Sustainable Travel Guide: Manchester, United Kingdom
Want to travel but keen to do it sustainably? Consider using my upcoming sustainable travel guides - I will share tips for how to use sustainable transport, book green accommodation as well as seek out the best sustainable, independent eateries, shops and more when you get to your destination - as well as the usual tips for things to do! I am a pretty frugal traveller so hope to be able to share how to travel green on a budget too.
I booked a long weekend away in Manchester which was almost enough to ‘complete’ it - it is a bustling, cosmopolitan city with lots to do. It was very walkable and has a great independent scene and some fabulous vintage shops. I went in November 2021 for four days, travelling by train from southern England to the north - it was cold and the days were short but it was a lovely trip and I would definitely go back in a heartbeat! I love solo travelling and haven’t been able to do it for a long time so this was the first in a while. Read on for a comprehensive guide to Manchester covering something for everyone.
TRANSPORATION
I am a huge fan of train travel for many reasons - the sustainability aspect, the freedom to read/eat/listen to music rather than have to focus on driving, skipping traffic, skipping the faff of flying (turning up for my train 15 minutes before it leaves is more than enough) not to mention the great views on the train, and maybe as a bonus the people watching if you’re into that! However I know train travel in the UK is not hugely accessible due to cost and sometimes inconvenience. With the help of things like booking in advance, the 16-25 Railcard which gets me 1/3 off rail travel (for only £30 a year or £70 for three years) and Split Ticketing (a clever way of cutting ticket costs by purchasing as separate trips between stops rather than directly from A - Z), I quite often bag great deals on rail travel. Sustainable transport can be covered more fully in a future post, but to cover travel to Manchester specifically…
I paid £66 through Splitticketing for a return from Southampton Airport Parkway to Manchester Piccadilly, I booked a couple of weeks in advance and used my 16-25 Railcard to get 1/3 off. For context, this is roughly the same or less than the cost of petrol/diesel to drive the same distance and took the same amount of time - my train took four hours and 27 minutes with no delays, driving takes about four hours door to door depending on traffic.
For getting around the city itself, Manchester is very walkable but is also very well connected by buses and trams which go to all the places you’ll want to see.
ACCOMODATION
I decided to branch out and treat myself to a Locke Hotel for my stay. Locke Hotels are design-led, thoughtful aparthotels in the UK, Ireland and Germany which are designed to be a home away from home, and couldn’t be any further from the sterile decor of a Premier Inn or Travelodge (no hate, but it is nice to stay somewhere different that feels special!). They are ‘Green Hotels’, championing thoughtful, locally sourced features and furnishings as well as working with local businesses for the room amenities, food, drink and more. Whitworth Locke is an old converted cotton mill and is genuinely the most stunning UK hotel I have ever stayed in, and was on Prince’s Street, a short walk from pretty much anywhere I needed to go. I paid £660 for three nights (including breakfast).
Whitworth Locke, Manchester (Source: author’s own photography)
THINGS TO DO/SEE
I’ve organised this into the areas the attractions fall into to help guide your itinerary. Manchester city centre is very walkable and most places you will want to see outside of it are an easy bus or tram away (you can use contactless cards to pay for these).
Piccadilly - this is where Manchester’s major train station (Manchester Piccadilly) as well as hotels and theatres are mainly based, as well as Manchester’s central transport hub Piccadilly Gardens, and all your regular cafes, restaurants and corner shops. The Gay Village / Canal Street is a buzzing pedestrianised area famous for its LGBTQ+ community friendly nightlife, as well as lots of great places to eat and have a coffee. Keep an eye out for the Alan Turning Memorial here. Manchester Christmas Market is huge and famous, and it is spread around the centre, with some of the festivities situated in Piccadilly Gardens.
Chinatown - Chinatown is well worth a visit - for the vibrant, family-run Chinese and other east asian restaurants and the Chinese Arch. Tucked away next to Chinatown is Manchester Art Gallery which is free of charge and well worth a visit - open from Wednesday to Sunday.
The Northern Quarter - this is the Shoreditch of Manchester City Centre. Lots of quirky eateries, bars and independent shopping as well as interesting street art. I spent lots of time wandering around here!
Market Street, the Cathedral Quarter and Manchester Arndale - This is the heart of the centre, home to the National Football Museum, the Cathedral and the Arndale Shopping Centre (high street and designer brands). I didn’t manage to make it to the Football Museum unfortunately, and big shopping centres are my biggest fear, but if it is your sort of thing it is probably worth a visit if only to tick it off.
Albert Square - this hosts the impressive Town Hall and Central Library. The Town Hall is a Grade I listed building and is currently under refurbishment, expected to complete in 2024.
Deansgate - Deansgate is a mile long road running through the city centre hitting some of the most popular spots, as well as the John Rylands Library which is stunning and worth a visit.
Castlefield - Castlefield is a lovely walk along the canals in the industrial and Roman heart of Manchester which hosts the Museum of Science and Industry.
Spinningfields - this is the shiny financial district of Manchester, also known for its shopping, food and entertainment venues. I enjoyed walking between Deansgate/Castlefield to for great views of Spinningfields skyscrapers. 20 Stories Manchester is also in Spinningfields for premium views of Manchester over afternoon tea, dinner or drinks.
Castlefield, Manchester (Source: author’s own photography)
A bit further out from the City Centre…
Salford - Salford (Greater Manchester) is a quick bus or tram journey from the city centre and hosts Media City UK, Manchester’s media hub, as well as The Lowry. Salford Quays (where Media City and The Lowry are situated) sits on the Manchester Ship Canal and make for a really nice walk, I imagine especially in the summer.
Withington - a suburb of Manchester, home to the Marcus Rashford Mural (as well as other interesting street art for the Withington Walls project) and great charity shops.
Rusholme - this is a great area hosting the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University campus buildings, the Whitworth Park & Art Gallery and the Curry Mile on Wilmington Lane.
Chorlton - word is on the street that Chorlton has gained a reputation as the most bohemian area of the city, and is home to one of the best vegan whole food markets in the UK, Unicorn as well as trendy bars and restaurants.
Manchester is also no more than an hour’s train journey away from some other great northern cities like Liverpool, Leeds and Sheffield. It is also less than an hour’s drive from the Peak District National Park which is stunning. I went to Leeds for a day trip which I definitely recommend but that’s a post for another time.
SUSTAINABLE EATS
I definitely did not explore the food scene as much as I could have done as I had breakfast included and tried to cook some meals as I had a kitchenette in the hotel. I also spent a whole day in Leeds. But I did get a feel for what is out there and tried a couple of places, which I have organised by area.
Chinatown has lots of independent, family run east asian restaurants - I went to I Am Pho for my Vietnamese pho fix
Piccadilly/Central Bundobust for Indian street food, Yuzu for authentic Japanese tapas, Hatch for an open-air food market - I heard it is great in the summer - I treated myself to tapas at El Gato Negro which was divine
Withington Herbivorous & Fuel for vegan/veggie eats
Northern Quarter has lots of independent bars, restaurants and cafes so I would look here too
SUSTAINABLE SHOPPING
There is a great sustainable / independent shopping scene in the Northern Quarter, particularly vintage clothing shops. I also wandered into a designer sample sale!
Vintage/Independent Emporium - Afflecks is an indoor market of three floors of independent / preloved / vintage goods
Vintage shops - Blue Rinse, COW, Pop Boutique, Bags of Flavour, Suzy Loves Milo
Charity shops - Oxfam Originals (I found some blue Christian Dior ankle socks here), Oxfam Emporium, RSPCA, British Heart Foundation
Manchester Craft and Design Centre - this is a lovely maker’s studio honouring the historical Victorian setting for artists' studios with contemporary jewellery, ceramics and art for sale. I bought a lovely ring here from one of the makers.
I would also recommend Withington for charity shops as they have a strip of them. I got a nice jumper and dress from two of these!
Zero waste / refill shops - Want Not Waste is a student-run, not-for-profit zero waste shop operating out of Academy 1 at the University of Manchester Students' Union and well worth a visit.
I hope this is a useful guide for anyone wanting to visit Manchester - I would highly recommend giving it four days to be able to get a really good feel for the city and surroundings.
Merry Christmas Manchester sign in Spinningfields (Source: author’s own photography)