Nice to see some of the usual nonsensical prejudices coming out now – knew it would only be a matter of time 🙂
There are lovely parts of both North and South Manchester – equally, there are terrible parts of both as well. As Ed Hornby said previously, you need to go for a drive round and check for yourself – there is a massive amount of snobbishness on both sides, usually promoted by people with no proper experience of the other's position.
It used to be that the majority of Factory/Mill/Business owners lived in South Manchester, away from their places of work, many of which were based elsewhere due to the need of a steady flowing water supply and/or a damper environment, both of which the hillier North, East and West could supply. This hasn't been the case for many years, but snobbishness and prejudice linger on.
Hora, parts of Bury are really very nice indeed – go for a ride round Ramsbottom, Simister, Holcombe, Affetside, Helmshore, Summerseat etc and tell me you don't agree. Have you actually been to any of these places?
Equally, many parts of South Manchester are awful:
Chorlton is an overpriced suburb like any other which was quite pleasant about 25 years ago – it's nothing special, just that loads of meeja types live there and have eulogised it as some sort of trendy utopia. Admittedly, compared to it's immediate surroundings, it, and Didsbuy for that matter are quite pleasant, but really, you wouldn't want to live there. Think 'Nathan Barley'. Very, very violent compared to the North as well.
Avoid anywhere within a 4/5 mile radius of the city centre – without exception, it's a terrible mess of a place that has just been left to rot by successive generations of self serving politicians.
Apart from that, have a drive round and make you're own mind up. Rossendale, Calderdale & North Bury would be my personal preference in the North, with Marple, New Mills area (as per Bunnyhop's post) in the South.
Parts of Oldham (Greenfield/Uppermill/Delph etc) are very beautiful, but suffer from poor transport links.
Mossley, to the East, is very pretty, great riding, cheap and has a direct and regular train service to the centre of Manchester.
Partner's daughter has just bought a stunning house there very cheaply – I'm impressed.