Manchester isn’t known as the London of the North for nothing. Its amazing array of arts, culture, shopping and nightlife put it on a par with the capital city. The first stop for anyone visiting Manchester is to find a hotel, as one day is just not enough to truly experience this remarkable place. Fortunately, Manchester boasts a wide variety of hotels to suit all tastes and pockets. The Hilton Manchester Deansgate is a state-of-the-art hotel situated in the lower 23 floors of the landmark Beetham Tower, it lays claim to an open-plan restaurant, bar and lounge area on the ground floor as well as the chic destination bar on the 23rd floor. The Midland Hotel on Peter Street is the essence of old-school luxury, the building itself is a Grade II listed architectural diamond and the whole package attracts Manchester’s fabulous and well-heeled.

Manchester has just launched its Urban Culture Trail which allows you to take in the city’s finest arts and culture as part of a self-guided walking tour. The tours are designed to make it easier and quicker to take in all the Manchester has to offer, providing a ready-to-use itinerary and detailed maps of Manchester city centre. The first in the series of four themed tours is ‘Radical Manchester’ which incorporates the city’s museums and galleries including the Museum of Science and Industry, Urbis and the Manchester Art Gallery. ‘The Sound of Manchester’ tour assimilates Manchester’s rich musical history and takes in such delights as the Manchester Apollo, Sankeys and the MEN arena. ‘Creativity and the City’ features many highlights of Manchest

er’s contemporary arts scene; Odd Bar, Artland Gallery and CUBE are all part of the tour. ‘A City Performs’ celebrates Manchester’s glut of theatres; The Palace, The Royal Exchange and The Lowry are all applauded in this dramatic tour.

With pubs, bars and clubs on every street, you’re never too far from a watering hole in Manchester. At the far end of Deansgate stands the powerhouse that is Harvey Nichols, with its Second Floor Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie, it’s easy to enjoy a cocktail or three and watch the world go by. For the ultimate in exquisite attention to detail and sophisticated surroundings, Panacea on John Dalton Stree cannot be beaten. It’s golden ambient lighting and statement architectural design make it the best social experience in Manchester. For more excitement as the evening wears on, party-goers tend to congregate at The Printworks on Withy Grove. This area boasts two huge clubs: Tiger Tiger and The Birdcage, both offering the ultimate in exciting Manchester nightlife. Deansgate Locks is another well-known Manchester hotspot, comprising a row of popular bars such as Loaf, Baa Bar and Revolution. Also becoming more and more popular, due to its stint as the notorious ‘Fernandos’ on ITV1 dating show ‘Take Me Out’, is Bijou which is situated on Chapel Street and features some of the most decadent and flamboyant decor on Manchester. Most Manchester clubs stay open into the early hours, giving Manchester the same ‘the city that never sleeps’ title as its southern counterpart.