Heading up to Manchester this week for a couple of nights (got bought a velodrome taster session for my birthday so going to do that and make a bit of a mini-break of it).

Not spent any time there before so questions for the Manc hive-mind.

What attractions to visit (museums, galleries, etc.)?
Good places to eat (proper good food, but relaxed mood)?
Good places to drink (pub rather than bar or club)?

Also taking the BFe with me to have a spin around Lee Quarry – how long to allow for a ride round there?

Thanks.

Lee Quarry on its own? About 30 mins…..to be fair you can have a good ride sessioning different bits.

Add in the loop over to Cragg and you’ve got a good 2 hour ride and it’s a great ride!!

Science museum, The art gallery on Moseley street and if you have a car then the war museum out on the Quays is good.
Food is great in the centre, the chop houses are excellent. My favourite resturant in Manchester is EastzEast. Indian.
If I was going out drinking I’d go The Pevril Peak, The Water Bar, Britons Protection, Cloud 23 to rub shoulders with the Corro cast then up Deansgate to a Chophouse, maybe stop in the Tap bar.

Dunno about lee Quarry

If you’ve got a gps or maps with you there’s plenty from LQ area, could turn it into a LQ – tod monster ride

Smoak at the malmaison does good food in a relaxed atmosohere – rooms are nice there too

Imperial War Museum

and to add to the pub choices, the Sand Bar

Trendy bars – Northern Quarter (around Tib Street)

Food – too many to mention but my favourite place is El Rincon Tapas bar behind Deansgate (St John St IIRC).

Places to visit – Cathedral, Imperial War museum, MOSI, John Rylands Library.

Lee quarry – you can make a day of it or just a few hours depending on how long you have or how much energy you have or both!

MOSI. Tis ace.

If you’re interested in culture the Art Gallery has some fantastic pre-Raphaelite art, very well explained and if you find a guide they will happily talk you through all the pictures: http://www.manchestergalleries.org/whats-on/permanent-galleries/historic-galleries/pre-raphaelite/

The amazing gothic town hall, opposite, is worth a visit and if you can get into the main hall, there are the Manchester murals by Ford Madox-Brown, which are worth a look: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchester_Town_Hall

Don’t be tempted to stay at The Light – the lifts have been breaking down for over three years.

MOSI, Manchester Art Gallery, National Football Museum, Manchester Museum (near the university), Whitworth art gallery, Lowry, Imperial War Museum North (excellent frontline medicine exhibition on now). You can visit the gothic library of Didsbury. And of course you’ll be going to Rusholme to see the ‘curry mile’ won’t you?

Pubs? The British Protection, The Marble Arch (excellent beers brewed on premises + superb cheese platter), grey horse inn.