Goldenbackpacker.com

MANCHESTER - STAY FOR LESS "££"

MANCHESTER, is the largest City in the North West of England known world over for its famous football club Manchester United & its refreshing rain. There is much more history to Manchester, however, as in the 19 C it was the UK centre of the cotton/textile industries & started the revolution which replaced manual labour with machines for mass production which changed the World. Today, after the decline of those industries, Manchester & its near neighbour SALFORD have undergone a major transformation into leisure & high tech services & are now vibrant & entertaining Cities. GB directs you to exciting things to see & experience

ACCOMODATION

No 1 - Manchester YHA at Potato Wharf, Castlefield. M3 4NB (a new hostel with a unique design in the Castlegate Heritage Park in the main canal basin area) tele 0870 770 5950 £18.50 pn b & full English break - 144 beds ( 30x4, 4x6, all en suite) Unfortunately no self - catering at this hostel but all meals are provided in restaurant - open plan reception / lounge area, large TV/ play/ meet room, smoke room. This is a superb hostel in the leisure area ideally located to walk into the City Centre or venture along the canals to Salford.

Special - Salford Lodge Hostel at Salford M6 5RT (located in the regenerated Salford Quays area.) Only bookable through arrangement with GB1. Rates negotiable for the spare double room in this former Park Lodge, which is being carefully restored by your hosts George & Julie. Kitchen, lounge, friendly dinning room with laundry/ restroom downstairs. Upstairs bathroom/ shower & restroom. If invited you will receive a truly hospitable welcome, well located to visit all the sights

FOOD for snacks readily available around the No 1 hostel in the Castlefield Heritage Park & in the City Centre which also has many pubs & restaurants which are well worth checking out as you wander the streets. Salford has a great café in the Lowry Centre.

TRAVELLING AROUND after you arrive, either by bus, rail or by plane at the International Airport, the City area is best seen on foot as most of the streets are pedestrianised. Centreline Bus is a free service which takes shoppers & visitors around many of the key centre areas, 7 days a week. The excellent Metrolink service covers a wider area & gets you to & from Manchester/ Salford most efficiently. You simply need a route map, turn up at one of the Metro stations, buy a ticket from one of the machines, wait for the next train - easy

"FREE" SIGHTS TO SEE

1. Manchester, Town Hall - 1877 with Ford Madox Brown murals, history through Victorian eyes
2. Manchester, Ship Canal - 1894 direct link to Irish Sea, 35.5 miles long , 5 locks rising 60 feet
3. Manchester, Canal Basin - in Castlefield Heritage Park see multi coloured narrow boats moored
4. Manchester, China Town - first true Imperial Chinese Arch in Europe & aromatic, vivid daily life
5. Manchester, Roman Fort - "Mamucium" 79AD, originally turf & timber now re const. gate & wall
6. Manchester, Art Gallery - 6 centuries of paintings, sculptures & displays right in the Centre
7. Manchester, Royal Exchange - biggest room in NE, under 3 Domes, now houses high tech theatre
8. Salford, Lowry Art Gallery - home of LSL & the Best collection of "Matchstick Men" paintings
9. Salford, Imperial War Museum - exhibition of world conflicts, equipment (T34) in shard building
10. Salford, Quays - an amazing area transformed from docks into a waterside leisure & culture area

CHARGE SIGHTS NOT TO MISS

1. Manchester United F. C. - formed by railway workers in 1878 the new "Treble Exibition" is X
2. Manchester Museum of Science & Industry - 5 huge buildings with real aircraft to weaving shed
3. Manchester Whitworth Art Gallery - 3000 rare & historic wallpapers incl William Morris
4. Manchester Urbis - glass/ half pyramid museum offering insight into urban living across the Globe

(Agricola - Keith & Pam, George & Julie, Dawn, Ray & Stef, Chris, "Margaret", Sir Alex, Norris)