Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. Manchester was granted city status in 1853. In 2007, the population of the Manchester local government district was estimated to be 458,100, whilst the surrounding Metropolitan County of Greater Manchester had an estimated population of 2,562,200. Manchester itself lies at the centre of the wider Greater Manchester Urban Area, which at the 2001 census was shown to have a population of 2,240,230 (of which 394,269 lived within the Manchester subdivision), and it was the United Kingdom's third largest conurbation at that census. Manchester has the second most populous Larger Urban Zone (LUZ) in the UK with an estimated population in the 2004 Urban Audit of 2,539,100 and is the fourteenth most populated in Europe.

Manchester, the ‘capital of the north’, is one of England's most happening cities owing to rampant redevelopment following a devastating IRA bomb in the 1990s. Home to Manchester United Football Club, Oasis and Rolls Royce, Manchester was the world's first industrial city and today boasts many fine attractions and some great shopping and nightlife.

Manchester is dripping with multi-million pound buildings of glass and concrete interspersed amid its many listed properties and ancient architecture. Chief among these are the Gothic Town Hall, the stunning Urbis glass triangle, and the modern G-Mex centre. Other notable attractions include the Old Trafford Football Stadium - home to Manchester United – the fun Printworks Leisure Complex, and one of the last remaining Concordes, which can be found parked out at the airport.

Manchester’s buzzing atmosphere is its main draw, however, with its numerous bars and trendy cafés scattered all about the city, while the shopping is the best one can find in the UK outside of London. One of the most lively and attractive parts of the city is the Salford Quays area, with its theatres, galleries and alfresco restaurants, while the well-established Gay Village is one of revamped industrial buildings.

Manchester also has many peaceful, green areas with parks and gardens spread throughout the city and its manmade canals provide much opportunity for outdoor activities. In addition, the beautiful Peak District National Park is not far away and those who hire cars will find the drive an easy one.

Getting to Manchester is made easy by the nearby Manchester International Airport, one of the nation’s busiest and receiver of direct flights from all over the world. Manchester is also a major rail and bus terminus with direct connections with London and beyond, while public transport here is also useful.

Manchester offers a variety of accommodation within the city centre and farther afield in Greater Manchester in general. From budget hotels to impressive luxury hotels in the town centre. All budgets tend to be catered for and the area around St Peter's Square and Albert Square are generally the best places to be located in the city centre. The Hilton and Radisson hotels are great centrally located properties. Be sure to book in advance at any time of year and make use of the internet for good savings.