How to spend a weekend in Manchester: entertainment, restaurants and casinos

Manchester is a city that combines history, modernity and entertainment to suit all tastes. Here you can enjoy architectural masterpieces, visit museums, go on a gastronomic tour or spend an evening playing in a casino. And if you do not have time to visit land-based establishments, you can always use online casino platforms with 50 no deposit free spins.

How to plan your weekend to get the most out of it? Let's take a look at all the options for a holiday in Manchester.

Daytime activities: walks, museums and football

The historic centre and iconic sites

Manchester's immersive experience should start with its main attractions. Taking centre stage is the Town Hall, located in Albert Square. Its neo-Gothic style and majestic towers make it one of the most beautiful buildings in the city. Inside you can see painted ceilings, Gothic arches and mosaic floors.

Not far from the Town Hall is Manchester Cathedral, one of the oldest buildings in the city, dating back to the 15th century. Inside the cathedral, unique stained glass windows and medieval carved panels have been preserved.

Another interesting object is Ordzal Castle. It is an old manor house with lush gardens, where you can stroll among exotic plants and learn more about the aristocratic past of the region.

Best museums and galleries

Manchester is famous for its museums, which cover different areas of culture and science. The Manchester Museum is home to Egyptian mummies, dinosaur fossils and rare archaeological finds.

Technology lovers should check out the Science and Industry Museum. It is dedicated to the Industrial Revolution and the achievements of British engineers. There are ancient steam engines, the first computers and interactive exhibits.

For art lovers, the Manchester Art Gallery is the place to go. Its collection includes works by British artists, as well as classical paintings and sculptures.

Football attractions

Manchester is impossible to imagine without football. The city is home to two iconic clubs, Manchester United and Manchester City. Football fans can take a trip to Old Trafford or Etihad Stadium, where you can peek into the players' changing rooms, see the VIP boxes and even take to the pitch.

Another must-see place is the National Football Museum. Here you'll find rare jerseys, trophies, interactive areas and stories of the most legendary matches.

Shopping in Manchester

The city offers plenty of shopping opportunities. The Arndale Centre is home to popular brands, while the Trafford Centre offers both luxury boutiques and affordable shops. For vintage lovers, the Northern Quarter area is the place to go for unique outfits and accessories.

Restaurants and gastronomic discoveries

Manchester boasts a huge selection of restaurants and bars. There are establishments offering both traditional British cuisine and exotic dishes from around the world.

Traditional pubs and gastropubs

One of the most famous pubs in Manchester is The Briton's Protection. It serves traditional British dishes such as meat pies, roast Yorkshire pudding and fish and chips. The Wharf offers an authentic atmosphere and a wide range of English ales.

Haute cuisine and Michelin restaurants

For something a little more sophisticated, Adam Reid at The French is worth a visit. This is a haute cuisine restaurant serving fine British cuisine with a modern twist. Another landmark is Mana, the first Michelin-starred restaurant in Manchester.

Ethnic cuisines

Lovers of oriental cuisine can head to Chinatown, where the best Chinese and Japanese restaurants are centred. For those who prefer Indian food, Curry Mile is a street with dozens of curry, tandoori and street food establishments.

Nightlife: bars, clubs and gigs

Manchester is the city that never sleeps. After dinner, you can head to one of the stylish bars. Cloud 23 offers great views of the city, while The Alchemist offers signature cocktails with spectacular serves.

For clubbing enthusiasts, The Warehouse Project is a great choice. It's an iconic venue that hosts some of the loudest parties. Hidden offers a more underground atmosphere and conceptual parties.

Live music is another of Manchester's strengths. The Albert Hall hosts big name acts, while the O2 Ritz offers a cosy atmosphere for chamber performances.

Casinos in Manchester: Where to try your luck?

Gambling enthusiasts should visit Manchester235, a high-end casino with a premium atmosphere, poker tournaments and a top-class restaurant. A more democratic option is Genting Casino, where you can try your hand at roulette, blackjack and slot machines. Grosvenor Casino offers a tranquil environment for those who want to relax over a game. Or you can always try online platforms and use your free 25 pound no deposit.

Manchester for a family holiday

Although Manchester is known for its bars, nightclubs and football arenas, it also offers plenty of activities for families with children. One of the most popular is the LEGOLAND Discovery Centre. This is a huge entertainment centre featuring scaled-down replicas of famous buildings assembled from millions of LEGO pieces. The centre has play areas, a 4D cinema and workshops where children learn to create their own masterpieces.

Another place that kids and adults will love is Sea Life Manchester. This aquarium is famous for its glass tunnels through which you can watch sharks, stingrays and turtles. There are also animal feeding shows and interactive programmes for young explorers.

If you fancy a day outdoors, Heaton Park is Manchester's largest park. It has a lake with boats, farming areas with animals and children's play areas. The park is perfect for picnics and leisurely walks.

Guide to pubs and craft bars

British culture is unthinkable without pubs, and Manchester is one of the best places to enjoy the traditional atmosphere. One of the city's oldest pubs, The Briton's Protection, is known for its history dating back to the 18th century. It serves over 300 varieties of whisky and classic British snacks.

Beer lovers will appreciate The Marble Arch, which stands out with mosaic floors, antique furniture and its own ales brewed right in Manchester.

The city's modern beer culture is represented by a plethora of craft bars. Port Street Beer House, for example, offers a wide selection of beers from around the world, while Cloudwater Brewery Taproom invites you to try exclusive brews brewed by a local brewery.

Gastronomic markets and street food

As well as restaurants and pubs, Manchester is famous for its gastronomic markets. One of the most atmospheric places is the Mackie Mayor Market. This historic building houses dozens of food courts offering dishes from all over the world, from Spanish tapas to American burgers.

Another popular spot is Levenshulme Market, which is open on weekends. Here you can find not only food, but also unique products of local artisans: jewellery, clothes, interior items.

Fans of street food should definitely check out Hatch, where small cafes with Asian, Mexican and Mediterranean cuisine are located in containers.

Unique souvenirs: what to bring back from Manchester

To leave a piece of the city with you, it's worth visiting the local shops and markets. Manchester is famous for its musical tradition, so a vinyl record of one of the iconic bands such as Oasis, The Smiths or Joy Division is a great souvenir. Vintage music shops can be found in the Northern Quarter.

Football fans can buy Manchester United or Manchester City merchandise - shirts, scarves and rare collectibles are available in club shops and stadiums.

If you want something special, you can check out Oklahoma, a shop selling original handmade designs, books, jewellery and furnishings.

Sporting activities other than football

While football remains Manchester's main passion, the city offers plenty of other sporting activities. Cycling enthusiasts can visit the National Cycling Centre, home to an indoor cycle track and training facilities for professionals.

For golf enthusiasts, elite golf clubs such as Didsbury Golf Club offer scenic courses and convenient clubhouse areas.

Those who prefer the extreme should visit Depot Climbing, Manchester's largest indoor climbing wall. Here you can try your hand at both amateur and professional rock climbing.

Legends and mystical stories of Manchester

Manchester, with its rich industrial past, old neighbourhoods and dark history, is considered one of the most mystical cities in the UK. The narrow streets, old buildings and abandoned factories hold many secrets. Locals and tourists often tell stories of ghosts, strange occurrences and unexplained phenomena connected with the city's history.

Ghosts of old pubs

Manchester's pubs not only retain the atmosphere of past centuries, but are also rumoured to be haunted. One of the most famous establishments with paranormal activity is The Shakespeare, located in the city centre. Legends say that here you can hear whispers of invisible people and sometimes even see the silhouette of a man in Victorian clothing disappearing into thin air.

Another mystical pub is The Briton's Protection. This place is known not only for its history, but also for rumours about the ghost of a girl who sometimes appears on the stairs. It is said to be the spirit of a young woman who died here under mysterious circumstances in the 19th century. Visitors say that in the pub you can feel sudden gusts of icy wind and hear quiet footsteps when no-one is around.

Anomalies in the Ancoats area

The Ancoats area, once the industrial centre of the city, is known for its dark legends. During the Victorian era, thousands of people worked here, labouring in terrible conditions in the factories. Many of the buildings still retain the atmosphere of those times, and locals claim that in some lanes of Ancoats you can hear the sounds of old machines and the muffled screams of workers who are long dead.

One of the creepiest stories involves a house on Cutting Room Square. In the 19th century, it was home to a family whose members would disappear under strange circumstances. It is said that the house is cursed, and anyone who spends the night there can feel the cold breath of an invisible creature or see dark shadows flickering in the corners of the rooms.

‘The Curse of the Bat’ at the John Rylands Library

The John Rylands Library is one of Manchester's most beautiful and mysterious places. The old neo-Gothic building is reminiscent of the set of a Harry Potter film. But apart from the magnificent bookrooms, the library is known for its legends.

The most famous of them is ‘The Curse of the Bat’. In the early 20th century, an archivist worked here, who one day discovered strange symbols in one of the ancient books that looked like ancient spells. Soon after, he began complaining of nightmares and sounds resembling the flapping of wings. A few months later, the man disappeared without a trace and his body was never found.

Since then, visitors to the library sometimes hear strange rustles in the quiet of the night and see shadows that resemble the silhouettes of people in long cloaks. Some claim to have seen the figure of an archivist bent over a book in the halls.

The ghost of the ‘Grey Monk’ in Manchester Cathedral

Manchester Cathedral is one of the oldest buildings in the city, which also holds its own mystical secret. For centuries, stories have been told here about the ghost of the ‘Grey Monk’ who appears in the back of the church during the evening service.

According to legend, it is the spirit of a monk who was murdered in the cathedral during the Reformation. He appears as a silhouette wearing a long hooded robe. Cathedral guards have repeatedly spotted strange shadows on security camera footage, and some parishioners have reported feeling the touch of cold hands when no one is around.

Secrets of an old cemetery in the Southern Cemetery neighbourhood

Southern Cemetery is one of the largest cemeteries in the UK, where famous Manchester figures are buried, including the founders of football clubs and famous businessmen of the 19th century. But the place is not only known for its burials, but also for unexplained phenomena.

Some night visitors have reported the appearance of the ‘black rider’ - a mysterious figure in a long cloak on horseback who moves slowly between the graves and disappears into the mist. Legends claim it is the spirit of one of Manchester's first industrialists who made a deal with the devil to gain wealth.

The secret catacombs beneath Manchester

Beneath the streets of Manchester lies a veritable maze of tunnels and catacombs, many of which were used in the Victorian era as bomb shelters, warehouses or even secret passageways for criminals.

One of the most famous places is the underground tunnel under Manchester Town Hall. Legends say that during the Second World War, experiments were carried out here, about which nothing is still known. Some diggers who have explored the tunnels claim to have heard strange voices and their lanterns have suddenly started flickering for no apparent reason.

Another mysterious underground site is the tunnels under Oxford Road. In the past they were used to transport goods, but after they were abandoned, strange things started happening inside. Travellers have reported feeling a presence behind them, and once someone even saw a dark figure lurking in the corner of the tunnel.

Conclusion

Manchester is a city where you can spend the perfect weekend combining cultural attractions, gastronomic discoveries, nightclubs and gambling. Whether it's a historical tour, a football match or a casino night, there's something for everyone.