Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Welcome to the Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

Destination Guides

bthere! Destination guides

Previous issues for Manchester

Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy,
please confirm event/venue details in advance.

United Kingdom : Manchester - August 2008

Country Code: Dial for United Kingdom

Getting around

Manchester Airport is 15km from the city centre.

Train: During the day there are seven direct trains an hour to Manchester Piccadilly, which take 20 minutes. The service operates less frequently at night. Many trains also stop at Deansgate and Oxford Road. Tickets cost about €4/£3.
Taxi: A taxi from to the city centre costs about €25/£20. The journey generally takes between 20 and 30 minutes.
Tourist information: The main office is in the Town Hall Extension Building, Lloyd Street (tel. , visit manchester.com).

MILLENNIUM QUARTER

Where better to start your Manchester experience than in the regenerated city centre? The area around Exchange Square has been restored to accommodate some of the city’s newest and oldest buildings.

Culture vultures – Urbis (Cathedral Gardens) is a riotous celebration of city life over four floors, covering design, photography, music and fashion. The centre overlooks verdant gardens, and on a summer’s day the city’s young and beautiful can be seen basking in the heat and splashing in the fountains.

Must eat – For a piece of old-world Manchester, head to Sinclairs Oyster Bar (2 Cathedral Gates, ), a 16th-century half-timbered pub that does unfussy seafood.

Shop til you drop – When Harvey Nichols (21 Cathedral Street) opened in 2003, Manchester’s shoppers couldn’t pull on their Jimmy Choos fast enough. It’s the ideal place to max out your cards before relaxing at the inhouse salons, Urban Hair and Urban Beauty, or overindulging in the on-site restaurant, bar and brasserie.

CANAL STREET

Manchester’s gay village is the place to spend the summer evenings. With a carnival atmosphere and a waterside setting, it’s perfect for hanging out with friends or just chilling with ice and a slice and a spot of people watching. Head here for Manchester Pride from 15 to 25 August and see the city in all its flamboyant glory.

Sleep soundly – The venerable New Union Hotel sits regally on the corner of Canal Street and Princess Street. Somehow, it manages to fuse the feel of a traditional pub with a hedonistic vibe more common to the area. Themed evenings, cabaret and karaoke are the order of the night here, and you can enjoy them safe in the knowledge that you can stagger upstairs to an ensuite room and sleep off the excesses if it all gets too much.

Must eat – Funky restaurant-bar Velvet (2 Canal Street, ) is the queen of quirk. With goldfish swimming underfoot, a TV in the toilet and decadent velvet furnishings, it’s a secluded and chic way to spend a Saturday night. The food isn’t bad either – try the fillet of bream with lemon, capers and prawns, or the prawn linguine with chilli, garlic and tomato.

Must drink – Celebrate the area’s heritage with a trip to Queer (4 Canal Street), Manchester’s legendary gay bar. During the day, it’s a cool, contemporary space, but by night it’s transformed into a packed-to-the-rafters club.

SALFORD QUAYS

Salford Quays is Manchester’s official cultural quarter. Home to impressive landmark buildings such as the Imperial War Museum North and The Lowry centre, it’s testament to the fact that there’s more to Manchester than a big new Next store and a large ferris wheel.

Sleep soundly – For cracking views across the Salford waterfront, head to the Imperial War Museum North’s WaterShard Café where the food is delightfully retro. Expect pea pod soups, Woolton pie – a blend of potato, onion and swede – and parsley pudding.

Culture vultures – The Lowry (Pier 8, Salford Quays) is an architectural gem and a cultural magnet. With two main theatres and studio space, the programme is eclectic and cutting edge. Catch the latest premiere, or learn more about the life and works of legendary local painter LS Lowry, whom the centre is named after, in the gallery.

Must drink – Situated opposite The Lowry, Lime (Lowry Outlet Mall, Quays Road) is a slick, modern restaurantcum- bar with an impressive range of cocktails. Bask on the terrace with a mojito or, if you’re feeling flush, check out the champagne list.

Compiled by Hazel Davis