Manchester illustrator Stanley Chow shares his top 5 things to do in Greater Manchester

1. The Refuge

The Refuge is a bar located by the Principal Hotel. I love it there as it is round the corner from my studio, it's my new local! It is a grand opulent building inside, but it's open for everyone. You can go in your jeans and tshirt and still feel at home.

2. Altrincham Markets

Altrincham Markets is a great place to visit. I grew up on the road where it is now, and used to go shopping to buy pots and pans. Now it has turned into a beautiful building that sells food and wine, and it is a great place to hang out.

3. Whitworth Art Gallery

I used to go to The Whitworth Art Gallery as a student, and it is just up the road from my studio now. The architecture externally and internally is amazing.

4. The Northern Quarter

The Northern Quarter is great. When I was younger I used to DJ there, and it wasn't so pretty then! Now it is full of great boutique shops, great restaurants and great bars. It's all pretty cool and it's all going on in the Northern Quarter. 

5. Metrolink Tram from Altrincham to Bury

Believe it or not, one of the things I found interesting was travelling on the tram from Altrincham to Bury. You get a good view of what Manchester is like. You see the outskirts from the South, you see the city-centre and then up to the North. That's something that is really worth seeing.