Manchester

Understand

thumb|Mancunians are a proud people - A mosaic in the [[Manchester/Victoria - Shopping District|Northern Quarter|alt=A mosaic in Manchester that says '... And on the sixth day, God created Manchester']] The city is in the North West of England, between Liverpool and Leeds. It is seen by many as a young, vibrant and cutting edge city, where there is always something happening. The "Manchester brand" is seen to extend well beyond the city's boundaries (covering all of neighbouring Salford and Trafford, as well as districts of other boroughs) and even beyond those of Greater Manchester. This serves to reflect the influence it has on the wider region as a whole.

Manchester is a friendly city as well. Northerners do talk to each other and to strangers. Just compare asking for directions in London and Manchester and the difference is often clear. Locals seem more proud than ever of Manchester and all it offers. Some outsiders may find this fierce pride in their city somewhat "un-British". Positive comments and praise go down a treat with the locals, and with all that has happened, such is often due.

The adjective associated with Manchester is Mancunian or simply Manc. The distinctive linguistic accent of the city's indigenous inhabitants is much more closely related to that of Liverpool with its strong north-Waleian (Welsh) roots than it is to the Lancastrian or Cestrian of the neighbouring cotton towns. However, most locals still consider Manchester to be part of Lancashire, and…

Get around

Transport in Greater Manchester is overseen and co-ordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) who use the branding "Bee Network" (Information: 0161 244 1000).

Bee Network operates a multimodal journey planner which is a great help in planning getting around the Greater Manchester area. Bee Network sell a number of tickets which are valid for multiple operators, such as the1-day Bee Bus tickets are £2.50 for children and £5 for adults. If you are planning to do a lot of travelling in one day, these might be your cheapest option. If using Metrolink There are tickets for single people and family tickets. The cheapest off-peak fares are after 9:30AM. For Smartphone users there is a "Bee Network" app available for Android & iPhones which has journey planning tools and the availability to purchase some ticket types.

Buy

Manchester's shopping district is one of the most diverse shopping districts in the UK and the majority of city centre shops are within reasonable walking distance of each other (15 minutes at most) and most are served by a metroshuttle service. Even in the most upmarket stores you are treated in a friendly manner. The Arndale Centre is a large 1970s city-centre shopping precinct with 280 stores. Although renovated, the place retains some of its 1970s concrete charms and still some of the infamous yellow tiles that are a testament to the urban planning of that era. It is connected via link bridge to the Marks and Spencer and Selfridges department stores adjacent in Exchange Square.thumb|The Trafford Centre There are large shops aimed at bargain hunters, including the largest Primark in the country, which is great for a bargain and much loved by visiting cabin crews, and an Aldi food hall on Market Street (just off Piccadilly Gardens). The Millennium Quarter (at the back of the Arndale Centre) is now quite smart and good for shopping. There's The Corn Exchange, an upmarket shopping centre based in the beautiful old Corn Exchange, worth a visit for the building alone and Selfridges, spread across 5 floors with its large Louis Vuitton concession and fantastic food hall in the basement. You will find everything from sushi to fine chocolates, kosher foods, to a juice bar, etc. Harvey Nichols, opposite the Triangle, offers luxury fashions and produce to Manchester's rich and famous…