Day 1. A weekend in Manchester

On By Little Miss TravellerIn Greater Manchester, Manchester Weekend 2020, North West, United Kingdom

I was so excited to be spending a weekend in Manchester as it’s one of my all time favourite cities and somewhere I visit often. Five long months seemed much too long to be away and as our train approached Victoria station even the sun broke through the clouds to welcome us back.

CitySuites Manchester
CitySuites Manchester

We’d arranged to stay at CitySuites just a five minute walk across the River Irwell footbridge from the station so we didn’t have very far to go. As it was at least an hour before check-in time we were just expecting to drop off our bags but the welcoming receptionist handed us our key cards straightaway and we were soon taking the lift up to our spacious one bedroom apartment on the 14th floor.

CitySuites One bedroom apartment
Our one bedroom apartment at CitySuites

First impressions count for so much and as soon as we opened the door we knew instantly the suite was everything we expected and more. From the large living area and bedroom windows we enjoyed breathtaking views across to the cathedral, Harvey Nichols and the city centre rooftops beyond. CitySuites provides luxury apartment style rooms with fully fitted kitchens, and with the added benefit of a huge indoor pool and gym solely for hotel guests, it was unlikely that we would ever want to leave.

CitySuites Manchester apartment
Our well equipped kitchen

We’ve never been good at travelling light even on a weekend break, so it was pleasing to discover that there was lots of storage space for our belongings. After unpacking, we prepared cups of coffee from the Nespresso machine and made ourselves comfortable on the sofa, turning on the huge television for a few minutes to watch the Cricket Test Match.  It was so relaxing just sitting there in our home from home, but there was a wonderful city waiting to be explored so we dragged ourselves away from our gorgeous suite to see what we could find.

Manchester Cathedral
Manchester Cathedral

We didn’t need to walk far as the cathedral located in the heart of the medieval quarter was practically on our doorstep. It’s free to visit and and with some of the finest late medieval wood carvings in the north of England is certainly worth a visit.  It was the first time I’d been inside a church since the era of social distancing and it was interesting yet somewhat strange to view the new style seating arrangements.

Interior, Manchester Cathedral
Interior of Manchester Cathedral

The cathedral is surrounded by attractively laid out gardens to one side incorporating a specially designed water feature reflecting the change of seasons. At the end of the Cathedral Gates passageway lies the half timbered Old Wellington Inn, the oldest building of its kind in the city. It’s always popular and with its large outdoor terrace overlooking Shambles Square there seemed to be ample space for everyone.

Shambles Square, Manchester
Shambles Square, Manchester

We’d now reached Exchange Square where old and new sit comfortably side-by-side complimenting each other. This modern square has tiered walkways and seating overlooking the magnificent Edwardian Corn Exchange. This impressive building was originally the Corn and Produce Exchange and has more recently been beautifully restored to offer a wide selection of dining options, many with outdoor seating.

Exchange Square, Manchester
Exchange Square, Manchester

At one end of the square lies The Printworks, once the Withy Grove Printing House back in 1873 producing what is now the Manchester Evening News and the Daily Mirror until its closure in 1985. It’s now a lively entertainment complex comprising cinemas, pubs and restaurants.

The Corn Exchange, Manchester
The Corn Exchange, Manchester

Facing the Corn Exchange is the huge Arndale Centre, a mecca for shopaholics like me with a branch of almost anything you could wish for. Adjacent is Selfridges with its huge metal sunflower like sculptures and coal wagon structures adorning its exterior.

The PrintWorks, Manchester
The Printworks, Manchester

Our tour of the square then led us onto New Cathedral Street where Harvey Nichols and a host of other designer stores are to  be found. Along with Exchange Square, this modern pedestrianised street was the result of a massive rebuilding programme following the devastating 1996 IRA bombing of the city centre. A red postbox survived and was one of the few things left unscathed after the huge bomb blast.

Deansgate, Manchester
Deansgate, Manchester

We continued along Deansgate which has recently been partly pedestrianised with planters added featuring the emblem of Manchester, the worker bee. The bee demonstrates the Mancunian hard work ethic and the city being a hive of activity. Let’s hope it won’t be too long before it becomes a thriving hive of activity once again.

Spinningfields Manchester
Spinningfields, Manchester

Next on our list of districts to explore was the Spinningfields Quarter located between Deansgate and the River Irwell. It’s the city’s Central Business District and Manchester’s answer to London’s Canary Wharf with its numerous gleaming high rise glass and steel office blocks.

Spinnngfields restaurants Manchester
Casual dining in Spinningfields

Its not all office blocks though as Spinningfields boasts some of the best casual dining the city has to offer with its array of cocktail bars and restaurants including The Alchemist and The Ivy. Along LeftBank there are even more bars and restaurants and with their riverside location some attractive alfresco dining possibilities.

The Avenue, Spinningfields
The Avenue, Spinningfields

You can’t keep me away from shops for very long so I was in my element as I wandered along The Avenue lined with luxury retailers including Armani and Mulberry.  Shopping over, it was time to move on slightly further, this time to Castlefield, formerly the industrial heartland of the city.  Located on the south western end of Deansgate it’s home to some picturesque canals, old mils, bars, pubs and restaurants. To me, this is the most beautiful part of the city centre to take a waterside stroll along the canal bank stopping off for a drink at one of the many inviting bars.

The Rochdale Canal, Manchester
The Rochdale Canal, Castlefield

Castlefield derives its name from the Roman fort called Mancunian which was established as far back as AD79. The fort has now been partly reconstructed and is free to visit with useful information boards added to document its history.  In Victorian times Castlefield became a working dock for barges transporting goods such as cotton along both the Bridgewater and Rochdale canals.  They would have then continued their journey onto the Manchester Ship Canal towards the port of Liverpool for export to the wider world.

Castlefield, Manchester
Castlefield, Manchester

Nowadays it’s one of the liveliest parts of the city, especially in the evenings when the Castlefield Quarter really comes to life.

The Wharf, Castlefield
The Wharf, Castlefield

Tasteful bars and restaurants have sprung up in what were for a long time derelict old mills and warehouses, some imaginatively built under the old railway arches and many with waterside views.   Its a delightful spot for a breath of fresh air and stroll at any time of day.  At the end of this post I’ve included a link to a walk along the Rochdale Canal that I’ve often enjoyed

Piccadilly Gardens Manchester
Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester

After enjoying a drink on the terrace of The Wharf we felt rested and continued our walking tour of the city centre along to Piccadilly Gardens, a green open space in the city centre surrounded by shops, cafes and offices.  The square is one of the biggest in Europe to be covered in grass and is a popular place to sit and relax in sunny Manchester.

Chinatown, Manchester
Chinatown, Manchester

Just before making our way back to the hotel there were still two more places we wanted to check out.  The first was neighbouring Chinatown located west of Piccadilly Gardens between Portland and Moseley streets.

Pagoda, Chinatown, Manchester
Oriental Pagaoda, Chinatown, Manchester

The Imperial Chinese Archway on Faulkener Street was a gift from the Chinese people to Manchester.  The ornate arch is decorated with ceramics, lacquer and gold leaf.and is adjacent to a square containing an oriental pagoda.  Manchester Chinatown is the second largest in the UK with a wide choice of authentic restaurants, bakeries and supermarkets, not all of them back open yet but still plenty of activity which was reassuring to see.

Canal Street, Manchester Gay Village
Canal Street, Manchester

We returned to the Aparthotel along Canal Street, the home of Manchester’s vibrant gay village centred on a narrow road beside the Rochdale Canal.  Nearby in Sackville Gardens we came across the Alan Turing memorial celebrating the revered gay University of Manchester mathematician and WWII code breaker.

CitySuites ApartHotel, Manchester
CitySuites ApartHotel viewed from Cathedral Gates

Finally back in our gorgeous aparthotel suite we opened a bottle of wine and prepared a light supper in our well equipped kitchen.  Later in the evening we popped on the luxuriously thick bathrobes provided and took the lift down to the hotel’s huge 18m long swimming pool which has a jacuzzi at one corner.

CitySuites Manchester Swimming Pool
The pool at CitySuites

 

It was the first time that we’d been swimming since the lockdown so dipping a toe into the lovely warm water felt extra special and a memorable experience.  Both the pool and well equiped gym are solely for the use of hotel guests making them lovely and quiet when we used the facilities.

Bedroom at CitySuites ApartHotel
Our bedroom

The end of a lovely first day back in Manchester. Stay tuned to find out what we got up to on days 2 and 3.

If you have enjoyed reading this post you may also like:

A walk along the Rochdale Canal in Central Manchester

The BBC MediaCityUK tour

 

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81 thoughts on “Day 1. A weekend in Manchester”

  1. Pingback: Manchester – a travel guide – Love Travelling Blog

  2. Pingback: Day 4. Liverpool – Exploring The Wirral – Love Travelling Blog

  3. Pingback: Day 1. Exploring Liverpool – Pier Head and Albert Dock – Love Travelling Blog

  4. I love your hotel apartment … to have your own kitchen, is definitely a bonus (some times it’s nice to sit in your own place while preparing your dinner and have a nice glass of wine after a long day of exploring) and that swimming pool and jacuzzi is just the cherry on the cake 😊.
    The cathedral is really beautiful and love the look of Shambles Square.

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  8. Manchester looks like one heck of a ‘happening’ city! I guess, across the world, old structures are being converted to ‘hangout’ zones. In Mumbai, most of the old cotton mills now house bars, offices & restaurants. Connaught Place in New Delhi is a party goers’ paradise now.

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    1. Thank you for taking an interest in my series of posts on Manchester.I do,hope you will have an opportunity to visit yourself one day. I’ve never visited India but would definitely like to explore karts if the country sometime in the future. Connaught Place sounds wonderful!

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      1. I’ve been to the United Kingdom twice but both times to London, Edinburgh & the Scottish Highlands. I wish I can do a one-month long trip of Britain.

        You must come to India. The chaos will overwhelm you initially but, hopefully, you’ll return having fallen in love.

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  11. Leahgoesuk

    I love that you came to Manchester and enjoyed it! Your hotel is very nice as well! I have lived here a few years and it’s a great place, very walkable. xx

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  12. Pingback: CitySuites Aparthotel Manchester – Love Travelling Blog

  13. I was thinking about Manchester Victoria the other day, Marion, so I was interested to note that you’ve just been writing about the area. As a schoolboy I would often hop onto a bus into town at the weekend, and spend a day wandering round the Shambles, the station, Chinatown and the Tib Street pet shops with puppies in the windows (different times!). In my memories it was always grimy and frequently raining, but you’ve managed to paint a very pretty picture of the city in full sunshine, and showing off the transformations of redevelopment over recent decades. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Thanks for your welcome thoughts on my recent visit to Manchester Stuart. A splendid job has been made of Victoria Station, retaining the traditional wooden ticket booths and other heritage features whilst incorporating it into an interchange for trams. I’m a Lancastrian so probably somewhat biased but I’ve always been fond of the city.

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  14. Been to Manchester a couple of times but not explored the city centre or had time to look around. Looks like so much to see and I never realised the number of historic buildings there. May have to factor a longer trip in. Hotel looks pretty cool too. Expensive?

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    1. I’m from Lancashire so perhaps a little biased but Manchester is a great city to explore. CitySuites are actually quite reasonably priced if you factor in what they offer and the kitchen facilities can save lots of money on eating out so perhaps worth considering.

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  16. At least I will see Manchester this year through your post Marion. It looks fabulous…love your photos. Just about to cancel my flights to Singapore and the UK as you may recall I was coming over in December. Such a shame but better to be safe and healthy and stay at home.

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  17. ThingsHelenLoves

    I’ve never made it to Manchester itself despite flying from the airport more than once, it’s a bit of a shame really! Perhaps I will this year as I’ve decided against foreign travel for now. Manchester looks interesting enough for me but cool enough for the teenagers. Just have to make sure they don’t ideas about shopping in Harvey Nichols!

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    1. I think you’d all enjoy visiting Manchester Helen especially the Museum of Science and Industry and when the historic John Roland’s library reopens. Suggest you steer the teens towards Primark rather than Harvey Nick’s! Also, thanks for the follow – it’s much appreciated!

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    1. Manchester is a very interesting city to visit with its industrial heritage and cotton mills. I often compare it to Tampere which I also enjoy visiting. It’s possible to take boat trips along the canal and that’s a lovely way to see the city too. Thanks for your much appreciated thoughts Matti.

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    1. Hi, it’s nice to hear from you again. Hope all is going well for you in the circumstances. We only got back on Sunday so the post is hot off the press! The city was quite busy but most people were obeying social distancing. Masks are only required indoors and on public transport here. Hope my follow up posts Alsi bring back some more fond memories for you. .

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  23. So nice to take this tour with you and so glad that you’re able to get out and about. Manchester looks fascinating! And by the way, the suite hotel is a wonderful solution to today’s travel issues.

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    1. Thanks Angela for taking an interest in my post on Manchester. It’s a fascinating city with its mix of heritage buildings, canals and ultra modern quarters. I agree that AoartHotels definitely have the edge right now as they offer the best of both worlds in these horrid Coronavirus times. Best wishes, Marion.

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  26. I recently posted this on Facebook: The average person in the United Kingdom has visited 10 countries. On average, Germans have been to eight, and the average French person has traveled to five. Only 29% of Americans have even been abroad.
    And now, no one wants us. Wear your mask please, we want to travel once again and are running out of time.
    I thank you for taking me to the hub of the paternal side of my family where I hope to visit one day. Please try a Fiddler’s Chip while in the area as a distant cousin is the owner. Looking forwrd to more.

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  31. I flew from Melbourne straight to Manchester in 2011, to catch a train up to York. I loved the cathedral. It was much darker than any cathedral I’ve been in before which I wouldn’t normally like, but I found it a very comforting.

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