Romantic things to do in Manchester

A short walk south of Piccadilly Gardens is Chinatown, whose grid of narrow streets stretches north-south from Charlotte to Princess streets between Portland and Mosley streets, dotted with Chinese restaurants, supermarkets and bakeries. Teppanyaki is a great spot for lunch while Hunan restaurant serves regional Chinese food which focuses on vegetarian and vegan meals. The inevitable Dragon Arch, at Faulkner and Nicolas, provides the focus for Chinese New Year celebrations. It’s a romantic walk in Manchester for sure and it’s a must for foodie couples.

After the Manchester Ship Canal opened in 1894, Salford Docks played a pivotal role in making the city one of Britain’s busiest seaports. Following their closure in 1982, which left a post-industrial mess just a couple of miles west of the city centre, an extraordinarily ambitious redevelopment transformed Salford Quays, as it was rebranded, into a popular waterfront complex with its own gleaming apartment blocks, mall and arts centre, The Lowry. Also here is the splendid Imperial War Museum North and the MediaCityUK site. The glittering water makes a romantic setting for a stroll with your loved one and is one of the best couply things to do in Manchester.

There are many city-centre hotels, especially budget chains, which means that you have a good chance of finding a smart, albeit generic, en-suite room in central Manchester for around £60-70 at almost any time of the year - except when City or United are playing at home. Less expensive guesthouses and B&Bs are concentrated some way out of the centre, mainly on the southern routes into the city. Prices often halve midweek. Great John Street is a deluxe hotel in an imaginatively refurbished old school building not far from Deansgate, with thirty individual, spacious and comfortable suites, some split-level. The on-site bar/ restaurant has an open fire and deep sofas, with a gallery breakfast room above. There is a nice rooftop garden, too which makes a romantic setting for you and your partner. They’ve also recently opened sister hotel King Street Townhouse.

Rivalling London in the scope of its cafés and restaurants, most food options in Manchester are in the centre, with the vast majority of new openings in the Northern Quarter and Ancoats. If you have time, head a couple of miles along Wilmslow Road to Didsbury, a leafy suburb with several excellent places to eat such as Hispiand No 4 Dine & Wine. Alternatively head to Altrincham, 8 miles outside the city, which has an outstanding food market. The Richmond Tearooms is without question the most brilliantly conceived tearoom in Manchester, with an amazing Tim Burton-esque Alice in Wonderland theme. The sumptuous afternoon teas are the stuff of local legend, while the adjoining cocktail lounge is a super-stylish place to kick off an evening.

From Victorian boozers to designer cocktail bars, Manchester does drinking in style, while its musical heritage and large student population keep things lively and interesting. The venue, Big Hands, is right by the Academy venues, this intimate, uber-cool bar is popular with students, usually post-gig as it has a late licence. Manchester also has an excellent live-music scene, of course, and a mercurial roster of clubs; note too that many of the city’s hip café-bars host regular club nights. Band on the Wall is a great venue. This legendary Northern Quarter joint remains true to its commitment to “real music”: it’s one of the city’s best venues to see live bands - from world and folk to jazz and reggae - and it hosts club nights to boot.