Manchester is considered the leading student city in the UK. Home to leading global businesses, international media and world-class sports organisations, the opportunities for students in and out of the classroom are endless. Below, we’ve listed just some of the attractions and things to do in the northern powerhouse…
Food, drink and nightlife
From cheap eats to elite dining, Manchester is a foodie paradise. Street food markets such as Grub can regularly be seen in the city centre offering an ever changing line up of independent world food stalls and locally brewed beer. Mackie Mayor, situated in the trendy Northern Quarter, is an indoor food hall offering a variety of local food and drink in a friendly environment.
Talking of the Northern Quarter, this once dingy part of town is now the go-to place in the city centre. Cain and Grain, Trof and The Freemount are just three of the livelier places to hang out, but there’s also an abundance of craft beer bars, bistros and cafes. As popular during the day as it is at night, there’s always fun to be found in “NQ”. Just north of here is Ancoats, Manchester’s latest up-and-coming destination. Home to the original, revered and always busy Rudy’s Pizza, a new bar or restaurant is opening every week here – and is just a 20-minute walk from UCFB Etihad Campus. For those who prefer it undercover, the Printworks is home to numerous late bars and restaurants, as well as a cinema.
Sport
Around the world Manchester is renowned for one thing in particular – football. Home to Premier League giants Manchester United and current champions Manchester City, the clubs are famed for their star players, iconic stadiums and the trophies they consistently win. As well as City and United, Greater Manchester is surrounded by clubs across England’s many leagues – Bolton Wanderers, Oldham Athletic and Stockport County to name a few.
Away from football, rugby union fans can watch Premiership action with Sale Sharks, and rugby league fans are more than catered for with Salford Red Devils the most local team. The rest of the sides in the Super League are also within easy reach. Lancashire Cricket Club and their Old Trafford home regularly plays host to county, one day and T20 games. World champions England have confirmed they will also be playing fixtures each summer over the coming years at Old Trafford. There’s also speedway and basketball at Belle Vue and elite track cycling at the velodrome known as the “medal factory”, Manchester is simply sport mad.
Culture
In case you hadn’t heard, Manchester is music mad. As well as being home to iconic bands such as Oasis, The Stone Roses and The Smiths, the city is host to a number of leading gig venues. Manchester Arena, O2 Apollo, The Academy and Albert Hall are just some of the venues that regularly entertain visitors. Manchester Central Library and the John Rylands Library are a must-visit just to see the buildings, let alone their contents, and The National Football Museum is home to a huge array of artefacts, activities and footballing history and is regularly feted as one of Manchester’s finest attractions
Getting around
Public transport is widely available across Greater Manchester, with a bus, tram and train service all operating across the city and all major landmarks easily accessible. The tram, known locally as the Metrolink, runs across the city until late at night and is a quick and efficient way to move around, with direct links to UCFB Etihad Campus, Piccadilly Station, Manchester Airport and from 2020 the Trafford Shopping Centre. Click here for more information on Metrolink in Manchester.
Connectivity
Manchester caters for everybody and anybody, but occasionally there will times when you want to escape to see and experience somewhere new. London, and UCFB Wembley, is just over two hours away via a direct train, making a day trip easily accessible. Birmingham is just 90 minutes away by train, and the likes of Leeds and Liverpool are less than an hour. Further afield Glasgow and Edinburgh are three hours away thanks to Manchester’s numerous train stations. Manchester’s excellent road links also makes trips to the likes of the Lake District, Peak District and Snowdonia National Park relatively easy and within two hours’ drive. Manchester Airport is currently undergoing major renovation works, but passengers can still jet off all over the world thanks to an abundance of available destinations.
