I have visited the UK quite a few times, particularly the north of England. I recently returned to Europe after some work years in the US, and I felt I had lost contact with British pubs and atmosphere, so I planned a visit to Manchester, the UK. Coming from Spain, it is easy to find direct low-cost flights into the British Isles, with Liverpool and Manchester as the two main destination airports.
If you like alternative atmosphere, vintage shops, graffiti paintings on walls, live music every night and so on, I recommend you to stay in the Northern Quarter. With direct train communication to/from Manchester Picadilly station, and a huge variety of affordable accommodation options for all budgets, this Quarter has turned from a gloomy industrial area to a bustling area full of basement bars and clubs and renovated office buildings in a period of 10 years. Don’t miss Oldham St, a long walkable road starting at Picadilly Gardens, as well as Back Picadilly, Dale St and its surroundings. I marked my favourite pubs in Google Maps: The Castle, Gulliver, Patron, The Freemount… although my favourite late-night bar in the area is Behind Closed Doors. As its name suggests, it looks like it’s closed, but upon opening the door and descending the stairs you will find a nice bar with cocktails, DJ and a very original decoration, particularly walls covered in erotic images taken from old magazines and newspapers. I know…Manchester doesn’t sound like the most appealing holiday destination, but you must give it a try, at least for a long weekend visit and a few authentic pints!
