Visitor Guide

The Macdonald Manchester hotel's central location makes it the ideal base from which to explore this vibrant city. When you've dined and slept well, head into town for some retail therapy or indulge your passion for culture in one of the many galleries, museums and theatres on your doorstep. The music industry is alive and kicking here, so whether your taste is mainstream or more eclectic there are plenty of music venues to keep you happy. Stuck for ideas? Just ask our friendly staff for their recommendations.

Sports & Leisure

Tread the hallowed turf at Manchester Utd or Manchester City FC or visit the Old Trafford Cricket Ground. Manchester is one of the music hotbeds of the North, so there's an abundance of music venues plus plenty of quality shopping outlets and markets in the city centre.

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  Sports & Leisure

  Football fans will not want to leave Manchester without a visit to Old Trafford or Manchester City FC, while there's plenty of retail therapy on offer with flagship stores Harvey Nichols and John Lewis in the city centre. Music fans are also spoilt for choice with over 50 music venues around Manchester.

  Manchester United Football Club

  Coined ‘Theatre of Dreams’ by former player Sir Bobby Charlton, Old Trafford can hold just over 76,000 fans, second in size only to Wembley, and is the only UEFA-rated 5-star stadium in the country. Old Trafford, MUFC’s home ground, welcomes over 200,000 visitors to its Museum and Tour Centre each year and is a must-see Manchester attraction.

  Opening hours:	Mon - Sun: 9:30am – 5:00pm (museum) Mon - Sun: 9:40am – 4:30pm (tour) Advance booking recommended
  Distance from hotel:	1 mile (approx. 5 mins)
  How to book:	Call 0870 442 1994 or visit www.manutd.com

  The Printworks

  The Printworks is a major city centre entertainment plaza catering for all ages. Formerly a printing press owned by Robert Maxwell, it now boasts clubs, bars, cinemas, a comedy club, fast food outlets and shops. The Hard Rock Café is particularly popular with locals and visitors.

  Opening hours:	6am – until early hours every day
  Distance from hotel:	1 mile (approx. 5 mins)
  How to book:	Call 0871 230 5556 or visit www.theprintworks.com

  Manchester Evening News Arena

  Home to ‘Dancing On Ice’ and ‘Strictly Dancing’, the MEN holds up to 21,000 people and is the largest indoor arena in Europe. MEN predominantly presents mainstream, pop/rock acts, but it’s worth checking out the variety of other shows that appear throughout the year.

  Opening hours:	Mon – Sat: 10:00am -6:00pm Sun: 12:00pm - 6:00pm (if performance running)
  Distance from hotel:	1 mile (approx. 5 mins)
  How to book:	Call 0844 847 8000 or visit www.men-arena.com

  Other local sports & leisure facilities:

  Manchester City FC - www.mcfc.co.uk Tel: 0870 062 1894
  Distance from hotel: 1 mile (approx. 5 mins)

  Old Trafford Cricket Ground - www.lccc.co.uk Tel: 0161 282 4020
  Distance from hotel: 1 mile (approx. 5 mins)

  Mancunian Way Skatepark – www.projektsmcr.com Tel: 07795 685900.
  Distance from hotel: 1 mile (approx. 5 mins)

  Arndale Shopping Centre - www.manchesterarndale.com Tel: 0161 833 9851
  Distance from hotel: 1 mile (approx. 5 mins)

  Night & Day Cafe – (music venue) www.nightnday.org
  Distance from hotel: 0.5 miles (approx. 5 mins)

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Families

Challenge the kids to tenpin bowling or a session at the dry ski slope. See the latest films at the IMAX cinema. Manchester is surrounded by some lovely parks - Heaton Park has its own animal centre and a full programme of family events throughout the year.

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  The Wheel

  What better way to take in the sights of Manchester city centre than aboard The Wheel of Manchester? Whatever the weather - the 42 capsules are air-conditioned - the 60 metre climb with commentary is a thrill for all the family. If the occasion is a special one, why not hire the private VIP gondola? Champagne optional!

  Opening hours:	Sun-Thurs: 10am – 11pm Fri: 10am – 12 midnight Sat: 9am – 12 midnight
  Distance from hotel:	1 mile (approx. 5 mins)
  More information:	Call 0161 831 9918 or visit www.worldtouristattractions.co.uk

  Trafford Centre

  One of the UK’s largest shopping centres, the Trafford Centre houses well-known popular high street shops in addition to a range of up-market boutiques. There are also bowling alleys, dodgems, cinemas and games arcades, plus plenty of eateries for a family day out.

  Opening hours:	Varies according to activity. Shopping Centre: Mon – Fri: 10:00am – 10:00pm Sat: 10:00am - 8:00pm Sun: 12:00pm - 6:00pm
  Distance from hotel:	10 miles (approx. 20 mins)
  More information:	Call 0161 749 1717 or visit www.traffordcentre.co.uk

  Urbis

  Focusing on the urban experience, Urbis is a unique complex featuring contemporary art and design exhibitions, live music, fashion events, talks and much more. Its themes are particularly relevant to modern city life and issues relating to young people. The centre accommodates Channel M, Manchester’s news and entertainment television channel, which welcomes visitors to observe TV shows in the making.

  Opening hours:	10am – 6pm daily
  Distance from hotel:	1 mile (approx. 5 mins)
  More information:	Call 0161 605 8200 or visit www.urbis.org.uk

  Other local family attractions:-

  Museum of Science & Industry – www.mosi.org.uk Tel: 0161 832 2244 Distance from hotel: 1 mile (approx. 5 mins)

  Tenpin – www.tenpin.co.uk Tel: 0871 873 3150
  Distance from hotel: 6 miles (approx. 15 mins)

  Heaton Park – www.heatonpark.org.uk Tel: 0161 773 1085
  Distance from hotel: 6 miles (approx. 15 mins)

  Wythenshawe Park – Tel: 0161 998 2117
  Distance from hotel: 7 miles (approx. 20 mins)

  Chill Factore Ski Slope – www.chillfactore.com Tel: 0161 747 0606
  Distance from hotel: 10 miles (approx. 20 mins)

  Lyme Park – Tel: 01663 762023
  Distance from hotel: 14 miles (approx. 40 mins)

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Attractions

The city is awash with culture, from museums to art galleries and theatres. Don't miss The Lowry, a vibrant centre of creativity, or the Chinese Art Centre. Take in an exhibition at the Manchester Art Gallery or see one of your favourite West End shows at the Palace Theatre or Opera House.

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  Manchester Art Gallery

  This Municipal gallery occupies what were once three separate buildings. The original of the three initially housed the Royal Manchester Institution, a group of local artists and merchants who set out to banish notions of Manchester as lacking in taste and culture. A far cry from those days, Manchester Art Gallery shows a diverse range of changing traditional and contemporary exhibitions.

  Opening hours:	Tues – Sun: 10am – 5pm Closed Mondays (except Bank Holidays)
  Distance from hotel:	0.5 mile (approx. 5 mins)
  More information:	Call 0161 235 8888 or visit www.manchestergalleries.org

  The Lowry

  Named after Lawrence Stephen Lowry, the artist who depicted the region of Salford where the centre now stands, The Lowry defies a singular definition of museum, gallery or theatre, being instead all three plus more. Better described as a centre for creativity, education and recreation, this dynamic institution is described as a ‘must see’ for all visitors to Manchester.

  Opening hours:	Mon – Sat: 10am – 8pm Sun: 10am – 6pm (8pm on performance nights)
  Distance from hotel:	4 miles (approx. 15 mins)
  More information:	Call 0870 787 5780 or visit www.thelowry.com

  Manchester Opera House

  Manchester Opera House, dating back to 1912, plays host to concerts, plays, ballet, musicals and even Christmas pantos. It is well known for staging the European premier of West Side Story in 1958, and more recently, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera in 1993.

  Opening hours:	Mon – Sat: 10am – 6pm
  Distance from hotel:	1 mile (approx. 5 mins)
  More information:	Call 0844 847 2277 or visit www.palaceandoperahouse.org.uk

  Other local attractions:-

  Chinese Arts Centre – www.chineseartscentre.org Tel: 0161 832 7271
  Distance from hotel: 1 mile (approx. 5 mins)

  Palace Theatre – www.getlive.co.uk/venues Tel: 0870 401 3000
  Distance from hotel: 1 mile (approx. 5 mins)

  Royal Exchange Theatre – www.royalexchange.co.uk Tel: 0161 615 6666
  Distance from hotel: 1 mile (approx. 5 mins)

  The Bridgewater Hall – www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk Tel: 0161 950 0000
  Distance from hotel: 1 mile (approx. 5 mins)

  Imperial War Museum North – www.north.iwm.org.uk Tel: 0161 836 4000
  Distance from hotel: 4 miles (approx. 15 mins)

  Manchester Airport Tour Centre – www.tasmanchester.com Tel: 0161 489 2442
  Distance from hotel: 10 miles (approx. 25 mins)

  East Lancashire Railway – www.east-lancs-rly.co.uk Tel: 0161 764 7790
  Distance from hotel: 11 miles (approx. 30 mins)

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