10 Fun Activities and Things To Do in Manchester

With such a huge population of over 100,000 students in Greater Manchester, the city offers many activities and things to do for students. The rich history spans every corner of the city, and the warren-like streets make it all the more exciting and fun to explore the city on foot.

The city of Manchester is a creative hub with many students, tourists, and immigrants which makes it thriving and a diverse city amongst the others in the UK. The art, music, food scene, and outdoor activities bleeds originality!

And, for you sports fans, it is home to the Manchester United and Manchester City football teams.

Being low on its living expenses, the city appeals to many international students. With student accommodation Manchester options are available in the city, you can find affordable student homes that will not burn your pocket.

What is there to do in Manchester?

These are the top 10 things to do in manchester: 

Drop by Ancoats- Little Italy

Just like Chinatown, they also have Little Italy in Manchester which was formed by Italian immigrants, particularly in Lazio and Campagna. They have survived the second world war and given this place a feel of Italy in another nation. There’s much to explore here,  things to do near manchester,  whether it is the culture or food scene, you will feel its touch! If you want to try out some authentic Italian pizza, you can head to Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizza and for pasta, you can head to Sud Pata Kitchen! And, if you want to wash down that food with some Italian wine, Erst or Flawd offers a chill and relaxing environment while you take your drinks. 

Visit the Manchester Church

One of the strongest features of the cities in England are the churches which tell a story of more than just religion but history too! It is the finest example of perpendicular architecture. Over the 800 years of history, the church had many names like the church or collegiate church, and later known to be a cathedral. If you are thinking of the things to see in manchester, this is something to not miss. This is a spiritual place, so when you feel like you need that time alone, you can always spend some time here, especially for students who are away from home! It is one of the best religious places to go in manchester and understand the history, religion and culture of the British. 

Don’t miss on the Record stores

You may be Gen X or Gen Z, but everyone needs to have a feel of the records and the music synchrony that comes from these classic music players. Manchester still holds on to its old-school traditions of record players. If you are a fan or never come across such amazing things, then you can head to Easter Bloc, Vinyl Exchange and Piccadilly Records. These stores are well famous for housing a huge collection with a huge fan base, artists, and musicians coming and leaving with suitcases that won’t even zip up!It’s one of the best things to do in manchester for youngsters and musicians.

Manchester Craft and Design Center

The market has been running for 40 years and supports the community by encouraging the artists on their work. It is in the northern quarter flooded with skilled and talented artists, and designers selling the best jewellery, accessories, glass, ceramics, etc. This place offers more than just a shopping experience, you can also enjoy the exhibitions programme where the artist showcases their work which is open throughout the week. You can even watch how these creative souls make their art of work. If you are interested, you can sign up for their workshops in jewellery, printmaking, ceramics, etc. 

Manchester Central Library

The library is known to be the busiest and second-largest library in England. For those of you who want to explore the place, there’s much to see in the library. For those of you who want to read books, there’s a reading room on the first floor that can accommodate over 300 people. The library is 90 years old and has over 4 million printed books, 50,000 electronic journals and 800,000 electronic books. This is more than just a library, it is also a performance space! If you are studying at the University of Manchester, you can watch films for free, use wifi, and computers, research and study at the library.

Go thrifting at Oldham Street

If you are a vintage junkie, this is one of the coolest and most interesting streets you should explore in Manchester. record shops, vintage shops, and even thrifting stores. The street is lined up with second-hand stores. It is quite a fun activity in manchester where you can start from Piccdalilly end and enter your way into Blue Rinse, then a few doors down, you will find the beefy Cow and next on a stretch is the Oxam Original. If you just want to hang out here there are also bars and gigs with fun nightlife.

Find Treasures on Scavenger’s Hunt

If you want to do some fun and exciting things in Manchester, go on a scavenger hunt by visiting Treasure Hunt Manchester, Manchester – The Wizard’s Spellbook Treasure Trail, Manchester Scavenger Hunt and Walking Tour, Questo Outdoor Escape Games in Manchester. You will get puzzles, clues and many fun ways of finding your way around the city and exploring the places in Manchester! What better way to know the city than taking this game?

Gulliver’s World Theme Park

It was opened in 1989 and remains to be the second theme park in the UK. The name and theme are loosely inspired by the world of Lilliput from Gulliver’s Travels. Since then, it’s expanded with more attractions, extensive rides and also a hotel. The main theme areas are Gully Town, Land and Safari Kingdom. This is perfect if you have kids or younger siblings to have some fun activities in Manchester. 

National Football Museum

For all you football fans, you know Manchester is big on its football, so you can miss out on visiting the biggest and best football museums in the world. Everyone knows how close-knit the culture and football are to the Brits! This sport holds a special place in and close to the hearts of the people here. While you are here, you can hear tales and stories of the sport through objects and exhibitions. There are also fun interactive challenges.  Did you know the first ball exhibited started in 1966, then came along with legends t-shirts, trophies and a few others?