Manchester Airport lies around 14–15 km south of central Manchester, about a 20‑ to 25‑minute drive in normal traffic. Travellers can reach the city by train, with frequent services from Manchester Airport station to central hubs like Piccadilly in roughly 20 minutes. The Metrolink tram also connects the airport with parts of Manchester, while buses and coaches provide additional options. Taxis and ride‑sharing services are available 24/7.

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Manchester Airport (MAN)

Starting from January 8, 2025, the United Kingdom has introduced an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) requirement for visa-exempt travellers. Initially, this applies to citizens from countries such as the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and others. From April 2, 2025, this requirement will extend to European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) citizens, including those from Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. 

The ETA permits short-term visits of up to six months for tourism. Travellers must apply for the ETA online or via a mobile app before their trip. The process involves providing personal details, passport information, and answering a series of questions. The ETA costs £10 and is valid for two years, or until the passport expires, whichever comes first. Most applications are processed within three working days, but it's advisable to apply well in advance of travel. 

However, those travellers planning to work or study in the UK for more than six months will need to obtain the appropriate visa. It's essential to consult the UK Government's official website to understand the specific requirements and to ensure a smooth journey.

Please note that the ETA does not guarantee entry into the UK; border officials retain the authority to grant or deny admission upon arrival.

Italian passport pages with a lot of visa stamps

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Passport/Visa

Manchester’s public transport network is modern, extensive, and well-suited to visitors. The city is served by buses, the Metrolink light‑rail trams, and national rail services, all coordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM). Trams and buses cover the city centre and suburbs, while trains provide easy access to surrounding towns.

For travellers, the Bee Network system offers simple contactless payment across buses and trams, with daily and weekly fare caps to keep journeys affordable. Tickets include single fares, day passes, and multi-modal passes combining bus and tram travel, along with weekly or 28-day options for longer stays. 

Having said that, many of Manchester’s main attractions, shopping areas, and cultural spots are within easy walking distance, so exploring on foot is often just as convenient, and a great way to take in the city’s architecture, street art, and lively atmosphere.

For information on routes, fares, and timetables, visit TfGM's official website.

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Public Transport

Taxis are easy to find in Manchester, with both licensed black-cab 'hackney carriages' and private‑hire vehicles available. Hackney cabs can be hailed on the street or found at taxi ranks, while private‑hire cars must be pre-booked. Ride‑sharing apps such as Uber and Bolt also operate throughout the city, providing a convenient alternative for on-demand travel.

Illuminated yellow taxi sign on a typical old style black taxi in Manchester, Great Britain

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Taxi

Postage stamps are available across Manchester at post offices, newsagents and supermarkets. To post a package or small souvenirs, drop into a post office — you can find your nearest branch on their official website. Post offices are generally open Monday–Friday from 9am to 5:30pm and Saturday from 9am to 12:30pm.

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Post

Whether you need to buy over-the-counter medication or collect a prescription, there are plenty of pharmacies all over the capital. Boots and Superdrug are two big chemist chains. You will also find pharmaceutical products at some of the larger supermarket branches.

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Pharmacy

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Telephone

Electrical appliances are connected to the UK mains supply using a three-pin plug known as plug type G. The sockets come with on-and-off switches, unlike in many other countries.

The average voltage of a UK power socket is 230v or slightly higher, so check the voltage of your device before plugging it in.

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Electricity

Known as the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, Manchester is a city of music, football, and cutting-edge culture. Its rich history meets modern creativity in iconic architecture, bustling markets, world-class museums, and a nightlife that keeps the city humming. From red-brick mills to world-famous football grounds, Manchester buzzes with history, culture, and creativity.

The Manchester United Museum & Stadium Tour offers a behind-the-scenes look at the world's most iconic stadium: Old Trafford.

Come and sit in the manager's seat in the dugout, walk through the players' tunnel towards the hallowed turf, and find the seat of your favourite player in the dressing room. Get a feel for life in the Premier League and immerse yourself in an unrivalled story, the greatest football story ever told.

Manchester United welcomes groups of all sizes, from all over the world, every day to the home of Manchester United, from individuals and families to international group tours, providing the same world-class experience to all.

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Manchester United Museum & Tour Centre

Go behind the scenes at the world's fastest-growing football club. On the Stadium and Club Tour, a professional guide will lead an unforgettable and comprehensive tour of the club and Etihad Stadium, capturing the essence of Manchester City. The tour will showcase the pride, passion, and heritage of the football Club. It demonstrates how every aspect of the club, both on and off the pitch, contributes to making Manchester City the club it is today.

Visitors can see how it feels to be grilled by the media in the press conference room hot seat, visit the inner sanctum of the City dressing room, and walk down the tunnel imagining the roar of 55,000 supporters cheering on their heroes. Finally, take in the view from new manager Pep Guardiola's seat in the dug-out; there's the opportunity to experience everything.

Outside of the football season, the stadium hosts major national and international football events as well as summer concerts. Stadium tours are available, and the club has an excellent museum packed full of football memorabilia.

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Manchester City Football Club

ITV has opened its outdoor Coronation Street sets at MediaCityUK to the public, including the world-famous cobbled street. The experience lasts around 90 minutes, taking in Coronation Street, Rosamund Street, and the newly extended Victoria Street, with plenty of opportunities for photos. Visitors will walk in the footsteps of the famous residents, discover filming secrets, and hear stories of their favourite characters.

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Coronation Street Experience

Known throughout the world as the birthplace of the industrial revolution, Manchester has a proud history in science, politics, music, arts and sport. Discover the city’s heritage and how it has grown to be the progressive hub it is today with a 90-minute bus tour.

The 15-stop hop-on hop-off tour has been carefully planned to take you round some of Manchester’s key sights, including Town Hall Manchester, National Football Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, and Manchester United Football Club.

Your ticket is valid for 24 hours from the time of purchase if on the bus or from the date chosen if online, and you can board any Sightseeing Manchester-branded bus during this time. There is one main tour route with recorded commentary in English. For other languages, there is a free app that can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play.

lime-green Hop-on Hop-off bus in Manchester

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Hop-on Hop-off Sightseeing

Whether you’re a die-hard football fan, planning a visit with your family, or on a weekend break to the great city of Manchester, enjoy a visit to the world's biggest and best football museum. Delve into the social history and culture of the beautiful game, exploring football's past and present through the museum's extensive collection.

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National Football Museum

Play Factore is the UK's leading family entertainment centre. With facilities that cater for children from 6 months to 16 years old, Play Factore is the only family entertainment arena in the UK where parents can play with children on age-applicable equipment — meaning you can join in the fun with your little adventurers too!

Play Factore's state-of-the-art venue houses the largest play frame in the UK, along with a host of other unique attractions that are second to none. Based in Manchester next to the Trafford Centre, Play Factore provides a complete day out for families shopping in the area and planning to entertain the children.

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Play Factore

In the 90s, The Crystal Maze was one of the UK’s favourite television shows. Now it’s your turn to be the star of the show.

The ultimate team challenge, in which you and your friends face challenges testing your skill, mental, and physical ability across four adventure time zones: Aztec, Industrial, Futuristic, and Medieval. For each challenge completed, your team will earn a Crystal. The more Crystals you earn, the more time you’ll get in the final challenge — The Crystal Dome!

Build a team of 8 of your friends with a variety of skills to take on the challenge of the Maze.

The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience, Escape room centre in Manchester, UK

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The Crystal Maze LIVE Experience

Manchester’s Chinatown is one of the largest Chinese districts in Europe, centred around the ornate arch on Faulkner Street. The area mixes long-running Cantonese restaurants with casual noodle spots, bakeries, and late-night eateries, alongside Korean, Thai, and Indonesian cafés and shops.

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Chinatown

Chester Zoo is home to over 21,000 endangered and exotic animals based in beautiful, award-winning gardens and is the nearest large zoo to Manchester. With over 500 different animal species in their 125 acres, visitors are sure to have an adventure discovering and learning about the amazing wildlife.

Conservation and education are at the heart of everything at Chester Zoo. They are committed to providing the highest standards of care for their animals as well as protecting native and international wildlife. Their team of expert and knowledgeable staff work hard to prevent extinction and are passionate about connecting visitors to the natural world. Chester Zoo has a variety of tours and hands-on experiences, as well as daily animal talks to guarantee a day full of animal adventure.

Stop for a snack at one of their many restaurants, cafes, and kiosks, including their recently refurbished contemporary British pub, The Oakfield. It's a huge zoo, but there are plenty of options for getting around, including the Zoofari Monorail and the Lazy River Boat Trip on the Islands. Don’t forget to stop in at the gift shop on your way out for a souvenir of your trip.

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Chester Zoo

City Centre Cruises offers a relaxed way to see Manchester from the water, gliding along its historic canals past former mills, red-brick warehouses and modern waterfront developments. Trips range from simple sightseeing cruises to afternoon teas, Sunday lunches and evening buffet sailings, all taken at an easy pace that lets you soak in the city’s industrial heritage from a different angle.

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City Centre Cruises

Ordsall Hall is Salford's 'hidden gem'. Dating back over 600 years, it is one of the region's finest examples of an Elizabethan black and white half-timbered manor-house. Wander back through time, soaking up the atmosphere of its fully-furnished Great Hall and Star Chamber Bedroom.

Get the low-down on Tudor lifestyles; maybe reminisce in its Victorian showcase and kitchen, or unearth the wealth of new discoveries to be made in its exciting and informative family events and exhibitions programme.

Ordsall Hall in Salford, Greater Manchester, UK

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Ordsall Hall

For those who set eyes on Deansgate's John Rylands Library for the first time, 'library' might not be the first word that comes to mind. This masterpiece of Victorian Gothic architecture looks more like a castle or cathedral.

When John Rylands died in 1888, he was one of Manchester's most successful industrialists with a personal fortune of £2.75 million. The library was commissioned in 1890 by his wife, Enriqueta Rylands, in memory of her late husband.

This world-class collection includes the oldest known piece of the New Testament, the St John Fragment. Other treasures of the vast, varied collection include magnificent illuminated medieval manuscripts and a 1476 William Caxton edition of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales.

John Rylands Library Research Institute and Library

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John Rylands Library

A beloved landmark in the Cheshire countryside south of Manchester, the Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement is a reminder of just how important the city is to the world of science.

The University of Manchester's impressive radio telescope centre is a key part of the UK's astronomy research, scanning the skies to improve our knowledge of the Universe.

The Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement allows visitors to discover the Universe beside the world-famous Lovell Radio Telescope and explore the planet Earth in the beautiful 35-acre tree-filled gardens.

Jodrell Bank Radar Observatory Experimental Station Lovell Telescope Sunset

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Jodrell Bank Centre for Engagement

With a storied history stretching back to the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the East Lancashire Railway is the steam-powered heart of the Irwell Valley, pumping goods and people around the region for nearly 200 years!

The line runs for 12 miles through scenic Lancastrian Landscapes, from beautiful rural panoramas and postcard pretty villages to bustling Victorian towns and cotton mill-dotted horizons. Each station offers something unique, from historical Heywood to relaxing Rawtenstall, scenic Summerseat, and bustling Bury. Make the trip from Grandparent to Grandchild on a journey that spans generations on this heritage railway.

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East Lancashire Railway

The Snow Centre Manchester is an indoor snow complex just outside the city with real snow year-round. The main draw is the play park, where sledging lanes, snow luge rides, and downhill donuts keep families busy for a couple of hours, alongside indoor ski and snowboard slopes for lessons and practice. It’s a popular option when the weather’s grey or plans need a change of pace from museums and shopping.

Chill Factore, the UK's longest indoor ski slope

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The Snow Centre Manchester

The IWM North explores the impact of war and conflict on people’s lives, both historically and in the present day. Designed by renowned architect Daniel Libeskind, the building itself is a striking representation of a world fractured by conflict. 

At its opening, Libeskind described his vision as creating a space that 'emotionally moves the soul of the visitor toward a sometimes unexpected realisation'. 

Located on Trafford Wharf Road in Trafford Park, the museum overlooks the Manchester Ship Canal, an area that played a crucial industrial role during World War II and suffered heavy bombing in the 1940 Manchester Blitz.

Imperial War Museum on the banks of Manchester Canal in Salford Quays, Manchester

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Imperial War Museum North (IWM North)

Hard hats at the ready! Standedge Tunnel is Britain's longest, deepest, and highest canal tunnel, hidden deep beneath the beautiful Pennine countryside. One of the seven wonders of the local waterways, this must-see attraction is located in Marsden, a charming Yorkshire village.

A great day out for all the family, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Discover the history of Standedge in the visitor centre, which is free to enter. Learn the stories of the folk who built and navigated this tremendous tunnel. Meanwhile, the kids will be kept occupied in the indoor soft play area and the outdoor adventure play area!

Feeling peckish? You’ll find the wonderful Watersedge Café in the old Tunnel End cottages. Enjoy a cup of tea and a slice of cake or visit for lunch on a lovely summer’s day by the canal. You may even see the resident ducks, Jemima and Duncan, float past the picnic tables.

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Standedge Tunnel & Visitor Centre

This magical Tudor manor house is set in more than 50 acres of parkland with lakes, woods, and gardens. The house contains 16th-century wall paintings, fine Elizabethan plaster ceilings, Victorian kitchens, and servants' quarters. Today, Bramall Hall functions as a museum, and its landscaped parkland is open to the public.

West Front, Bramall Hall, Bramall, Manchester

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Bramall Hall

Step back in time at the wartime air-raid shelters and experience the sights and sounds of Britain’s Home Front. Visitors can walk through original tunnels, carefully re-equipped to show what daily life was like during the 1940s, and follow the stories of locals through clear, well-curated displays and an audio guide.

First opened in 1939, the shelters were the largest purpose-built civilian air-raid shelters in the country, originally designed for 3,850 people and later expanded during 1940–41 to hold up to 6,500. Cut directly into the sandstone cliffs beneath the town centre, the mile-long network offers a rare look at wartime engineering and civilian life.

The site reopened in 1996 as a visitor attraction after restoration by Stockport Council and has since become one of the town’s most important museums. Today, it works as both a memorial and an educational space, giving a direct sense of how communities lived through the air raids.

two actors at Stockport Air Raid Shelters

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Stockport Air Raid Shelters

At Heaton Park, the largest and most beautiful park in the area, you can find plenty of family activities, such as an animal centre, tram museum, bowling greens, golf course, boating lake, and horse riding. If you haven't brought your picnic basket, there are cafés on-site to solve that problem.

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Heaton Park

The Victoria Baths complex was designed by Manchester's first city architect, Henry Price, and opened in 1906. No expense was spared — the façade has multicoloured brickwork and terracotta decoration, the interior spaces are clad in glazed tiles and most of the windows have decorative stained glass. At the opening ceremony, the Lord Mayor described Victoria Baths as “a water palace of which every citizen of Manchester is proud”.

For 86 years, the baths provided both essential and leisure facilities. Private baths and a laundry were housed there alongside three swimming pools and Turkish Baths. In 1952, the first public Aeratone (Jacuzzi) was installed. Even though the baths were closed in 1993, the Grade II listed building is remarkably intact, with most of the stained glass and original tiling remaining.

Victoria Baths opens from March/April to October/November each year for weekly guided tours, public open days, and special events.

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Victoria Baths

FC United of Manchester (FCUM) is a community benefit society and a not-for-profit organization based on the outskirts of Manchester City Centre.

They pledge “to develop strong links with the local community,” and our volunteers and supporter base make us what we are and, by doing so, make a positive difference in Manchester and help change football for the better. Whatever your background, story, or beliefs, you are always sure of a warm welcome at Broadhurst Park.

Aerial shot of FC United stadium at Broadhurst Park

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FC United of Manchester— Broadhurst Park

Opening all the way back in 1912, the Manchester Opera House hosts a constantly evolving lineup of theatrical and musical performances, from timeless operas and ballets to more contemporary concerts and artists.

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Manchester Opera House

The great outdoors is just around the corner, and the Lake District National Park in Cumbria is England’s largest national park. The Lake District offers some of the best scenery and outdoor pursuits in one of England’s few mountainous regions. 

With more than 3,500 kilometres of walking and hiking routes through the lakes, there’s a trail to suit everyone. For the daredevils, there is also hang gliding, paragliding, kayaking, canoeing, water skiing, rock scrambling, abseiling, hot-air ballooning, paintballing, and much more.

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FC United of Manchester— Broadhurst Park

Bramall Hall

Coronation Street Experience

Heaton Park

At Heaton Park, the largest and most beautiful park in the area, you can find plenty of family activities, such as an animal centre, tram museum, bowling greens, golf course, boating lake, and horse riding. If you haven't brought your picnic basket, there are cafés on-site to solve that problem.

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