Manchester named as one of the best places to visit in 2024 by The New York Times

Manchester has been selected by The New York Times to feature in its annual ‘52 Places to Go’ list for 2024.

The US publication’s annual list of where to travel features Manchester as a ‘music-mad city’, selecting it at number 12 in the global destinations it recommends visiting in the year ahead. 

Major musical milestones for the city are cited, including the opening of Co-Op Live, which will be the UK’s biggest music venue when it opens in April with a 23,500-capacity venue, and the Worldwide Music Expo (WOMEX), which will bring over 2,600 music professionals to the city in October. 

The article also mentions the reopening of Band on the Wall, Manchester’s oldest music venue, and New Century, one of the latest new venues to open, as reasons for the city’s inclusion in the prestigious list. 

The listing opens by stating: “Music has long been at the core of Manchester’s gritty soul, from Joy Division and the Stone Roses to Oasis and, now, Harry Styles, who is backing Britain’s largest new music arena, Co-op Live, set to open in April.”

Recent cultural investments in the city are mentioned, including Aviva Studios, which opened as the home of Factory International in October 2023, and large-scale events including Beyond The Music, which brings a four-day music festival and conference to the city’s venues from 11-14 October 2024.

Whilst already well-known for its rich music history and heritage, in recent years Greater Manchester has carved out a solid reputation as a place to enjoy live music. In addition to year-round gigs and performances at venues of all shape and size, Manchester’s spring and summer months are packed with outdoor concert series and festivals held at the city’s sporting stadiums, Castlefield Bowl, and Heaton and Wythenshawe Parks, then the city becomes a clubbing mecca throughout autumn and winter months at venues like Warehouse Project.

The city’s reputation for a wider genre of music has also strengthened in recent years – the beloved Hallé Orchestra will this year welcome a new Principal Conductor and Artistic Director, Kahchun Wong, taking over from Sir Mark Elder who has led the orchestra for 24 years. In March, Manchester will host the Royal Philharmonic Society Awards – ‘the biggest night in UK classical music’ – for the first time outside of London. And it was announced in late 2023 that the English National Opera will relocate its main base from London to Manchester by 2029.

Manchester’s inclusion in the global list places it alongside destinations including Singapore, Paris, Brisbane, and Vienna, and is the only destination in England to be included in the list of 52 locations.