Manchester Airport is located 16 Km / 9 miles south of Manchester city centre. There are direct trains and buses from the airport to the city centre. The train to Manchester takes approximately 15 minutes and; cost is £2.20 one way. Three bus services, operated by "GMPTE", "Skyline" and "National Express", run between the airport and Manchester city. A bus to Manchester takes approximately 30 minutes and will cost approximately £3.30 one way with National Express. There is a taxi rank outside each terminal exit. A taxi to Manchester will take 20-25 minutes; cost is approximately £18.

The Quays

The Quays is Greater Manchester¹s unique waterfront destination, situated just 15 minutes by tram from Manchester city centre and an ideal destination for a day out or weekend break. At The Quays there is a wealth of world-class entertainment, leisure and cultural facilities on offer including The Lowry, Manchester United Museum and Tour, Imperial War Museum North, and The Lowry Outlet Mall. You can try your hand at rowing, sailing, canoeing or windsurfing at Salford Watersports Centre.

Guided Walks & Tours

Find out about Manchester's fascinating history, architecture and culture with a guided tour. There are many excellent tours that start from the Visitor Information Centre in St. Peter's Square. They provide an informed and entertaining way to learn about the city. There is a charge for each walk usually around £4. Call + 44 (0) 161 440 0277. For football fans, there are tours available of the magnificent Old Trafford stadium with the opportunity to glimpse behind-the-scenes and admire the dazzling array of trophies in the museum. Manchester City fans can also review the club's history at the Heritage Centre and explore the impressive City of Manchester Stadium. Visit www.manutd.com and www.mcfc.co.uk

Shopping

Few places can match Manchester's incredible retail experience. Upmarket and exclusive, bohemian, oriental or bargain basement, this city knows what makes shoppers tick and provides it all in infinite variety. The city separates into four main shopping areas; Market Street and Manchester Arndale - home to mid-range high street stores; New Cathedral Street and Exchange Square - where Selfridges, Harvey Nichols and Triangle reside; St. Ann's Square and Deansgate - a mix of upmarket designer shops and mid to top range high street and designer names; and last but not least, the Northern Quarter - independent boutiques, vintage ware, record shops and of course, the famous Afflecks Palace.

Culture

Culture Vultures are well catered for in Manchester. Greater Manchester's waterfront, The Quays, is home to the spectacular Lowry and the 'matchstick' paintings by Salford's own LS Lowry. As well as two galleries, The Lowry has two theatres showcasing the best in ballet, comedy and performing arts. Just over the footbridge sits the Imperial War Museum North. Designed by Daniel Libeskind, this museum explores the impact of war with iconic objects and a pioneering audio-visual presentation. In the city centre, Manchester Art Gallery houses one of the country's finest collections in spectacular Victorian and contemporary surroundings. In the Millennium Quarter, Urbis is an interactive museum concentrating on life in the modern city.

Entertainment

Manchester is a great place for entertainment. Whether you love comedy or drama, pop or poetry, theatre or street entertainment, festivals or football, avant-garde or old favourites, Manchester offers a unique variety of entertainment, whenever you choose to visit. You can be tickled pink at The Comedy Store, The Frog & Bucket and Jongleurs. Manchester boasts more theatres than any other English city in the UK providing visitors with world-class performances. There are over 150 clubs covering every type of music from house and garage to hard rock to funk and soul. Live music lovers are well catered for with a variety of venues ranging from, the intimacy of The Roadhouse, mid-scale the Academy and Carling Apollo for mid-scale venues, for classical music the breath-taking Bridgewater Hall is a must and for the biggest names in music, its got be the M.E.N. Arena.