• Adopted by Manchester in the 19th Century, the Manchester Bee symbolizes the industrious nature of the city and its people. The bee can be found on many of Manchester’s street furniture and can be seen within the mosaic floor in Manchester’s Town Hall.

• It was in 1904 that Charles Rolls and Henry Royce first met in Manchester’s city center Midland Hotel. Two years later the company Rolls-Royce Ltd was formed. Visit the Midland Hotel for afternoon tea and see the statue dedicated to their meeting.

• In 1948 Manchester University professors developed the first computer to have a stored programme and memory. Nicknamed ‘Baby’, it has made the computer what it is today. A replica can be seen at the Science and Industry Museum.

• Manchester was the first city in the world to commemorate its LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) past by commissioning a local artist to set rainbow tiles into flagstones across the city, marking historical LGBT places of interest.

• Manchester was the birthplace of Vegetarianism. Inspired by the sermons of Reverend William Cowherd, the vegetarian movement began in 1809, in the borough of Salford. Now visitors can book themselves onto a cookery course at the Cordon Vert School, based at the headquarters of The Vegetarian Society.

• In 1903 Mancunian Emmeline Pankhurst found the Women’s Social and Political Union, later known as the Suffragettes. Emmeline dedicated her life to the campaign for women’s votes and the Pankhurst Centre, previously Emmeline’s home, displays the work and struggle of the women Suffragettes.

• Canal Mania’ began in 1761 when The Bridgewater Canal, affectionately known as the ‘Duke’s Cut’, became the first man-made waterway in Britain. Visitors can take a walk or trip along the many canals within Greater Manchester.

• Manchester is home to the world’s longest running TV soap opera – Coronation Street. Starting on December 9th 1960, it has been on screens every week, ever since.

• The Duke of Wellington opened the world’s first passenger railway in 1830. The success of this Manchester to Liverpool railway started the railway revolution. Visitors can delve into history onboard a steam engine traveling along a short piece of the track at the Science and Industry Museum.

• Manchester Airport is the largest regional airport in the UK serving over 26 million passengers every year.

Copyright Hufton Crow

• In 1888 the world’s first professional football league was set up at the Royal Hotel in Manchester. The city is home to two Premiership football teams including Manchester City and Manchester United Football Clubs.

• Manchester’s magnificent Town Hall shows a snake trying to eat its own tail on the ceiling of the main entrance.  He’s called ‘Ouroboros’ and is an ancient pagan icon symbolising the eternal cycle of life