The Perfect Weekend in Manchester Itinerary: Culture & Food

By air: You can fly directly into Manchester Airport, 7 miles from the city. I use Skyscanner to get the best flight prices.

Trains from the airport to city centre (Manchester Piccadilly) start from £2.90. Book your tickets on Trainline. A Stagecoach bus service also runs 24 hours a day. Or, book a private taxi from £15.

By train: Manchester is well connected to the rest of the country. Search trains in and out of Manchester Piccadilly.

Bus: Arrive or depart Manchester Coach Station or Shudehill Interchange. I use Busbud.com to compare prices of all the UK’s major coach companies. Search buses in and out of Manchester.

The Flixbus is usually cheapest with buses to London from £1!

Looking for UK weekends away? Check out my 2-day itineraries for Oxford, the Cotswolds, Bristol, Dorset, the Lake District, Norfolk and Glasgow.

Start your Manchester itinerary the best way possible: with coffee and food!

If you’ve read my blog before, you’ll know eating is one of my favourite ways to get immersed in a new place (plus I’m greedy). When spending a weekend in Manchester, you need to check out the brunch scene. My favourite cafes are:

Federal Cafe & Bar: Aussie food always hits the spot and Federal is no exception. I always order the veggie breakfast bagel with halloumi, poached eggs, mushrooms and rich tomato sauce. Better yet, they serve matcha lattes, my favourite treat from Japan. They have cafes in NQ and Deansgate.

Sugar Junction: Head here to eat away any hangover. The brunch portions are huge plus there are amazing cakes and a wide range of hot drinks served in flowery chinaware and colourful teapots. I was dying for a brew (and apparently became Northern and started using words like ‘brew’) but got sugar envy at my friend’s hot chocolate.

Read next: cool places to eat in Manchester

Manchester is a creative, arty city with plenty in the way of traditional and modern art. It’s also a fantastic place to learn about days gone by. From the suffragettes to wartime Britain and the Industrial Revolution, there are countless stories to be told.

If you have two days in Manchester, cherry-pick 1-2 places you’d most like to see.

A few of the top Manchester museums and galleries include:

Manchester History Museum – recently revamped in 2023, this is a fascinating insight into cultures like the ancient Egyptians and South Asians. Through a modern lens that celebrates minority voices and tackles the difficult legacy of the British Empire, it’s fantastically and thoughtfully executed.

Manchester Art Gallery – this is a favourite of mine. It’s a bright, experimental space on Mosley Street with ever-changing exhibitions. Stop for tea and cake at the cafe.

The Whitworth – using art for social change, this collection of 55,000 items has been named the Best Emerging Cultural Destination in Europe.

People’s History Museum – the exhibitions and galleries at this museum tell the stories of past and present Mancunians.

Science and Industry Museum – focussing on the city’s achievements in these fields, this museum on Liverpool Road looks at how Manchester has changed the world.

The Lowry – set inside an abandoned quay building between Salford and Trafford, the Lowry is a gallery and theatre. Come for art and exhibitions and stay for evening shows.

Manchester Central Library – even if you’re not looking to borrow a book, this impressive library is worth a visit for the grand rooms, art galleries, history exhibitions and cafe.

John Rylands Library – this library founded by the widow of John Ryland (credited with kickstarting Manchester’s textile industry) holds texts as ancient as Egyptian papyrus. It’s a research library which means they’re always uncovering secrets of past civilisations. The main reading room is surely one of the most impressive rooms in Manchester with serious Harry Potter vibes.

Entry costs – these museums are all free but donations are appreciated. Temporary exhibitions may be ticketed.

Visit Chinatown

Manchester is a fantastic city for shopping. The Arndale has all your mainstream shops but there are also cool and quirky independents.

Best places for Manchester weekend shopping:

Oklahoma: This fun interior shop sells wall art, wacky stationery, travel gear (think arty passport covers and world maps) and other kitsch trinkets.

Affleck’s: This place might just be too cool. It’s a multi-story emporium packed with indie clothes, jewellery, trinket and record shops, plus cereal cafe, Black Milk. The bead shop had me overcome with creativity. Why aren’t I an artist, again?

Discover alternative Manchester 

Once you’ve made it around the main attractions, squeeze a few hidden gems into your 2 day Manchester itinerary. 

With many of the city’s old warehouses repurposed, there’s endless scope for creativity. Manchester really isn’t a city where you’ll tick off the ‘must dos’; for me, the appeal is the quirky corners and local businesses. 

Alternative things to do during 2 days in Manchester:

There’s plenty to do at night in Manchester whatever day you visit. If you’re more about theatre and performance than clubbing, consider catching:

If there’s one thing Manchester’s not short of, it’s free-flowing drinks on the weekends. Whether you’re looking for fancy cocktails or an all-night rave, you’ll find it.

• For beer – don’t miss Alberts Schloss, a German-style ‘beer palace’ with homemade Schnapps and a ‘push for Prosecco’ button on each table (yes please!)
• Quirky – Cane & Grain has three floors including a tiki bar and skatepark!
• Speakeasy – hidden, prohibition-themed bars include Behind Closed Doors and Dusk til Pawn, both unsurprisingly in the Northern Quarter.
• Glamorous – Cloud 23 is worth a visit for fancy cocktails and panoramic views from the penthouse bar.
• For late night dancing – Revolution de Cuba is a Cuban-themed club and Liars Club is a tiki bar open ’til 4am. Both have fun music and lengthy cocktail lists.
• LGBT+ – Canal Street is where it’s at. Best bars include Velvet, the Molly House, Via and Kiki.
• Rave – Warehouse Project is the ultimate weekend night out.

Here’s my suggested Manchester itinerary for a first trip.

Saturday:

Home to communities and cultures from around the world, Manchester has everything from fine dining to cheap eats, quality Asian cuisine and criminally underrated (and underpriced!) restaurants. It’s a foodie wonderland.

If you have 2 days in Manchester, squeeze in a few of the following:

• Tattu – although it’s pricey with mains starting at £18, you won’t find better modern Asian food in more ambient surroundings.
• Winter Garden at Refuge – sample cocktails and fusion tapas in this stylish indoor garden and dining room. Asian, Mexican and Spanish small plates start from £5. 
• FRESS – visit for delicious burgers (including inventive waffle burgers), decadent brunch dishes and dessert. I had French toast with ice cream and berry compote. For a weekend treat, upgrade to bottomless brunch.
• The Curry Mile – although there are many Indian restaurants, you can’t do better than Ziya‘s flavoursome veggie, chicken, lamb and fish curries starting from £8. Check out My Lahore for funky British-Asian food.
• Rudy’s Pizza – everyone knows these guys serve the best pizza in town!

After 2 days in Manchester, you might think about the following stops in the north of England: