Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

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United Kingdom : Manchester - April 2009

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Manchester has one thing on its mind this summer and that’s the Manchester International Festival (mif.co.uk). Taking place across the city in July, it’s a riot of original music, art and activity – from Rufus Wainwright’s opera to De La Soul’s only full-scale UK show this year. Hazel Davis is threefeet high and rising

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).

DIDSBURY

Leafy Didsbury lies south of the city centre and just north of the Mersey.

Sleep soundly – A beautiful Victorian villa on the edge of Didsbury Park, Didsbury House Hotel (Didsbury Park, tel. , didsburyhouse. co.uk, rooms from €173/£150) is a bijou urban retreat for those who need to wind down after a day’s sightseeing.

Must eat – A Manchester institution, Greens Restaurant (43 Lapwing Lane, tel. ) uses only seasonal and local produce, and recently opened for Sunday brunch thanks to popular demand. Try the Cheshire cheese sausages with mustard mash, beer gravy and tomato chutney.

Must drink – Didsbury’s most laidback hangout, The Railway (3 Lapwing Lane) is sparsely decorated and always busy. It’s a real-ale lover’s dream and sometimes hosts the odd open-mic night too.

SPINNINGFIELDS

Spinningfields, off Deansgate, is Manchester’s futuristic quarter, surrounding an exciting public space with everything the modern Mancunian needs.

Sleep soundly – For a great, relaxing night’s sleep and the perfect summer body, head to the five-star Radisson Edwardian Hotel Manchester (Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, tel. , radissonedwardian.com, rooms from €92/£80). The hotel’s Sienna Spa has just launched a summer spa package. After you’ve been pampered, head to the hotel’s restaurant.

Must eat – For the complete Japanese experience, go to Samsi (1 Hardman Boulevard, tel. ). The glass-fronted restaurant serves nine Japanese beers and is launching sushimaking classes later this year.

Must drink – It’s worth a trip to The Mark Addy (Stanley Street) for the cheese and pâté lunch, served with enormous hunks of fresh bread and all the pickles and gherkins you can manage. The drinks err on the side of city-slicker rather than old-timer, but it’s a good place to watch the River Irwell meander by.

CHORLTON

If you fancy yourself as a creative type, chances are you will gravitate to Chorlton. This suburb is home to artists, actors and writers.

Culture vultures – If you’ve read an Agatha Christie novel, the cover will probably have been designed by artist Gwyneth Jones. Catch her work at the Troubadour Gallery (50 Beech Road). An eclectic collection of photographs, sculpture and paintings from local artists, it’s an accessible and friendly slice of Chorlton’s artistic life.

Must eat – Housed in a former police station, The Lead Station (99 Beech Road, no bookings) is the place to go for a bit of celeb spotting. Despite attracting a younger crowd, the menu is decidedly old-school – think steak followed by sticky-toffee pudding.

Must drink – Dulcimer (567 Wilbraham Road) offers a dizzying array of beers and wines against a folk and blues backdrop.

OXFORD ROAD

Manchester’s media quarter, the area around Oxford Road, is home to BBC and university buildings and is a mecca for media hipsters.

Sleep soundly – Set in a Victorian cotton warehouse, Best Western Princess on Portland (101 Portland Street, tel. , princessonportland.co.uk, rooms from €86/£74) is within credit cardmaxing distance of the city centre.

Culture vultures – Pop along to a Café Society Talk at Manchester Museum (Oxford Road) where, for the price of a glass of wine, you can explore the latest ideas in science, culture and arts.

Must eat – Red Chilli (403-419 Oxford Road, tel. ) specialises in Beijing and Sichuan dishes. Try the stir-fried lily bulb with celery

Must drink – Kro 2 (Oxford Road) is popular with locals and students alike.

Compiled by Hazel Davis