Incorporating the city of Manchester and a number of surrounding towns, Greater Manchester is one of England’s largest and most diverse urban regions. Situated in the north-west of the country, Manchester has become a thriving hub of design, industry, and cultural attractions. It’s also rich in history, filled with attractions that celebrate architecture from different periods.
Manchester City Centre is a good starting point for what’s on offer, with areas like Deansgate and Albert Square offering plenty of impressive buildings and attractions. Oxford Road runs through the city and showcases a range of building styles, while the Millennium Quarter combines the archaic beauty of Manchester Cathedral with a number of modern shops. Travel outside of Manchester city, and England’s industrial revolution is aptly displayed, notably in towns like Whitefield and Castlefield, the latter being Britain’s first ever UNESCO Urban Heritage site.
Greater Manchester covers a large area, and the best local transport connections are often by tram. An extensive network runs out in all directions from Manchester City Centre. In the centre of the city, Piccadilly, Oxford Road, and Deansgate are all busy railway stations. Manchester Airport is the third largest in the UK and offers flights to most continents, with regular trains travelling from the airport to destinations across Greater Manchester.
Manchester unofficially declares itself as the “capital of the north”, in part a measure of its economic power. The area was at the heart of the industrial revolution and was amongst the most affluent regions on the planet. In recent years, Greater Manchester has successfully reversed the post-industrial decline and reinvented itself as a cultural and entertainment hub.