That was me buying plane tickets again as a Christmas present... You see, Pepa's favourite foreign team is Arsenal, so I thought I'd surprise him and take him to a football match somewhere near the source. So I dove into googling Arsenal's schedule of games while trying to match the dates with the tickets. Taking it round and round, the best and logistically easiest option seemed to be a two-day trip to Manchester, sacrificing one evening for Pep's love - football. Specifically the eeny, breathtaking and ultra thrilling Manchester City vs. Arsenal match. But...
In the end, we don't know if it was eeny, breathtaking or ultra exciting, because although I had it all planned out, this trip just didn't work out as expected. And there were several reasons...
- the game was moved to our expected departure date in December, so it was clear that we had no chance to make it
- so I started speculating about buying new tickets, but they were expensive as hell, so nothing.
- which was actually lucky, because the game ended up being moved yet again to a completely different day!
- So the football surprise was over rather quickly.
- but... one little surprise we are taking with us - Donut still in his belly is flying with us for the first time :)
- coronavirus is appearing in Europe, fortunately so far everything is just in the "wash your hands" phase - no masks, no restrictions in travel, accommodation etc.
- but the biggest problem of all - as part of my pregnancy I stopped liking coffee! Really a line over the budget with our cafe loafing...
Flight to Manchester
Manchester is relatively easy to reach thanks to direct flights from Prague, which are operated by two lowcost carriers - Ryanair and EasyJet. And since the trip is planned for the end of February, totally out of season, the ticket prices are quite low. The return flight Prague-Manchester for one person costs €44.
As far as transport from MAN airport is concerned, the fastest way to get to Manchester city centre is probably by Northern train. The journey takes about 25 minutes, depending on the type of train. You don't have to buy anything in advance, you can arrange and pay for everything on the spot, but for an idea check the official website, where you can find a search for connections and specific prices at a given hour.
Accommodation in Manchester
In the UK in general, and especially in larger cities, accommodation can eat up a lot of your budget. So try to book well in advance, while there's still plenty to choose from. I chose the Holiday Inn Manchester East, which came out to a total of €136 for two nights for a double room. I generally quite like these chains. The price is always affordable, plus breakfast is included, and you don't need any special services to stay overnight. The only downside to this particular hotel was that it wasn't right in the center. So we had to use the bus (#201, 203, 205 or 206) for about £2. I write approx because it depends if you are going at rush hour or some less busy time. But anyway, if you fancy something different (closer to the centre), check here for example:
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5x Manchester
1) Castlefield quarter - I think this place is really top notch in Manchester. It's a former industrial estate, built primarily to facilitate the transport of coal. It wasn't exactly easy to move such heavy materials overland, so they started using tahe power from the Medlock and Irwell rivers. In the second half of the 18th century, Castlefield was even connected to the Bridgewater Canal, which is thought to be England's first ever canal.
Today, of course, this route no longer carries coal, but the famous tangle of water channels, bridges and warehouses of classic red brick remains. For lovers of brick buildings, an absolute fairy tale! :) It offers a very pleasant walk with the possibility of sitting in one of the stylish restaurants or in a popular bar.
2) John Rylands Library - close behind Castlefield in my rankings is the John Rylands Library. He was one of the most successful businessmen of the 19th century and when he died in 1888, Enriqueta Rylands had this stunning neo-Gothic style library built in memory of her husband.
It looks more like a cathedral from the outside and... from the inside, actually. I felt like I was at Potter's Hogwarts, really like I was in a castle somewhere - cobbled corridors, ornate archways, crypts and nooks and crannies. A great experience that I can only recommend. Plus, there's no admission fee, so nothing can deter you from visiting now. :)
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3) National Football Museum - Surprisingly this wasn't completely out of my head, but I had to compensate for the cancelled football game somehow right :) I have to admit though, it wasn't a bad show at all. Admission comes in at £11 (more info on the official website, or you can buy it here), but don't worry, it won't be fun in mere minutes. After all, the museum is a huge multi-storey building and it takes some time to go through everything.
You will have the opportunity to take pictures with the winning trophies, check out the jersey collection or learn about the history of English football in a very fun, interactive way. On a separate floor, there is a section where little footballers (and big ones, actually) can try their skills with the ball - shots at designated spots, keeping the ball in the air, speed of the shot, etc..
4) Manchester United Stadium - Firstly, a light enlightenment for the non-football world (= ahem me + maybe someone else), there are two football clubs in Manchester: Manchester United and Manchester City, and each of them has their own stadium. We visited Manchester United Stadium, which is also known as Old Trafford. The Manchester City team then plays at the Etihad Stadium.
You can visit both of them on a tour, during which you will see the stands, the tunnel through which you enter the pitch, as well as the facilities of these famous football teams. More info on prices and opening times on United's official website here and City's here. If you're not completely craving a tour, at least run into the huge fan shop where they have everything you can think of with the team logo.
5) Salford Quays - just a short walk from Old Trafford is the modern district of Salford, which began to develop after the closure of Manchester Docks (1982). It now presents not only luxury housing but also a huge array of shops, bars, restaurants and, most importantly, cultural activities ranging from exhibitions, theatre, dance performances and digital art and workshops. For example, check out The Lowry's official website here. Plus I recommend taking a walk along the Manchester Ship Canal, from the promenade you'll probably see this glass and concrete district at its best.
And to broaden our horizons a bit, we took a day trip to the home town of the legendary Beatles - Liverpool, which is just an hour's drive from Manchester. The National Express coach served us well to get around - a return ticket came to £4.10 for one. Usually with these companies, the earlier you buy, the less you pay. So... having made my top 5 from Manchester, Liverpool would deserve the same, here we go!
5x Liverpool
1) Royal Albert Dock - the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site docks on the banks of the river Mersey. In fact, it is a huge complex and interestingly, it was the first ever docks to be built of non-combustible material - brick and metal. These beautiful Victorian buildings now house luxury apartments, bars, restaurants and several renowned museums.
The most famous is probably
The Beatles Story, where you can learn all about the members of this notorious band, and see some of their musical instruments or personal items. For ship fans, the
Maritime Museum, which has one entire exhibit dedicated to the Titanic, will be more of a draw. No, it wasn't made here, nor did it sail from here, but Titanic did have a home port in Liverpool. Then the third museum is the
Slavery Museum, or a short walk from the Albert Docks, the
Museum of Liverpool.
TIP1: A few yards from the latter you'll come across a popular photo spot - the
statue of the walking Beatles.
TIP2: If hunger strikes, you'll find
plenty of food trucks on the docks and promenade.
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2) A boat trip - and we'll be staying on the banks of the River Mersey for a while. This is where the boats leave for a cruise that will give you a completely different view of Liverpool. Plus, you can disembark on the opposite shore and check out the small, but rather interesting, U-boat Story submarine museum (included in the price of the cruise). An adult ticket costs £11 and can be purchased at the Mersey Ferries ticket office (or online at the official website here). There's then a pier directly outside this building where you simply board and are brought back here again.
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3) Liverpool cathedral - the full name of the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool belongs to the Church of England and is a relatively recent affair. In fact, this imposing church was not built until the 20th century after a public architectural competition was launched and won by a young student, Giles Gilbert Scott. Thanks to him, Liverpool can boast the largest cathedral in the whole of Britain and even the fifth largest cathedral in the world. When you visit, apart from admiring the beautiful stained glass windows, you can even pop into the bistro located right inside the church... quite a modern take on things, I'd say. :) More info on the website here.
4) Streetart - Liverpool is a city of street art and you can feel its presence at virtually every turn. Perhaps the most extensive work is the multi-coloured
sculptures by Japanese artist Tara Chiezi - SuperLambBanana. You will come across them literally all over the city. Graffiti fans won't be disappointed here either. A very popular spot, especially for insta photos, are
Paul Curtis wings, which you can find on google maps as
For All Liverpool's Liver Birds. Incidentally, there's also a painting of the Beatles from the opening photo not far from them. For those interested, a lot of the paintings are described
here, so check it out. Finally, I'll mention the piles of stone suitcases (with nameplates) on Hope Street. This is the work of John King and you can type in
A Case History on google maps.
5) Bars and pubs - you simply can't leave Liverpool without having a drink in one of the many traditional pubs/bars/pubs. You'll come across the biggest concentrations around Mathew street, which includes the famous Cavern Club, where the Beatles launched their career. There's usually a queue though, regardless of the time of day or night. A short distance away you can check out the statue of Eleanor Rigby = a famous fictional character from the Beatles' repertoire.
Accommodation in Liverpool
So that's it for Manchester vs Liverpool for today, we'll leave it at 5-5 - five interesting places vs five interesting places :) If you get overwhelmed by the city tourism and want to spend a night in Liverpool, check out my accommodation tips:
- cheap: Pembroke Studios - nice, modern apartments for a very affordable price, around €60/night
- luxury: Hope Street Hotel or Malmaison Liverpool - both very modern hotels right in the centre of Liverpool, Hope Street even offers a swimming pool and Malmaison attracts with its stunning waterfront views
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