Some international destinations have begun to shake off their COVID restrictions and open up once again to American travelers. With these developments, you can bet that you are dreaming, once again, of venturing to favorite #European vacation spots.
Now is the time to suggest travel adventures that may not have been considered, something a bit off the beaten path but still easy to get to, say #Manchester, #England, #UK for instance. Here are some things that you may not know about the destination, all great reasons to book your trip to Manchester …
Once industrial, now wittily cultural
Just 50 years ago, Manchester was still seen as the brooding #Victorian #metropolis where the Industrial Revolution was born (at the dawn of the 19th century) and many of the foundations of modern urban life were formulated. To put it bluntly, it was historically important, but rather drab by today’s standards. But now, this trendy and #bohemian #cosmopolitan city has been #reincarnated as a cultural tour de force – a lively hub for #artists, #musicians, #inventors, and #creatives.
With its rich and #progressive history, this destination has many stories of struggle, #innovation, and #triumph to tell, and visitors can hear and feel those tales on its streets as well as in its storefronts and #cultural attractions.
Let’s start with the fact that Manchester is a compact city with diverse neighborhoods fitted together like an intriguing puzzle that is best explored by foot. Visitors can actually get from one side of the city to the other in about 25 minutes. Some of the best #options to #experience the heartbeat of Manchester include: a street art walking tour in the Northern Quarter; a food and drink heritage tour in #Ancoats, a craft beer tour, #bespoke taxi tours, private walking tours, and of course the hop-on-hop-off, double-decker bus tours; or taking in the entire scene from the surrounding waters on a meandering river cruise.
Artsy urban scene
In close proximity to #Liverpool, home of the #Beatles, Manchester has important ties to the #British music scene – and grassroots indie music abounds there. Here’s a tip clients who visit Manchester just for the artsy music scene: “Many bands got their start here, including the #English #rock band #Oasis. The front man of Oasis actually has a clothing store in Manchester, called #PrettyGreen, which is popular among the music scene crowd. There’s also a famous secondhand music store, called #Sifters Records in the suburb of #Burnage, that carries a large selection of hard-to-get records.”
Another big draw is the Manchester International Festival. Held every other year, about three million people attend; and it focuses on presenting new and original works of the #performing #arts, #visual #arts, and #pop #culture. The festival is set to take place again over three weeks in July 2023. NOW is the time to lock down reservations!
Museums, galleries & gardens galore
Culture vultures will feel right at home in Manchester. Major attractions include: the #Science and #Industry #Museum, #Manchester #Art #Gallery, John Rylands Library, with its Victorian-Gothic, castle-like architecture, and The Whitworth. Smaller but no-less-distinctive places worth seeing are the restored 1850s home of the #Victorian #novelist Elizabeth #Gaskell, and the #Chetham’s Library, with its tales of ghosts and priceless collection of books. Of note and different for Americans, most of the museums and galleries are free of charge.
Manchester is also surrounded by national parks of #pristine #beauty, with five of them located within two hours of the city. The latest offering, which opened in May of this year, the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) Garden Bridgewater is set on a spectacular 154-acre historic landscape. What could be more quintessentially British than enjoying some witty conversation while strolling the gardens with your afternoon companion?
Soccer
Of particular interest to sports lovers, Manchester is considered to be the home of #soccer, “football” for Europeans. It also has two famous soccer clubs (#ManchesterCity and #ManchesterUnited), with both clubs offering behind-the-scenes stadium tours, including at Manchester United, where visitors get to the pitch by running down the tunnel to the roar of the crowd.
Keep in mind that because of the soccer season, summer is actually this destination’s low season for hotels, making that the perfect time to visit!
Heritage tourism
Manchester has a vast legacy, from its early beginnings as a #Roman fort to today’s reinvented #cosmopolitan city. And that kind of expansive history makes it a natural for heritage tourism.
#FriendsTravel agency deals with the absolute best #Anglophile ground operator that #specializes in #heritage travel: “We have many clients with ancestors from the UK. Our vendor researches our clients’ #genealogy and plan trips for them to walk in the footsteps of their #ancestors. We link them up with local tour guides, so they can learn more about their family’s heritage.” These are the meaningful types of travel experiences that more and more people are seeking out these days.
Nonstop flights from the U.S.
Of course, as a Professional Travel Consultant, #JessKalinowsky I have flown clients into London. But there is another convenient gateway into #GreatBritain, and that is #Manchester Airport in Northern England. Good flights are in place directly from key U.S. cities, which is especially appealing as travelers face the lingering and sometimes trying pandemic-influenced travel regulations and protocols.
Perfect second visit to England
While many first-timers to #GreatBritain gravitate towards southern destinations like #London, #Oxford and #Cambridge, #Manchester is an excellent choice for a second or third visit. #JessKalinowsky has visited every major, and many minor cities/town in #England, Ireland, #Scotland and #Wales!
In addition to everything we have already mentioned, with Manchester being a hub-and-spoke destination, there is a wonderful range of expansive day trips available, including visiting: the beautiful walled town of #Conwy and #majestic #castles in #NorthWales; the #Roman city of #Chester; the #medieval city of #York; the #marit#ime city of #Liverpool; and the countryside and the stunning scenery of the #PeakDistrict and the #LakeDistrict.
Perhaps now you can see why Manchester is often called “England’s second city.” With its lively arts scene, superb gastronomic options, world-class hotels, cultural and sports attractions, storied heritage, compact city center, easy day trips, and convenient lift, this destination fits the bill for all types of travelers. And that includes singles, couples, families, multi-generational families, and LGBT lifestyles alike.
EMAIL: JESS@FriendsTravel.com #JessKalinowsky #BestValueEnglandVacations #FriendsTravelWestHollywoodCa90069
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