Over the past year we’ve welcomed hundreds of journalists and bloggers from across the world who have explored Greater Manchester and found out for themselves why our region is a great place to come and visit. Here are just a few exciting things the top travel writers and journalists have said about the region, with some inspiration for why Manchester and Greater Manchester should be top of your travel bucket list.

Condé Nast Traveller Magazine (Spain)

‘When life sounds like Manchester…’
Article by Paul Richardson

The Spanish version of Condé Nast Traveller magazine visited Manchester and crowned the city ‘Best International Destination’ at its annual awards. In an eight page-feature the magazine described Manchester as a once booming industrial town that has reshaped through its history to become a hotbed of culture:

“For a hundred years, Manchester dominated the world, but at the end of the 20th century there was a sharp decline: the cotton industry withered, giving way to neglect and urban decline. It is now when the city resurfaces again.

“The cultural flourishing has spawned the revamped Whitworth Art Gallery, art centres like HOME, a plethora of live music venues and, not least, the world-class Manchester International Festival.

“A downtown warehouse and factory neighbourhood that was once the heart of the local textile trade, has been renamed the Northern Quarter and features millennial cafes and bars, vinyl shops, and live music venues.”

Read more in Spanish here…

(See also from Spain: Hola.com, Esquire Magazine, Shangay and Architectural Digest)

Forbes (USA)

‘Stockport's Labyrinth of Time Lures History Loving Travelers’
Article by Gretchen Kelly

Stockport, just 10 minutes train from Manchester city-centre is a growing hotspot for culture and food and was written about by a writer who visited from Forbes Magazine in the US.

The article starts: “In Stockport, travelers will find layer on layer of history: a veritable tapas of time travel where the history-loving tourist will feel that he or she has fallen down a rabbit hole”, the article lists some of the cultural attractions in the town which is just 10 minutes train ride form Manchester.

Amongst the top suggestions include visiting The Hat Works Museum: “dedicated to the thriving hat industry that existed in Stockport until quite recently (the last hat maker closed shop in 1997 when Christy's hatmakers closed). The industry lasted here for 400 years (at one time making about 6 million hats a year)”, the museum has over 400 hats and costumes, and displays original textiles spinning machines charting the history of hat making.

Other places the writer recommends are; restored 1930s movie theatre Stockport Plaza; the Stockport Air Raid Shelters to learn about how Mancunians dealt with the Blitz; and Staircase House, a museum which lets you step back in time to a 15th century house and how life was like.

Read more from Forbes here…

(See also from the USA: DeltaSky Magazine, GayCities (video), Shermans Travel and Passport Magazine)

Curious Manchester (USA)

Travel programme Curious Traveler from the USA visited Manchester to discover the history of the city and all of its curiosities. Presenter Christine van Blokland discovered the story of the Worker Bee and why it’s all over the city; learnt about Manchester’s industrial history; and visited places such as Chetham’s Library (the oldest free public library in England), Victoria Baths and the National Football Museum.

Part of series four of the travel show, Curious Manchester is currently being broadcast on PBS America and Amazon Prime in the US and will soon be available on Prime for UK viewers.  

See a sneak preview here…

The Guardian (UK)

‘Where to go on holiday in 2020: the alternative hotlist’

The Guardian has listed Salford in its top 20 places to visit in 2020. The national newspaper writes about RHS Garden Bridgewater, a new 154-acre garden set to open in Salford, which is the biggest gardening project in Europe and opens on 30 July 2020.

The article discusses the involvement of the local community, writing “[Doctors] are already referring patients to the garden through a ‘social prescribing’ pilot scheme, whereby people struggling with isolation, mobility problems and other conditions are prescribed activities such as gardening.”

Salford is also home to some of the most popular attractions in Greater Manchester, with Salford Quays and MediaCityUK featuring the IWM North, The Lowry, Coronation Street tours, and new for 2020 – the I’m a Celebrity… Jungle Challenge based on the hit TV show. Alongside the Quays, visitors can explore Peel Park; visit 15th century Ordsall Hall; iconic The Smiths album cover location at Salford Lads Club; or walk along the reconstructed Victorian Street at Salford Museum and Art Gallery. 

Read more from The Guardian here…

(See also from the UK: The Independent, i-D Vice Magazine, and  Condé Nast Traveller UK.)

Sydney Morning Herald (Australia)

‘Travel tips and advice for Manchester, England’
Article by David Whitley

Australian newspaper The Sydney Morning Herald’s travel magazine has listed nine top things you should do on a visit to Manchester. The guide includes visiting Manchester United for a stadium tour; exploring the National Football Museum; and visiting Chetham’s Library.

The article also recommends restaurants such as Evuna NQ, which it says is a “taste of Spain in the Northern Quarter”, and recommends experimenting with different beer flavours at Port Street Beer House.

Read more here…

(See also from Australia: The West Australian Newspaper and Delicious Magazine)

Outlook Traveller Magazine (India)

‘The Rise of a New Manchester’
Article by Anuradha Sengupta

This Indian magazine covered an in-depth look at Manchester, weaving history and present attractions into a long article on why the city is making a new reputation for itself. Writing about the new architecture seamlessly merging with old, the journalist said: “this past and present interweave and meet in the many textile mills that have been transformed into modern spaces. Walk through the city and you’ll see that the old buildings are everywhere, interspersed with the new glass-and-chrome structures and record-breaking skyscrapers.”

Read more here…

(See also from India: ESPN and Malayala Manorama)

GQ Magazine France

“Manchester: The English city dethrones London”
Article by Jamel Benjemaia

The French edition of men’s luxury lifestyle magazine GQ, visited Manchester to experience the new Stock Exchange Hotel, and writer Jamel was surprised to discover what the city had to offer. In the article he writes: “after experiencing its heyday in the 1980s, the English city dethrones London on the map as the coolest”. In the article, Jamel meets locals who have moved to the city drawn by great music events such as The Warehouse Project at The Depot (a former railway station converted into a 10,000 capacity venue); the vibrant Northern Quarter with its independent bars and restaurants; and Manchester being one of the most affordable and liveable cities in the UK.

Read more in French here…

(See also from France: Culturezvous and Elle Dit 8)

The Telegraph (UK)

‘The best places to drink in Manchester, from Victorian pubs to skyscraper cocktail bars’
Article by Cathy Toogood

Manchester city centre is divided by its quarters, from the trendy bars of the Northern Quarter, to the sophistication of Spinningfields; this article from The Telegraph is the ultimate round-up to drink, eat and dance when sampling the best of the city’s nightlife.

The journalist writes; ““Manchester has a hard-earned reputation for its wild nightlife, from the heady Hacienda days to its live music venues where many big names have cut their teeth. And while there are plenty of places to party all night in the city ‘that thinks a table is for dancing on’, there’s also a huge selection of cosy historic pubs, cool cocktail bars and trendy music venues.”

Venues featured in this guide include; top dining spot The Refuge by Volta; The Briton’s Protection, a pub which has stood since 1806 and played an important part in the Peterloo Massacre; rooftop bar 20 Stories; and Bavarian-inspired party palace Albert’s Schloss.

Read more here…