Never knew Manchester had a Chinatown but apparently it's the second biggest one outside of London…read more That being said, it encompasses only a few blocks (that we could see) but still it's fun to wander around and window shop - and have some dim sum or other more authentic dishes other than kung pao or general Tso chicken.

Manchester is a beautiful city itself. Having Chinatown adds an extra oomph. I didn't hit any…read morevendors when I was there for my UK trip but I just walked through it since I wasn't staying in Manchester and was waiting to go to Sheffield. 153/2017

Albert Square is a lively area in Central Manchester and the Square and surroundings are full of…read morenightlife, clubs, pubs eateries and more. During the day it is central to interesting shopping, theaters and restaurants. It was only our second visit to Manchester so we were a bit lost at times, but will be back in a week or so to have fun with one of our daughters and son in law. We went for the Christmas Market which was hyped as being as good as the better European Markets - in that regard disappointing - give me Vienna anytime! We enjoyed ourselves regardless thanks to our hotel (the Lowery) and a couple of eating experiences! Review #114 2019

Albert Square is a really nice part of town, it is generally a key point for the Christmas markets…read morearound the Town Hall but with the ongoing refurbishment it seems to have been moved to just a couple of minutes away in Piccadilly Gardens, Albert Square is in central Manchester, it has many bars and Starbucks stores in and around it with the added convenience of being right near a tram stop serving St Peter's Square, where there is the equally impressive Central Library building. While it is mainly based around the Town Hall which was built in the mid-1800s (it is a pretty old-fashioned street with cobbles etc so be warned), it was named after Prince Albert who at the time was married to monarch Queen Victoria, and one of the largest statues is the memorial after him. It is quite a nice part of town and I just feel it's better without the Christmas Markets, which I think are overrated, overpriced and destroy the city for the weeks before Christmas. 4*

Manchester is one of the best market towns in the country. If it isn't the weekly farmer's markets…read moreor the Sunday carboot and flea markets, it's the specialist markets that take place around the calendar. Apart from the now very famous Christmas market, my next favourite annual event has to be the Fine Food Market, usually held between September and October every year in St Ann's Square. This is one event that no epicurean in their right mind would miss. Bringing together some of the biggest talents and producers in the North, expect to be fed by the best restaurants in town and offered some of the best home grown produce in the country. According to the government website, 'speciality meats, smoked foods (fish, cheese, meats and poultry) cheeses, chutneys, pickles, black puddings, ice cream, specialist ales and sloe gin' are just a very few items on sale here.

If you're a fan of hog roasts, paella, wood-fired pizza and vintage-style tea shops, head to the…read moreManchester Markets on St Anne's Square before it disappears again. A mooch around the market is the perfect way to liven up an otherwise dull day at the office (or living room, if you work from home, like me), so as soon as the clock strikes 1pm, get yourself there. You're going to spend, on average, about a fiver for takeaway food from one of the stalls but portions are good - especially at the Hog Roast stall, where they'll ram your baguette so full of pork and apple sauce you won't know where to start. As well as food, you'll find a number of stalls selling art and hand-crafted decor for the home, plus vintage furniture and clothing in the market's main indoor area; The Orangery, where you can also see/hear live music at certain times throughout the day (check the signage outside for more details). I'm really impressed with this little market. It's brought a much-needed injection of 'quaint' to the city centre. I wish it was here all the time!

Call me Scrooge but when Manchester's Christmas Markets come to town, it really does make the city,…read morewhich I've always thought is one of the world's greatest, much worse as they are really poorly thought out across all locations on and off Deansgate, Kings Street, Exchange Square Piccadilly Gardens, St Ann's Square, Market Street and Albert Square, which tends to be the main and focal hub until the Town Hall's renovation. Firstly the layout is terrible - they are located on many narrow streets in and around the city which not only increases traffic (causing buses to divert), but it makes many areas of the city which previously are accessible, inaccessible to disabled people by making streets to narrow to get down with mobility equipment, to putting the stands over dropped curbs (ramps) designed to help disabled people get down without a step. It seems to be the same stalls every year, in a way it gets a little boring seeing the same brands selling the same overpriced products, even the stalls are exactly the same - prices here can cost 2-3x as much considering what you could get elsewhere in the city and the stalls I have visited I've had multiple quality issues where vendors even appeared rude and aggressive (hot food, german beer and cheese stalls especially) I really struggle to understand the popularity of the Christmas Markets and feel it is just one of those places one could look at and say "I'm going because it's in my city", rather than going because it actually offers something new and cool. I just can't help but join in with the indulgement of the floccinaucinihilipilification of the continuation of Manchester Christmas Markets in its current format which just brings strong feelings of frustration and ennui as it's just a mediocre attempt of the markets you'd see across Europe - poorly managed, poorly planned out... just poor. 1*

I was in Manchester for the weekend and lucky me, the Christmas market was open so I checked it…read moreout... I looovvveee Christmas markets! The Manchester Christmas market is everywhere and is sprinkled throughout the city centre. The main market is located in St. Albert square, town hall area. The market is pretty standard. It has many stalls that sell ornaments, winter plants, toys, and of course food! There's loads of stalls selling German sausages, carmelised nuts, sweets like chocolates, cakes, caramelised nuts, strudel, Italian biscuits, and many more. Of course a Christmas market would not be complete without the mulled wine and beer. The market was pretty crowded on Saturday, but that's no surprise cause it's the weekend. If you want to go when there's less people, come during the weekdays. The experience was dampened a bit cause it was raining and windy, but honestly, you can't not enjoy yourself in a Christmas market. The only negative thing Id say about this market is its all over the city centre and you have to walk everywhere if you want to see every stall, but truthfully you'll see the same thing no matter which part of the market you go to. If you want to have a "Chrismassy" time I'd say come here if you're in city centre. Be prepared to bring some cash cause you'll spend some money. For example, a a bratwurst cost £4.50, pretzel cost £2.50, mixed carmelised nuts cost £3.00-£3.50, mulled wine £3-5.

The second Sunday of every month is one of my favourite days of each particular month. That's one…read moreSunday when I'm happy to set my alarm, get my caboose out of bed and fly on further south in Manchester to Stockport's historic Victorian Market Halls, because that's where I can find epic 70s flowery maxi dresses, Smash Hits 'Best of the 80s' annuals and trinkets galore. Welcome to the Vintage Village! I've been to a lot of vintage markets and shops in my time. Once, I even travelled all the way up to Edinburgh for a coat, I brought back over £40 worth of vinyl and a 56 year old fur from Glasgow and I've been known to scour our little Manchester boutiques for hours at a time. But what Stockport offered last month just blew me away, knocked me sideways and had me gazing around open-mouthed like I did when I was taken to Disney World at six years old. This was epic. The quality was remarkable, the prices were insanely affordable and the sheer variety on offer was stunning. I defy you not to walk from stall to stall and see at least three things per section you covet. If you were to slap something not only like this, but of this calibre (exceptional quality, eclectic variety) bang in the middle of Manchester City Centre it would be completely overrun with fifteen-year-old Noel Fielding stalkers in knee socks and oversized Urban Outfitters jumpers (not that there's anything wrong with them - I've been known to rock a woolly from UO regularly and have frequent NSFW dreams about Mr Vince Noir myself), but as it's tucked away in a sleepy town centre in the South Manc 'burbs, it attracts a much calmer, quieter, more discerning clientele. Families bring along their children and have soup and bacon butties at Zip's Grill. Couples with dogs mooch around for gifts. It's incredibly relaxed and wonderfully friendly. I lost count of the amount of conversations I struck up with stall purveyors. This is worth getting out of bed on the day of rest for. Seriously, do it! You won't regret it. And if you do, come and have a go at me. I'll probably whup you upside the head. (P.S. Zip's Grill serves some of the finest coffee I've ever had the good fortune to taste, and the food looks all kinds of fabulous. I'll definitely have a soup this Sunday.)

Vintage Village is on every second Sunday of the month in Stockport's totally brilliant market hall…read moreplace. If the truth be known, It was more my wife and sister in law who were the instigators in us going but I wanted to stretch my legs and go out for the afternoon so thought I would give it a shot! Gotta say, it was really really good and there were all sorts of stalls selling vintage clothes, records, antiques, furniture - pretty much anything from yesteryear. Nice touches were a skiffle band playing live, with a DJ playing hits from the likes of Elvis throughout and a load of vintage cars and motorbikes on display outside. Great street food was provided from the (both) excellent Lord of the Pies and Honest Crust Pizza. I'll definitely be heading there again in the coming months as it's a great day out and only a £1 entry - bargain!

Castlefield Arena, next door to the brilliant Museum of Science and Industry, is a stone…read moreampitheatre, nestled amongst viaducts and the nearby Roman gardens and fort. This big space has hosted the sadly departed dPercussion festival, as well as allowing visitors to watch live music and film. More recently, there's been a big screen here showing World Cup matches and with the typical chip vans and beer tents, it really is a great outdoor venue. One minus point is that this space is not used as frequently as it might. The seating itself is covered, like a mini-version of Bayern Munich's old studium, which is difficult to explain unless you already know what I'm talking about. Castlefield Arena is a stones throw from a couple of decent pubs, should you want a quick ale before going to an event. The nearby White Lion and Cask are boozers of note. This space recently held the tribute show for Frank Sidebottom (Frank's Fantastic Farewell) which saw 5000+ making their way to watch films, animations and live music. A perfect and quirky venue.

Wandering around Castlefield to stumble upon this is quite a surprise but a lovely one at that. I…read morewouldn't have quite placed a ampitheatre here but thinking about the Roman theme with the Ruins set back further, it's perfect. There's something quite peaceful about sitting on the steps and stating out onto the canal and watching peopel on the boats and wondering what life would be like touring the canal systems of England. A little dream which leads me to nostalgia and memories of Rosie and Jim. Anyway there was a strange vibe of the thought that inspiration takes place on these steps. As I was taking in my surroundings, a group of goths were showcasing their juggling skills on stage. Pretty impressive. It's nice to come here and sit and ponder. A great piece of Manchester.

Walk along Oxford Road from the city centre and take the scenic route AND its a short cut to the…read moredrudgery of the John Rylands University Library and you'll find the Old Quadrangle. The buildings around the Old Quadrangle are designed in a gothic style, truly stunning. You'll often find the random tourist or keen photographer lurking around, snapping away and admiring the architecture. The John Owens Building was the first building to be built back in 1873! and the others were added over the next thirty years. In fact, the Rear Quadrangle is older than the Old Quadrangle. Today, the museum continues to occupy part of one side (including the tower) and the grand setting of the Whitworth Hall is used at graduation (I can't wait!) Part of the old Christie Library (1898) now houses Christie's Bistro, a very grand cafe (see review) perfect for a little get away from the student lounges. Unfortunately the grandeur of the buildings are kept under wraps for all the adminstrative goings on at the uni, the Chancellor and all the important people. I encourage to definitely take the scenic route, possibly park yourself on a bench and admire spring through the well kept flower pots and plantation.

Smaller than I expected but it does the job! 2 bars and 7 or so food stalls. You'll find hot dogs,…read moresweet and savoury pancakes, Indian food, bagels, jerk chicken/pork and bagels to name some. I went on a Thursday at around 6.30pm and it was a little quiet but on the plus side we found somewhere to sit no problemo. This place serves up street food, drinks and beats (boom boom) Great for a balmy summer evening :) I love that they have covered seating areas in case it rains/for those that can't take the sun. I went for the jerk chicken with rice and peas from 'Jerk', £7 for a very decent sized portion. It wasn't the best chicken ever but the gravy that came with definitely upped the flavour and made the meal delicious. Rice and peas were nicely done, I just wish they did dumplings. My friend got a bagel plus fries and was very happy with her meal, the portion of fries were enough for two to share. Fun summer addition to Manchester's food scene.

I love it just as much as I thought I would…read more I'm so so happy something like this has opened up in Manchester, in my eyes it another 'take that London' and it's about time! You've got plenty of food options, though I was too full from my swine fries (cheers Bangers and Bacon) to really enjoy some more grub, and you've also got some cool drink options. I had a couple of pints of the Pilsner at Kozel LoKal and it went down a treat! Get yourself a spot on the deck chairs on a sunny evening and you'll find yourself not wanting to leave! Great option of quality street food and an overall top place to chill out!

Spinningfields is an area in central Manchester which has been rising, becoming more popular and…read morehaving a wider range of shops and restaurants of late.It is quite a nice area, with a large amount of places in Hardman Square in Spinningfields. One negative to start with however, is the lift to get down always seems to be out of order when I visit, meaning wheelchairs, prams and the elderly may have to take the long way round. Resturaunts and coffee shops here incldue It su, Pret A Manger, Zizzi, Costa, Giraffe, Nando's, Hey Little Cupcake (independent store selling cupcakes including GF) and most of them have a gluten free menu too. Shops include Waitrose and WHsmith. Spinningfields in all is quite a nice modern area, and is definitely worth a look at while in Manchester, as it is a nice place, and much cooler and more relaxing from the Arndale Center and the Manchester Arndale and it is also less busier, or at least it seems to be when I visit here. Spinningfields is also home to some upper class shops, including an Armani shop and TM Lewin, as well as a "Little" Waitrose connivance store, previously mentioned. Spinninfields has quite a posher, upper class feel to it, rather than most areas in Manchester, but still restaurants and shops seem to still be affordable for the Average working man, or at least most of them. Spinningfields is a nice area, and a solid 3 stars but due to only having a small number of shops to restaurants ratio, and perhaps too many restaurants, as well as lift issues and a lack of a good train / metrolink station (still within short walking distance of the city center), I still feel that sadly I can only give three stars for now.

Spinningfields is known as a very commercial area of Manchester - it's a plethora of towering…read moreoffice blocks, Living Ventures restaurants, and people in suits looking busy. It's not my usual hang-out spot but, after changing jobs and finding myself situated in the area, it's started to grow on me. There's a huge choice of bars and restaurants, with an increasingly 'casual' feel to them with the development of Leftbank. Iberica, Thaikhun, Fazenda, Oast House, and the Lawn Club can all be found in the central area, with Tattu, Scene, and Dockyard towards Leftbank. The Kitchens - the new street food concept, with 6 traders competing for a permanent unit and financial support - is also in this area, with the addition of a 'boardwalk' to increase the casual feel. Events in Spinningfields are frequent, with the Pringle's Summer Fest currently taking place across 4 weekends, providing live music and those all important free crisp samples. Hopefully the Manchester weather will continue to prove it knows what summer actually means as we can return to enjoy this each weekend! The Avenue provides some very expensive and luxurious shopping options, though retail appears to be taking a back seat with the amount of new dining options coming in - and set to appear in the near future. Photography is allowed on standard cameras but anything with equipment requires permission due to health & safety - important for any budding photographers out there! Sign up for a Yellow Card to get a huge range of discounts from across Spinningfields, including The Kitchens, Physio Lounge, and Thaikhun.

As people grow up, they find themselves becoming less enthusiastic about Christmas. I'm in my…read moretwenties, and I do have to try hard now each year to get that 'festive feeling' which used to come to me so naturally. The 'festive feeling' I describe is something that used to hit me, a tingly and comforting little rush, round about November/December time during my childhood and teens, where the ground frost would speckle the pavements like icing sugar and the grass would grow crunchy. I did live in the countryside though, and we got proper Christmas weather. I find Manchester doesn't get half as much of a 'Christmassy' climate. So, if you're jaded like me, the best way to capture that little festive rush is to head on down to the Christmas Markets in St Ann's Square as well as various other locations. Now that Manchester has its illuminated twinklies and sparklies all in place, everything feels very seasonal. And the markets are something to behold. I was lucky enough to go on an evening when the air was cold and crisp (I can't think of anything more depressing than gluhwein in the rain... then again, it might make one feel better about said rain), it was a Friday too which meant it was packed to the rafters. I've never seen such an eclectic array of people. Scenester teens, suited and booted office workers, those dressed up for a night out, cosy middle-aged folk in cagoules and of course social media so-and-sos like me in Converse/Uggs and denim alongside countless students and young city dwellers. I decided to immerse ourselves in the experience. A bag of roast chestnuts at St Ann's Square set me back £2.50 as I looked at hand-carved Nutcrackers and cute teddies, and on we trundled to eat the delicious morsels on a bench outside Mr Thomas' Chop House. But food-wise there's plenty on offer of a more substantial nature, such as cookies, waffles, even steak rolls, hog roasts and sausages. St Ann's Square focuses a lot more on crafts and gifts, and there's much to be had in terms of handmade handbags and scarves as well as jewellery, even homeware such as cushions and condiment holders. Doubtless you'll find that unique gift here for the ever irritating person-who-has-everything. With Christmassy music from a nearby busking brass band floating through the air, I have to say, even this cynical twenty-something felt that age-old festive rush.

This Christmas will be my first proper one in the UK for over eight years, so you can imagine how…read moregiddy I was when the Christmas markets opened last Friday! You just don't get this sort of thing in Spain / Gibraltar. In fact, you're lucky if you see a Christmas tree over there - muy deprimente (very depressing). As soon as I'd wrapped up work for the week, I practically ran to St Anne's Square to see what festive European wonders awaited me. I was greeted by drool-inducing scents of German bratwurst and schnitzel cooked over hot coals and a hog roast, followed by sugary-sweet wafts of donuts and foreign confectionery passing gently through the air. Mmmmm... The bar areas were packed full of shoppers and the just-finished-work crowd, enjoying German wheat beers, egg-nog and mulled wine and although I longed to join them, I decided to save myself for the day after, when hopefully it wouldn't be quite as busy. It was even busier the next day. But the great thing about living in town is I have all this wonderful food, drink and gift shopping on my doorstep and can take advantage of it whenever I want. Schön!