Manchester
United Kingdom · Country profile
Manchester is the industrious, culture-steeped city of the north of England, the former cotton capital of the world that transformed its Victorian mills, its warehouses and its red-brick terraces into one of the liveliest and most influential modern cities of Britain. The capital of the industrial revolution, where the canals, the railways and the spinning mills of the nineteenth century brought the whole world its cloth, it remains a city of the enormous energy, its old trading district reborn as the celebrated music, nightlife and eating quarter of the town. The football stadia, the museums of the industrial past, the grand town hall and the modern towers of the city centre anchor the essential visits, while the university, the galleries and the festival life of the city run its famously creative, friendly spirit. Northern, radical and endlessly energetic, Manchester is the beating pop and industrial heart of the north.
About Manchester
Manchester is a city in United Kingdom. The city's documented population is around 553,000 people. For visitors from abroad, the local currency is the British Pound (GBP) and English is spoken; the dialling code is +44. It is served by 1 airport in our guide: Manchester Airport.
The Mills and the Canals of the Industrial City
Manchester is a walkable, water-fronted city where the essential circuit moves between the old mills and the canals, the town hall and the museums of the centre, with the markets, the music venues and the Victorian arcades of the shops carrying the lively day life. The museum of the industrial science, the great galleries of the city and the rebuilt districts of the old warehouses, with their bars and their restaurants along the canals, fill the classic days, and the football museums and the stadia of the city anchor the sporting devotion of the locals. The trams, the riverside walks and the lakes of the region beyond the town complete the easy, energetic rhythm of the great northern city.
The Town Hall and the Museums of the Centre
The climate of the city is the soft, rainy temperate of the north-west of England, with the cool, damp winters, the mild, changeable summers and the frequent showers of every season of the year. The pound is the currency and the English the language, with the friendly northern accent the signature of the town. The centre, the canals and the museums make the core circuit, and the trains of the region reach the whole of the north and the coast with ease. A waterproof coat, comfortable walking shoes and layers for the changeable skies complete the sensible preparation for the northern metropolis.
The Music Venues and the Arcades of the Town
The music of the city, the legendary club and band heritage that made Manchester one of the celebrated pop cities of the world, lives on in the venues of the town, and the story of the great bands is told in the city centre. The industrial quarter of the town, the old cotton warehouses and the canal network restored to the bars, the galleries and the walkways of the present, preserves the engines of the revolution that built the city, and the grand Victorian town hall, with its sculpture hall and its murals, crowns the civic heart. The markets of the centre, the football religion of the two great clubs and the lively curry and food quarters of the town complete the essential, endlessly sociable circuit of Britain first industrial and one of its most lively modern cities.
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- Country
- United Kingdom
- Population
- 553,000
- Coordinates
- 53.3537, -2.2750
- Capital
- London
- Region
- Europe
- Currency
- British Pound (GBP)
- Languages
- English
- Calling code
- +44
- Country code
- GB
Entry requirements for United Kingdom
Visa status for travellers from common origins visiting United Kingdom for tourism.
Getting to Manchester
Airports we list for Manchester:
Other airports in the area:
Cities in United Kingdom
Other cities we cover in United Kingdom:
Frequently asked questions
Is Manchester the capital of United Kingdom?
No — the capital of United Kingdom is London.
What currency do I need in Manchester?
The local currency is the British Pound (GBP). Languages spoken in United Kingdom include English.
What is the dialling code for United Kingdom?
The international dialling code for United Kingdom is +44.
Which airport should I fly into for Manchester?
Manchester Airport (MAN) is the airport we list for Manchester.
How far is Manchester from the nearest airport?
Manchester is about 243 km from Heathrow Airport.
Do I need a visa to visit United Kingdom?
It depends on your passport. For the origins we track, the current tourism visa status is Afghanistan (visa required), Albania (visa required), Algeria (visa required), Andorra (eta required) and Angola (visa required). Check the entry requirements tool for your own nationality.
Flying out of Manchester? Check the entry requirements for your destination in our entry requirements tool before you fly.