Manchester

Industry and Tree Heritage

Our 4-hour ride on Virgin Trains took us to the city of Manchester, situated in the northwest of England within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester. Considered the world’s first industrial city, Manchester is known for industry and green spaces preserving heritage trees. This city is also known for its two rival English Premier League football teams and their stadiums: Man City (known simply as City) at Etihad Stadium and Man United (or just Man-U) at Old Trafford Stadium, across town in Trafford.

Basics

• Language: English
• Currency: Pound sterling £
• When to go: Summer is ideal from June to August when the weather is warm, though rain is always possible;
  Fall is cooler from September-December but a pleasant time to enjoy football (soccer) and Christmas markets;
  Spring begins to warm from March to May after typically cold, wet winters
• Airport: Manchester Airport at Ringway
• Train Station: Manchester Picadilly
• Transportation: Manchester Metrolink over-ground tram system makes the city very accessible
• Neighborhoods: 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester

Metrolink Tram

The tram system runs throughout much of the city of Manchester. For our day visit, we purchased 1-day anytime travelcards for zones 1 and 2 (located at any station). The cost for adults is £4.30 and £2.10 for children.