Manchester: The Culture Lover’s Answer to London

Manchester, United Kingdom
With lower costs than London and rich cultural offerings, Manchester is a great-value base in the U.K.|©iStock/Benedek

Northern England is hiding a secret…

A bustling city that tourists avoid for the visions of concrete and smoke plumes it conjures.

But in the heart of this notoriously "industrial" city lies a park to rival New York’s Central Park.

As an outdoor enthusiast, Manchester’s 1,000 hectares of parks and green areas lured me in… and the city’s cultural offerings sealed the deal. I learned about Manchester’s eclectic history through the whispers of friends before making the leap…. and found out firsthand that Manchester offers much the same as nearby London, and then some.

Despite my reservations, the city won me over with its welcoming people and laidback lifestyle. I’m thrilled I picked it for a six-month stay on a tourist visa.

Greater Manchester: A Fusion of History and Culture

Nestled in the heart of the United Kingdom, between Liverpool to the west and the Peak District National Park to the east, Manchester is a blend of industrial heritage and music history.

It’s often hailed as the "Capital of the North" and in tight competition with Birmingham to be the U.K.’s "Second City."

During the 1800s, the city played a pivotal role in the Industrial Revolution, earning the moniker "Cottonopolis" due to its leading role in textile manufacturing. This era of industrial growth marked a pivotal turning point in Manchester’s identity, creating a sense of solidarity among its working-class people.

As a result, Greater Manchester today is a fusion of history, culture, and innovation that has evolved beyond its association with industrial times.

Manchester is a lively juxtaposition of old and new.

The iconic red brick skyline—once filled with factories and textile mills—is woven with modern glass condo towers, luxury hotels, and rooftop sky bars.

And down in the city streets, you’ll find an array of art galleries, theaters, museums, universities, and a burgeoning culinary scene.

You can join one of the many hiking groups here on Meetup.com or through the U.K. National Trust. Meetup is how I’ve met most of my friends while traveling, starting with a Berlin dinner party in 2017.

Through the National Trust website, I discovered Drinkwater, a picturesque park with hiking and biking trails that snake along the River Irwell.

The Heart of the U.K.’s Second City

Manchester’s city center is a lively juxtaposition of old and new.

Opposite the sparkling glass facade of luxury stores along New Cathedral Street, you can step inside one of Manchester’s oldest pubs, Sinclair’s Oyster Bar, for a pint. Although I don’t drink alcohol, I often sit on the terrace, sip a tea, and people watch on a sunny afternoon.

Next door, you can pay a visit to the Manchester Cathedral, a mainstay of the city for more than 600 years. Or, walk around the corner to Chetham’s Library, the oldest in Britain.

Chetham’s was founded in 1653 by a wealthy landowner and (you guessed it!) textile merchant.

The collection of over 100,000 volumes is well-preserved in a medieval sandstone building that dates back to 1421.

My first time walking through the halls was akin to stepping into a Harry Potter movie, complete with iron-studded doors, high-arched ceilings adorned with dark wooden beams, and rows of dusty books, many of which remain enclosed in cages or chained to the shelves. Security was a priority when the library was founded, as the value of a single book could be higher than a resident’s monthly or annual wages.

Visiting the library is free by appointment. Once there, you can sit at the same table where Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels once met to conduct research for what would become the Communist Manifesto.

Around the corner is another historic library, The Portico, which features a café and tea room that’s been selling soups, coffee, tea, and snacks since 1806. You can dine below a light-filled Greek Revival-inspired ceiling while listening to local speakers and historians at one of their free workshops or events.

In June, they had a Dining in Writing Workshop that explored British cuisine, recipes, and traditions.

The two rivers that flow through the city center, Irwell and Medlock, were paramount for transportation and trade during Manchester’s industrial development.

But today, they’re lined with luxury condo towers, hotels, waterside bars, and restaurants. The Wharf is a go-to local spot that’s part pub, part fine dining. It boasts great views over the canal basin, cold pints, and a sun-soaked outdoor terrace in good weather.

The ambiance at The River Restaurant at the five-star Lowry Hotel restaurant is second to none, with floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the River Irwell. It’s an ideal spot for a fancy dinner out or afternoon tea. The seasonal menu changes throughout the week.

Hint: The RE:TREAT spa at the hotel is also divine. I enjoy the Elemis Glow Facial, which is £85 ($108) during the week and £99 ($125) on the weekend.

Afterwards, I like to relax in the lounge with a cuppa and a view of the river.

Salford: An Underrated Neighborhood in an Underrated City

Finding a place to live in Manchester takes persistence and patience, as demand from the student population, workforce, and London transplants has stripped the housing supply bare.

If you stay long-term, I recommend using Rightmove.co.U.K., Openrent. co.U.K., or contacting real estate agencies to register your property search requirements.

After searching for months, I found a six-month furnished rental through Nestify.co.U.K., the prices of which were lower than Airbnb. My rental landed me in Salford, a working-class municipality adjacent to Manchester that’s been revitalized in recent years.

A former "wasteland," as one of my local friends put it, the Salford Quays on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal have transformed into a multi-use paradise of condos, shops, dining, and entertainment venues. It’s home to MediaCityU.K., one of the country’s largest technology and startup hubs, and doubles as the head offices for major broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV.

Whereas MediaCity is shining and modern, most houses in the surrounding neighborhoods are built of brick, a material chosen for practicality as it conserves heat in this chilly city.

Although Manchester is thought of as one of the rainiest cities in the U.K., it barely cracks the top 15 by rainfall. The city is also less prone to heat waves than London, with Manchester’s average temperature in July at 68 F compared to 75 F in London.

As a Florida native, it’s taken me some time to adjust to the weather.

I’m probably the only person to turn the heat on in the summer on a rainy day when temperatures drop into the 50s. I never leave home without a rain jacket and umbrella. And I finally invested in some black rubber "wellies," or Wellington rain boots, for £20 ($25) on Amazon.

Spring and summer are beautiful here, albeit slightly cooler and grayer than back in the U.S. But the extra rain means that the flowers and blackberry bushes are in bloom, the grass is green, and the forests are thick with old-growth trees.

I enjoy admiring each home’s well-manicured English gardens, bordered by crooked, ivy-drenched wooden fences and rows of rose bushes.

My neighborhood is as local as it gets, with most people having been born and raised here. There’s a relaxed, community feel… everyone knows each other.

Each time I go for a walk, I fall into a conversation with someone. Whether it’s a couple walking their dog or a gentleman showing me pictures of his grandkids on his cell phone, my neighbors are always happy to stop for a chat… treating me as one of them or a long-lost friend.

One of my neighbors, who I met while he was gardening in the front yard one day, opened up about losing his husband a few years ago. He said he could never move away from the house they shared. "Too many happy memories," he said.

And all of my neighbors comment on my accent, of course. "Are you American?" they ask, mystified as to why I’d trade Miami for Manchester.

But they don’t know how lucky they are to maintain a sense of togetherness that seems long lost in the United States.

Salford is a place where strangers wave to you, the dry cleaners will ask how your date night went, and people apologize if they pass you on their bicycles.

The pace of life is soothing. In the afternoons, evenings, and weekends, you’ll often see kids playing outside, parents milling about a soccer field, or people hanging out in a park.

However, as it’s a low density residential area with few nearby amenities and limited public transit, I wouldn’t recommend it to those new to Manchester unless you have a car.

Instead, get closer to the action of Manchester in popular Deansgate or Hulme.

The U.K. is not without its challenges, of course. Inflation is at record highs, Brexit continues to impact the economy, the healthcare system can involve long wait times, and the public education system has shortcomings.

But, as a slow traveler, the U.K. meets my needs. It’s safe, the infrastructure is good, the people are friendly, and there is plenty of culture and history to explore.

I’ve found it a welcome home away from home.

Who Should Live in Manchester?

If I could describe the culture in Manchester in one word, it would be community, exemplified by the city’s worker bee mascot… a symbol of resilience, work ethic, togetherness, and shared values.

There’s a community feel… everyone knows me.

Wherever you go, you’ll see families spending time together.

This is especially noticeable on Sundays when many shops are closed. There are always large tables reserved in neighborhood pubs, watering holes that double as glue for the community’s social fabric. I often see groups of eight to 10 family members gathered around for a Sunday roast dinner.

Manchester has the third busiest international airport in the U.K. behind London’s Gatwick and Heathrow. With flights to 210 destinations, you can go just about anywhere with MCR as your home base. The Manchester airport is also far more accessible than those in London—MCR is only 20–30 minutes from the city center, versus the one to two hours it takes to reach Heathrow from the heart of London.

So Manchester is perfect if you envision an authentic, local experience, and a comfortable home base while you make exploratory visits to nearby British cities and villages.

Manchester Vs. London: Guess Which Wins on Affordability

London is an evident first choice for anyone considering moving to the U.K. It’s the hub for the U.K.’s professional activities. But alongside jobs and opportunities, it’s also filled with traffic, tourists, and costly housing. The going rate for a bedroom in a shared apartment is £971 ($1,227) per month, whereas the average rent price in Manchester is £1,079 ($1,153) for a one-bedroom apartment. Manchester is only two hours by train from London, and a stone’s throw from Wales, Scotland, the Cotswolds, and the Lake District. I typically spend about £30 ($37) when I go to the supermarket here for what would cost me $80 to $100 in Miami. You can live comfortably here with a monthly budget of $2,500 to $5,000.

Chester And Other Day Trips

The iconic villages of the Cotswolds are only a three-hour trek from Manchester.
The iconic villages of the Cotswolds are only a three-hour trek from Manchester.|©COLDSNOWSTORM/iSTOCK

There’s much to explore in the North, from the rugged coastline of Wales, to the quintessential English villages and castles of the Cotswolds, to the vast landscapes of the Lake District. And there are plenty of attractions right by Manchester.

Manchester is one hour by train from the picturesque town of Chester, a little-known destination in Cheshire County with a history that dates back to Roman times. In fact, the name Chester derives partly from the Old English ceaster, meaning "Roman town or city" (so Chester means "town," while Manchester means "hill town").

Chester boasts the most complete and well-preserved city walls in Britain, wrapping two miles around 116 acres of land and enclosing the oldest racecourse and largest Roman amphitheater in the country. Chester is a hidden gem for foodies and an excellent place for shopping and dining along The Rows or tucking into a country pub or beer garden for a pint. I like the patio at The Architect pub, which overlooks the Roodee racecourse. Sandwiched between The Rows, canals, and City Walls, you’ll find Porta Wine & Tapas Bar with indoor and outdoor dining. These quirky locales have lined Chester’s main streets for centuries.

I enjoy a lazy Sunday afternoon at the Grosvenor Arms pub in Aldford, also part of Cheshire County. It’s owned by the Duke of Westminster—one of the wealthiest people in the U.K.—whose 11,000-acre ancestral country estate, Eaton Hall, sits next door.

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