Introducing Manchester

Raised on lofty ambition and not afraid to declare its considerable bona fides, Manchester is – by dint of geography and history – England’s second city (apologies to Birmingham), although if you were to ask a Mancunian what it’s like to be second they might reply: ‘Don’t know; ask a Londoner.’

Even accounting for northern bluster, the uncrowned capital of the north is well deserving of the title. It’s the world’s first modern city; the place where both capitalism and communism were given theoretical legs; it was here, during the Industrial Revolution, that the might of the British Empire was forged and the Age of Enlightenment was put through its first, tentative paces.

All of which accounts for the city’s rich historical and cultural heritage,easily explored in its plethora of noteworthy museums and galleries. History and heritage make Manchester interesting, but what makes it truly special are its distractions of pure pleasure. You can dine, drink and dance yourself into happy oblivion in the swirl of hedonism that is one of Manchester’s most cherished characteristics.