Inspired by the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, we travelled by train to England in March. Combining ESC host city Liverpool with the industrial heritage of Manchester. Manchester to Liverpool was also the first steam railway line ever. A perfect pretext to travel to The North.

What has Manchester to offer to visitors? I asked The Internet’s new(est) gimmick, Chat GPT.

“Manchester is a vibrant city in the North West of England with a rich industrial heritage and a thriving cultural scene. Here are some things to see and do in Manchester.”

1. Visit Manchester Museum: This museum has a collection of more than 4 million artifacts, including ancient Egyptian mummies, dinosaur fossils, and other cultural artifacts from around the world.
2. See the Manchester Art Gallery: This gallery houses over 25,000 works of art, including paintings, sculptures, and decorative art. It also has a significant collection of British and European art.
3. Go to the John Rylands Library: This library is home to some of the world’s rarest books and manuscripts, including a Gutenberg Bible and a Shakespeare First Folio.
4. Take a tour of Old Trafford: Old Trafford is the home of Manchester United Football Club and is one of the most iconic football stadiums in the world. You can take a tour of the stadium, visit the museum, and learn about the club’s history.
5. Walk around the Northern Quarter: This is a trendy neighborhood with a bohemian feel, filled with independent boutiques, street art, and quirky cafes.
6. Check out the Manchester Cathedral: This stunning Gothic cathedral dates back to the 15th century and is a beautiful example of medieval architecture.
7. Visit the Science and Industry Museum: This museum tells the story of Manchester’s industrial heritage and features exhibits on steam engines, textiles, and computing.
8. Take a stroll in Heaton Park: Heaton Park is one of the largest municipal parks in Europe, with a boating lake, a farm, a golf course, and plenty of space for picnics and walks.
9. Enjoy the nightlife: Manchester is known for its lively nightlife, with a wide range of bars, clubs, and live music venues.

“Overall, Manchester is a diverse and exciting city with plenty to offer visitors of all interests.”

Did we?

Actually, no. We did visit the Science and Industry Museum and we probably and unconsciously walked through the Northern Quarter. 

Did we miss out? Perhaps. But football doesn’t interest us and we’ve seen many cathedrals in our life. 

What didn’t help, is the user unfriendly Visit Manchester website. But I don’t want to complain. We were fine.

Were we fine?

And not. The Castlefield Viaduct didn’t open until 11 AM. The Science and Industry Museum was half closed and the People’s History Museum isn’t that large. 

The day we were in Manchester was a day of industrial action at the railways so we couldn’t go further afield. It didn’t help the weather wasn’t great. 

We we were fine, thank you

We were fine. We had a nice ling walk by the canals, which gave us a nice perspective on the city. I did like the industrial heritage vibe of Manchester, with all the brick constructions.

Manchester is a large city with large city vibes. There is more to do than we found out when we were there. 

But?

But as a weekend getaway, we would recommend Liverpool over Manchester. That’s perhaps odd. But we we found Liverpool more visitor friendly. 

I suppose it’s more likely I would return to Manchester as there is a sense of unfinished business. But there should be a ‘reason to go’. Such as visiting a friend or go for a specific event. 

What is you assessment? 

Liverpool & Manchester 2023

1. BEHIND THE SCENES | Gustaph and ‘Because Of You’ to represent Belgium at 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool.
2. REVIEW | Avanti West Coast Lounge London Euston station.
3. REVIEW | London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street on Avanti West Coast’s pride train.
4. LIVERPOOL | 2023 Eurovision Song Contest venues & locations: arena, fan village, EuroClub, EUROfansCLUB.
5. A visit to the Museum of Liverpool.
6. LIVERPOOL | Merseyside Maritime Museum ft. Piermaster’s House, Border Force National Museum and International Slavery Museum.
7. LIVERPOOL | Western Approaches / Liverpool War Museum.
8. REVIEW | Radisson Red Liverpool.
9. Discovering Liverpool.
10. Liverpool to Manchester on the very first – 1830 – railway line.
11. MANCHESTER | Imperial War Museum North (IWM North).
12. Manchester’s gaybourhood around Canal Street.
13. REVIEW | Radisson Collection The Edwardian Manchester.
14. MANCHESTER | Science + Industry Museum.
15. MANCHESTER | People’s History Museum.
16. MANCHESTER | Afternoon Tea at Richmond Tea Rooms near Canal Street.