The University of Manchester

The John Rylands Library

Life in Manchester

Manchester is a city of contrasts. A big city with a compact and friendly city centre. A modern, hi-tech city with a proud history and fascinating architectural heritage. A trendsetting music and style capital which still has a place for traditional street markets and local pubs. In short, Manchester has something for everyone.

For most young people, Manchester is renowned for its lively music and club scene and its sporting success. Both of these attractions have played an important part in the city's recent cultural and economic revival. In addition, an imaginative approach to urban regeneration has helped to transform Manchester from a tired industrial conurbation into a cosmopolitan city.

A stroll around the centre of Manchester reveals the scale of the city's rejuvenation in recent years. Public and private investment has breathed new life into the city centre with major projects such as the new Bridgewater Concert Hall, the Metrolink tram system and the conversion of grand Victorian warehouses into New York-style loft apartments. The transformation is set to continue with work already begun on an ambitious multi-million pound project to create a new shopping and leisure quarter from the corner of the city damaged by the 1996 explosion.

The city centre has a lot of restaurants, many of them reflecting the fact that this is home to people who have settled here from various parts of the world: Chinese in a thriving China town, with its own supermarkets and cultural centre; Asian, with exotic Thai and Malaysian dishes to complement the Indian restaurants of the "curry mile" by the University; Italian; Greek; Mexican; French. It has been calculated that it would be possible to sample a different national dish every night for at least a month without leaving the city centre! The city centre is also alive with cultural attractions. The fascinating Castlefield Heritage Park tells Manchester's story from Roman times with a range of museums and attractions built around the site of the world's first passenger railway station. The city centre is home to yet more museums, six theatres and several art galleries. Whether your interest is in fine art, classical drama, natural history, musicals or alternative cabaret - the city always has something on offer.

Manchester is a musical Mecca with first-class venues for classical and contemporary music. The brand new Bridgewater Hall provides a purpose-built home for the Halle Orchestra and the BBC Philharmonic. Local and visiting musicians also perform at the Bridgewater and the Royal Northern College of Music. Contemporary music venues range from the Students' Union and some of the smaller local clubs, the proving ground for some of today's top bands; to the 15,000 seat Nynex arena. The city also boasts specialist venues for jazz, folk and reggae.

It is the music scene which has propelled Manchester onto the world stage in recent years with bands as diverse as Simply Red, Black Grape, Oasis and M People proudly proclaiming their Mancunian roots. These bands and many more have stemmed from the city's lively and diverse club scene and youth culture. The city is awash with bars and clubs catering for every conceivable dance floor taste from techno, trip hop and drum'n'bass to salsa, rare groove and indie pop. You can also buy the latest dance floor and street fashions from young designers and second-hand stalls at the fascinating Affleck's Palace arcade.

Sport is Manchester's other famous export. As well as Manchester United, the city is also host to trophy-winning Lancashire County Cricket Club and a top-flight range of other sports teams from basketball and ice hockey to speedway and rugby. The city's sporting facilities are second to none and are set to expand in the next few years in advance of the Commonwealth Games, which will be held here in 2002. The National Cycling Stadium is well established and work has already begun on the construction of an athletics stadium and world-class swimming pool.

To the north of Manchester lies the scenic countryside of Lancashire, Blackpool and the Fylde Coast, and, a little further afield, the spectacular Lake District. To the west is the ancient town of Chester, and the mountains of North Wales. And to the East, over the Pennines, are the Yorkshire Dales.

The North West region provides ample opportunity for outdoor pursuits such as walking, climbing, and hang-gliding. In less than an hour, you can be enjoying a picnic in the countryside or a day at the seaside. Manchester is easily accessible from all parts of the UK and the world. It lies at the heart of the country's motorway and rail networks. Manchester Airport is one of Europe's main airports and is the 14th busiest in the world. Nearly 100 airlines use the airport providing regular services to 175 destinations around the globe. There are regular direct services to major European cities and long-haul flights to North America, the Middle and Far East, Australia and Africa.