It is amazing to visit a new city but it can sure cost a lot. Factoring in places to see, things to do and where to eat and/or drink can easily add up. Luckily, you can now get to Manchester with Megabus from 10 different cities and, having bussed my way around the east coast of America with them I can definitely recommend hopping on one of their buses to see the best the country has to offer.
Call me biased but Manchester should be high up on your list to visit and it won’t cost you a fortune, if you don’t want it to.
Call me tight, but I would rather spend my money on food and drink rather than experiences, and there are some great free experiences to fill a day in Manchester.
Out and about
Street art – Manchester has some fabulous street art that is free to wander around and look at. Predominantly around the Northern Quarter you will find an abundant amount of worker bee murals painted on the walls and other pieces that regularly change. Stevenson Square in the Northern Quarter is home to the outdoor project Outhouse MCR where three blocks in the centre of the Square are regularly painted. My favourite was this fabulous Arya Stark piece by Akse P19, but it changes regularly meaning you can visit more than once!
Spot the remaining bees – Manchester hosted a fabulous project called ‘Bee in the City’ last year where giant painted bees were placed all over the city. Kids and adults alike, me included, had great fun spotting the different bees and seeing how many they could see before they were auctioned off for charity. Luckily, some of them are still lurking and they are well worth keeping a bee-dy (sorry….) eye out for. Sackville Gardens is a good place to start.
Historic buildings
With all the development going on in the city at the moment, it can be easy to be distracted by the tall glass skyscrapers that are going up at a rate of knots. Manchester has some gorgeous old architecture that you can visit too.
John Rylands Library – Easily the most beautiful building in Manchester, John Rylands library on Deansgate is a late Victorian neo-gothic building that is so similar to Hogwarts, it is uncanny. There are regular free events but the library is worth a visit in itself. You will find a world class collection of books including the oldest known piece of the New Testament and a huge collection of medieval manuscripts that would be at home in a museum.
Art Gallery – If art is your thing, Manchester Art Gallery is also worth a visit with over 25,000 objects of fine art, decorative art and costume to explore. There is always an exhibition to see, on top of the permanent art that is on display, with ‘And Breathe’ currently exhibiting until January 2020. ‘And Breathe’ explores the relationship between art and mindfulness, which is seriously on topic at the moment so worth exploring for a truly modern take on art.
Manchester Cathedral – Our gothic cathedral is simply stunning and, even if you don’t feel like marvelling at the intricate carved woodwork, there are hidden art pieces to be found and keep your eye out on the outside for the Lancashire Madonna.
Police museum – I may be biased as I work for the organisation as part of my day job but the Police Museum is really informative and a great way to learn about the local history at one of Manchester’s earliest police stations. Discover the slums and unruly alehouses before going through what a criminal has to endure when they had been locked up.
Then head to –
As I said, I would much rather spend my budget on food and drink, especially when there is so much to do in Manchester that is free. That said, please do leave a donation at the free sites as it goes a long way to ensure we can maintain the buildings for other people to enjoy in the future. Here are my favourite happy hours in Manchester that offer both food and drink deals.
Bunny Jacksons – Bunny’s is the most authentic American style bar that I have visited outside of the States and they have some great deals including 10p chicken wings, free pool and regular live music.
Black Dog – Sunday to Friday 4pm-8pm you will find £4 loaded fries and £4 cocktails.
Crazy Pedros – £2 slices and 2 for £10 frozen margs, Sunday to Friday 5pm-9pm.
Matt and Phreds – Buy 2 drinks and get free pizza! Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 6pm-8pm.
Harvey Nichols 2nd floor bar – 2 cocktails and antipasti for £15, Monday to Friday 5pm-7pm.
Sandinista – Free tapas with every drink, Fridays only 5pm-9pm.
As you can imagine, deals change regularly in Manchester but be sure to check M Dog for the most up to date offers in the city.
There you have it! My busy day itinerary for Manchester. Is there anything else you would add? Please do add your recommendations in the comments for others to consider when they visit.
In collaboration with Megabus.
Image of the police museum credited to Greater Manchester Police and used with permission.
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