Old Trafford (Manchester United Museum & Tour)

Home of the world’s most famous club, the Old Trafford stadium is both a theatre and a temple for its millions of fans worldwide, many of whom come in pilgrimage to the ground to pay tribute to the minor deities disguised as highly paid footballers that play there. Ironically, Manchester United are not as popular in Manchester as their cross-town rivals Manchester City, whose fans have traditionally regarded United’s enormous wealth and success in strictly Faustian terms. United fans snigger and dismiss this as small-minded jealousy, but they too have become disillusioned with the price of success and during the 2009–10 season protested vehemently against the club’s owners, the Glazer family, whom they hold responsible for the club’s parlous financial state. Still, a visit to the stadium is one of the more memorable things you’ll do here. We strongly recommend that you take the tour, which includes a seat in the stands, a stop in the changing rooms, a peek at the players’ lounge (from which the manager is banned unless invited by the players) and a walk down the tunnel to the pitchside dugout, which is as close to ecstasy as many of the club’s fans will ever get. It’s pretty impressive stuff. The mu­seum, which is part of the tour but can be visited independently, has a comprehensive history of the club, and a state-of-the-art call-up system that means you can view your favourite goals – as well as a holographic ‘chat’ with Sir Alex Ferguson.