Book now

Manchester

A glass building labeled "National Football Museum" stands beside historic and modern buildings near a green lawn in Manchester’s city center.

Get More in Manchester!

Manchester is a wonderful place to live and study in. It was one of the world’s first industrial cities and its rich industrial heritage has given the city its unique, strong and independent spirit. Since then, it has remained one of the most dynamic and cosmopolitan cities in the world.
With four world class universities, Manchester is the student capital of the UK. It welcomes people from all around the world and has a lot to offer. There are plenty of bars, cafes and restaurants in which to relax and spend time with your new friends. If you enjoy shopping, you will love the Arndale or Trafford Centre, which is one of the largest shopping centres in the country.
There is also a strong creative scene in Manchester. Many modern bands and musicians started their career in Manchester, including the Smiths, Robbie Williams and the Bee Gees! You can listen to live music any night of the week in Manchester. There are also plenty of galleries, museums, theatres and cinemas to visit. And finally, of course, Manchester is famous for football with its two Premier League teams Manchester United and Manchester City. You can watch a match, take a tour of the stadiums or visit the National Football Museum recently opened in the city centre.
Contact Us
For more information on any of the locations and events features here please visit www.visitmanchester.com which is a fantastic website dedicated to everything happening in Manchester.

Where to go and what to see

The Northern Quarter
Walk around the Northern Quarter in Manchester’s creative heart. Home to many independent shops, cafes and restaurants, it is a fun and welcoming part of the city, especially if you like architecture and street art.
China Town
Manchester's Chinatown is the 3rd largest in Europe. It's home to shopping and restaurants and is the center of the city's Chinese community.
National Football Museum
The Football museum houses the world’s largest collection of football objects and archives.
Bars and Pubs
Visit one of the many quirky pubs and bars in the city centre
The Gay Village
The Gay Village is centred around the lively Canal Street, a pedestrian street which runs alongside the Rochdale Canal.
MediaCity
Home to the BBC, ITV, The Lowry, the Imperial War Museum North, shopping, restaurants and more!
Football Stadiums
Manchester is home to two Premier League teams, Manchester United and Manchester City.
Museums and Galleries
There are lots of musems and galleries to enjoy in Manchester.
The Trafford Centre
Fantastic shopping and entertainment.
The Northern Quarter is buzzing with creativity. Home to many independent shops, cafes and restaurants, it is a fun and welcoming part of the city, especially if you like architecture and street art. This area looks very similar to New York, so much so part of the Marvel film Captain America was filmed here. A hot spot for Manchester’s music scene too, there is something to do both day and night in the Northern Quarter. The streets are the city’s canvas, so grab a coffee and go for a talk to enjoy some spectacular art work on huge scales.
Distance from school: 8 minute walk

Manchester’s Chinatown is the 3rd largest in Europe and the 2nd largest in the UK. It’s home to shopping and restaurants and is the center of the city’s Chinese community.

The annual Chinese New Year festival, in February, is a highlight in the Manchester events calendar, it includes stalls and dancing Dragons in the famous parade.

 

Distance from school: 4 minute walk

The Gay Village is centred around the lively Canal Street, a pedestrian street which runs alongside the Rochdale Canal. You’ll find cozy cafes and exciting bars. It is a fantastic place to enjoy a drink and by the water on a warm summer’s evening or dance the night away!
Lots of people come here for the Manchester Pride Festival each year. There’s an amazing parade and live music, partygoers come from near and far to celebrate together.

 

Distance from school: 3 minute walk

We are so lucky to have the National Football Museum right here in Manchester! Just an easy walk from school, The Football museum houses the world’s largest collection of football objects and archives.  Even if you are not a big football fan it is still a fascinating place to visit.  If you are a football fan it’s truly amazing!

The National Football Museum aims to tell the story of ‘the beautiful game’. With around 2,500 items on display at any one time, the museum gives you the unique opportunity to seen pieces of football history you won’t see anywhere else.

The museum’s Vice Presidents include Sir Alex Ferguson, Sir Trevor Brooking and Sir Geoff Hurst.  

Distance from school: 16 minute walk

Manchester is one of the best locations in the UK if you are looking for unique and quirky bars and nightclubs to enjoy a drink and unwind.

The Temple is in an old public toilet, Twenty Twenty Two, a ping-pong bar or The Washhouse, a hidden bar behind a laundrette! Enjoy live music in places like Night & Day, Band on the Wall or at the beautiful Deaf Institute.

The Blues Kitchen on Quay Street is a bustling restaurant bar with nightly live music from big bands and solo artists.

If you’re into gin and cocktails, don’t miss out on Three Little Words bar under the railway arches on Weston Street. The perfect place to relax and enjoy the bar’s cool atmosphere and original features.

Enjoy entertainment with your drink?  Impossible offers an immersive nightclub experience with a catwalk and theatre is for you.

The choices are endless!

Home to the BBC, ITV, The Lowry, the Imperial War Museum North, shopping and restaurants.

MediaCity is a hub of culture and creativity. It is part of the stunning Salford Quays development.

Visit the iconic set of Coronation street to walk on the famous cobbles of maybe even be in a TV studio at dock10 where shows such as countdown and The Voice are filmed. 

Then you can enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants and maybe some shopping to finish your day!

Manchester is home to two Premier League teams, Manchester United and Manchester City. There is no escaping the passion for football in the city, so why not take the chance to visit one or both of these impressive stadiums? Tours are available regularly, and our students sometimes even get the opportunity to attend live matches, which is an amazing experience!

Man City Stadium Tour

Manchester United Stadium Tour 

The Science and Industry Museum  showcases the evolution of science, technology, and industry, highlighting the city’s significant contributions to these areas.

Manchester Museum is a museum displays works of archaeology, anthropology and natural history.

The People’s History Museum is the UK’s national center for collecting, conserving and studying materials related to the history of the country’s working people.

Last year celebrated Manchester Art Gallery‘s 200th anniversary. The gallery’s historic building stands on the corner of Mosley Street and Princess Street and houses an impressive collection of thousands of pieces of art. 

The Manchester Jewish Museum is a Jewish history museum, located Cheetham Hill Road. The museum occupies the site of a former Orthodox Jewish synagogue.

The Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester, is dedicated to preserving and promoting the public transport heritage of Greater Manchester.

The Trafford Centre is a famous place for shopping and fun. It has many popular brands, tasty food, and exciting activities all in one place.

Some popular stores are Selfridges, John Lewis, River Island, Victoria’s Secret, Zara, Stradivarius, Boots, Pull&Bear, H&M, and Next. You can see the full list of shops here.

Looking for a fun family day out? Watch a movie at ODEON, play mini-golf at Paradise Island Adventure Golf, or go bowling at Namco Funscape. There’s more to do than just shopping! When you’re hungry, there are over 60 restaurants to choose from, like Franco Manca, The Real Greek, Archie’s, Five Guys, and Wingstop.

Popular bars and restaurants include All Bar One, Five Guys, Bill’s, The Real Greek, Tampopo, TGI Fridays, and Wagamama. See all the dining options here.

Manchester Blog

Learn English in Manchester, see the UK!

https://youtu.be/gAEcV6WFdBY When international students choose a place to study English, they often want more than good lessons. They also want

Read More

The Benefits of Learning English Outside of the Classroom

https://youtu.be/p9YCq37RMuI When people think about learning English, they often imagine sitting in a classroom, reading from a book, and listening

Read More

Learn English in Manchester at Christmas – The Perfect Festive Study Trip

Christmas is one of the best times of year to visit Manchester. The city is full of lights, music, and

Read More
View All

Awards and Lists!

A blue square with a green border displays the white text "AFAR," "Manchester," and "Where to go in 2024.
A blue square with white text reads, "The New York Times 52 places to go in 2024," bordered by a red frame—Manchester is among the featured destinations.
Blue square with white text reads, "Condé Nast Traveller 13 Best places to go in the UK, including Manchester," on an orange background.
A blue square with the text "Time Out No.3 best city in the world," highlighting Manchester, in white and framed by a pink border.
A blue square with the text "Lonely Planet Best in Travel list 2023" on a green background celebrates Manchester as a top destination.
A blue square with the text "National Geographic Best Of The World list for 2023" in bold and regular white font, set against a tan background—highlighting Manchester’s inclusion.

Places to Visit

Food in Manchester

Craving something fresh and delicious for brunch? Look no further than Hampton and Voius They have just opened a second location in Manchester, on the high street, which is only a 9 minute walk from the school! whether you fancy some biscoff pancakes, pistachio and white chocolate French toast, a fresh açai bowl with berries and granola or a sourdough slice with poached eggs and serrano ham, they’ve got you covered
H A M P T O N & V O Ú I S9 minutes from school
H A M P T O N & V O Ú I S
Modern Chinese restaurant. you can enjoy their recently added dishes including; black pepper beef fillet, king oyster mushroom curry, sticky beef short rib, Singapore shiitake noodles and much more. You can also enjoy their set menus at lunchtime and early evenings from £28 for two courses!
TATTU16 minutes from school
TATTU
Serving fresh Chinese food everyday; from noodle soups to dumplings to rice bowls to springs rolls, prawn twisters and their very own salt and pepper chips. open all week, located on Great Ancoats street!
HACHI12 minutes from school
HACHI
A firm staff and student favourite; their authentic Napoletana pizzas are to die for! Their crusts are thick and doughy, the sauce is sweet and tangy and their cheese just melts perfectly on top. Sounds good?
Rudy's Pizza Napoletana10 minutes from school
Rudy's Pizza Napoletana
Looking for something to feed your sweet treat cravings? Whether you’re vegan or veggie too, they’ve got you covered at Cocoa Cabana Chocolatiers & Café. Choose from their full English breakfasts to French toasts to their s’mores experiences for two! Plus all the waffles and crepes toppings you could want.
Cocoa Cabana 15 minutes from school
Cocoa Cabana
Who doesn’t love a classic Sunday Roast?! Diecast offer endless gravy with theirs.. You can choose from vegan mushroom and leek pie, roast Cheshire chicken, roast topside of beef or pork porchetta! Plus all the veggies you could want. Perfect for warming weekend treats.
DIECAST12 minutes from school
DIECAST
Suki Suki is the place to go to feed all of your pan-Asian cravings. From fluffy bao buns to saucy ramen noodles, they’ve got you sorted! And… they’re all made fresh. Perfect for lunchtimes or after-school bites.
SUKI SUKI12 minutes from school
SUKI SUKI
Fancy some delicious HALAL hot dogs? Sausage Shack is the place to go! Located on John Dalton Street. From hot dogs to burgers, to rice boxes to pasta bakes, to salads to nachos, they’ve got all your food cravings sorted! And… they’re all made fresh to order.
SAUSAGE SHACK10 minutes from school
SAUSAGE SHACK
Yum Cha offers a vibrant and casual dining experience that combines traditional Chinese cuisine with a modern, neon twist!!You’ll find on their menu a variety of roasted meats, steamed and fried dumplings, and a range of rice and noodle dishes.
Yum Cha3 minutes from school
Yum Cha

What our Students Recommend!

Located in Manchester city centre, Koffe Pot café offers a delicious English breakfast, friendly staff, tasty vegetarian options, and a unique 70s-style atmosphere—perfect for starting your day.
As a foreign to Manchester we advise students to visit the Koffe Pot, specifically to try the traditional English breakfast. The staff will recommend the cafe favourites for you in a friendly way, making you feel very welcome. They have a menu with options for vegetarians and vegans. The Koffe Pot is a quiet place (this could change at the weekend). Located in the city centre and they take you back to the 70’s.

Jose, Khadija and Tobi

Lined paper with a review of Affleck's Palace in Manchester, recommending it for its unusual shops and fun atmosphere, signed by Lyon. A must-visit spot for anyone exploring Manchester’s vibrant scene.
Affleck’s Palace
This is a place that you should definitely visit when you come to Manchester. It is a place that has lots of unusual shops. It is fun to explore the place. I really recommend this place.
Lyon
Text excerpt about Manchester’s renowned street art, highlighting the Northern Quarter's murals and its impact on artists, with a quote from Juan Sebastian at the end.
Manchester is well known for having amazing street art. Manchester’s Northern Quarter offers some truly wonderful street art from large wall murals to smaller hidden gems down back streets. It’s an inspiration to artists from around the world. Many of them come here and show us their culture through street art. Personally the art in the place inspired me a lot and made me realise that there’s a lot of creative people around the world. I wish I could take the art back with me to my country!!!

Juan Sebastian

A handwritten review praises Fred Aldous shop for its unique products, friendly staff, colorful atmosphere, and location in Manchester's Northern Quarter.
Fred Aldous
It is a really beautiful shop. The products are all unique, and you can find things like drawing tools, books and bags.
The atmosphere was great and the shop is really colourful and happy. The staff are friendly. The shop is located in the Northern Quarter, it is the heart of street art.
Omar
A group of nine people sit around a wooden table at an outdoor cafe in Manchester, smiling at the camera, with patterned curtains and murals in the background.
A group of ten people stand and pose for a photo outside the entrance of Manchester's National Football Museum, with signage and modern glass walls visible in the background.
Two men standing outdoors in a Manchester city square on a partly cloudy day, both giving a thumbs-up with buildings and trees visible in the background.
Two people wearing glasses pose in front of a window with a large yellow hexagon featuring Manchester’s iconic black bee design.
A man takes a selfie on a Manchester street with colorful graffiti art covering a wall behind him.
Two people stand next to a bronze statue on a Manchester sidewalk; one wears a red jacket, the other takes a selfie with a phone. Buildings and outdoor seating are visible in the background.
Two people pose for a selfie in front of a traditional Chinese archway on a Manchester city street, with other pedestrians and cars in the background.
A mural in Manchester featuring two women’s faces with a rainbow and clouds in the background, partially obscured by a lamppost.
A group of people stand indoors in Manchester, smiling and giving thumbs up to the camera. Pool tables and neon lights are visible in the background.
Five people wearing traditional hats sit around a restaurant table in Manchester, smiling at the camera, with menus, dishes, and floral decor in the background.
A person in a red jacket points at a mural of a bee with the text "WE [heart] MCR!" on a wall, celebrating Manchester’s vibrant spirit.
Five people pose outdoors on grassy hills near Manchester, holding a yellow banner. Mountains are visible in the background under a cloudy sky.

Sign up for the IH Manchester newsletter

IH Manchester's Privacy Policy

Logo for International House Manchester, featuring a blue "ih" in a white circle next to the organization's name in white and gray text on a black background.
X-twitter Facebook Instagram Youtube
English Course Options
Helpful Websites
White text reads "Accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK" with the British Council logo on a black background.
A black square logo with the words "ENGLISH UK" in bold white text, with "UK" in a larger font size and positioned at the bottom left corner.
Progress Pride flag with the text "We Celebrate Diversity" written on the right side against the rainbow-striped background.
A ribbon with the colors of the German flag and the text "Bildungsurlaub Approval" next to a small German flag icon.

© Copyright 2026 IH Manchester. All Rights Reserved.

This website uses cookies to enhance your browsing experience and ensure the site functions properly. By continuing to use this site, you acknowledge and accept our use of cookies.

Accept All Accept Required Only