Marvellous MANCHESTER

It's been named Lonely Planet's must-visit UK city for 2023. Here's why....

- HELENA CARTWRIGHT

Vibrant and characterful, Manchester is one of the country's most interesting cities, so it's no surprise to see this northern gem on Lonely Planet's 2023 hotlist. Boasting a strong industrial heritage, you can still see remnants of its cotton-milling past. Many of the red-brick buildings were former textile mills, now converted into apartments, offices or hotels. Today, the city's known for being a hub of creativity, spawning musicians and artists from painter LS Lowry to Britpop band Oasis.

Feast your eyes 

There are a wealth of galleries to explore, from the Manchester Art Gallery in the centre of town to the newly updated Whitworth. Both have historical collections and rotating exhibitions. HOME arts centre has a cinema and theatre as well as works of art, while The Lowry features works by Lancashire artist LS Lowry and has two theatres.

Manchester also has a strong literary heritage, from Marx, who was a frequent visitor, to the punk poet John Cooper Clarke, known as the ‘Bard of Salford’.