Some of the UK’s best shopping is here in Manchester with options aplenty.  The Arndale Centre is just a few minutes’ walk away and is home to more than 200 shops, whilst high end brands are available at Selfridges and Harvey Nichols and a flagship M&S is close by.  A short hop will take you into the Northern Quarter where you will find boutique and vintage shops specialising in clothes and music as well as numerous independent bars, cafés and restaurants. The area also includes Afflecks, an iconic indoor market with dozens of independent stalls and boutiques.

Award-winning theatres, galleries, museums and concert halls pay testament to the city’s remarkable heritage. High brow or low brow, there’s a wealth of places to choose from and things to do including a huge variety of sporting events.

The AO Arena attracts over 1 million visitors every year and is Europe’s largest indoor arena.  Playing a key part in Manchester’s musical heritage with historic shows by world-renowned local bands, it has also staged some of the biggest events in the UK sporting calendar.  More than 250 classical, rock, pop and jazz acts each year perform at The Bridgewater Hall which is also home to three resident orchestras: The Hallé, the BBC Philharmonic and Manchester Camerata.

Manchester Art Gallery houses more than 25,000 objects and many of the city’s most important fine and decorative art works covering six centuries. The gallery offers events, tours and workshops for the whole family whilst the £15m renovation of The Whitworth has opened up the historic gallery into the park it calls home. 

The seven sided Royal Exchange Theatre is a glass-walled capsule suspended in the Victorian cotton Exchange Building in St. Ann’s Square, which hosts plays throughout the year, and The Lowry a magnificent building by Salford Quays houses three stunning theatres alongside galleries showcasing artists of local, national and international renown.

Making the neighbourhood your home is an easy choice for people as there are many different types of accommodation close by.  Contemporary city living is available at One GreenGate or you may choose to live in Salford’s tallest building at Anaconda Cut where a communal roof terrace and sky lounge provide panoramic views.

As well as being a superb place for business, this part of the city also excels as a visitor destination. With a huge selection of places to stay, from Premier Inns to elegant luxury apartments such as the 114 bedroom Corn Exchange Roomzzz Aparthotel and the 260 beautifully furnished apartments available at CitySuites, not forgetting the iconic five star Lowry Hotel situated on the banks of the River Irwell, the city really does have something for every taste and style.