mile is a mile-long stretch of road lined with curry restaurants and shops selling saris and Indian jewelry. Manchester even has its own Chinatown, full of Chinese restaurants and specialty shops.
Manchester hosts a number of unique markets and festivals. The city is particularly abuzz at Christmastime, when its Christmas markets attract large crowds with a wide variety of British and continental Christmas food and crafts. Other festivals include the Manchester International Film Festival; the Manchester Comedy Festival; the Manchester Jazz Festival; the Manchester Irish Festival; and Gaypride, which reflects the city's liberal scene.
Most of Manchester's main tourist attractions are within easy walking distance of each other, but the city also has a system of buses, trams, trains, and taxis.
Manchester is home to two football clubs, more theatres than any other city outside London three universities, two symphony orchestras, museums, art galleries, heritage and a buzz! Manchester is a city that is transforming, a process started after the IRA bomb in 1996.
The Manchester eguide provides all the tourist information that a visitor to Manchester will require that is unbiased, factual and regularly updated. The Manchester eguide is the definitive guide to Manchester. For complete Manchester Information please use the navigation on the left of this page or the search engine below, making sure Manchester eGuide is checked.
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