The Northern Quarter retains the creative spirit that made it a bohemian enclave in the ’90s, but it has also set aside its red-light district past. Longstanding pubs and record shops thrive on the cobbled streets between hipster coffee shops, restaurants and boutiques – new and old Manchester sitting side-by-side.

Manchester gave the world everyone from the Hollies and the Bee Gees to Joy Division, New Order and the Smiths. In the “Madchester” days of the late ’80s and ’90s, indie music fused with rave culture at Haçienda, later giving way to the rise of Britpop. Catching a gig tops the list of things to do in Manchester, and you’ll still find shows at the iconic Albert Hall, The Ritz and Band On The Wall, among a plethora of newer DIY spaces.

The city’s markets are some of the best Manchester attractions. Head to the Northern Quarter Makers Market in Stevenson Square or Levenshulme Market for a mix of produce from Manchester-based artisan traders, vintage clothing stalls, and food and drink vendors. Or visit the historic Stockport Market, which has existed in some form since 1260 and is now housed in a beautiful 19th century glass structure.

There’s no shortage of impressive libraries in Manchester but the most striking is the Pantheon-inspired Central Library. The neo-Gothic John Rylands Research Institute and Library houses rare books that span five millennia in a church-like interior, while Chetham’s Library is the oldest public library in the English-speaking world and holds an important place in socialist history – it’s the location that Marx and Engels researched The Communist Manifesto.

Go through the paifang archway on Faulkner Street into Manchester’s historic Chinatown – the second-largest in England and third in Europe. It came to be soon after World War II when the government passed the British Nationality Act in 1948, making it easier for immigrants to move to the country. Visit for Cantonese, Sichuan and Hunan cuisine, as well as Hong Kong-style baked goods and well-stocked Asian supermarkets.

Manchester is brimming with cultural hotspots like The Lowry at Salford Quays – a gallery and theatre complex named after Manchester-based artist L.S. Lowry. Also make time for the People’s History Museum, which tells the story of British democracy; the recently renovated Whitworth Gallery; and creative art spaces HOME and Islington Mill.

The city is home to two Premier League football clubs: Manchester City, who train at the Etihad Stadium, and Manchester United at Old Trafford – the largest pitch in the United Kingdom. When the two sides play each other at the Manchester derby, the city comes to a standstill. Allegiances are tribal, to put it politely – so pick a side before buying tickets and getting caught up in the thrill of one of the best things to do in Manchester.

In Manchester, it rains – a lot. Luckily, no Manchester holiday is complete without a locally brewed pint beside a roaring fire on a rainy day. Join Mancunians at historic drinking holes like Peveril of the Peak, a small two-toned gem that dates back to the early 19th century, and The Castle Hotel, which was built in 1776 and hosts weekly gigs in its small music hall.

Once overshadowed by the abundance of food and drink hotspots to be found in the Northern Quarter, neighbouring Ancoats has now found its feet. Shrugging off its name, which literally means “lonely cottages” in Old English, this former industrial suburb is now a Manchester attraction home to a wide range of independent and critically applauded eateries.

It takes less than an hour and a half by car to swap out the urban maze of Manchester for the grassy moors, pretty hills, rivers and valleys of the Lake District. With some of the UK’s highest peaks and deepest lakes, it’s definitely a place for the active traveller. But you’ll just as easily enjoy wandering around the picture-perfect Cumbrian villages or trips to stately homes like Askham Hall in Penrith or Howthwaite in Grasmere.