A few years ago, I travelled to Manchester, England, to visit my sister for a few days. I’d never been there before and in typical fashion, my expectations were almost entirely based upon a television series, the historical BBC miniseries North & South (a GREAT series, I highly recommend). In N&S, the Manchester-inspired Milton is a smoky, dirty, industrial town that horrifies the ladylike protagonist. So I wasn’t really expecting much…not that I’m particularly ladylike. But I was determined to find out if there were at least some Manchester photo spots worth checking out.
Boy, were there. Turns out Manchester is a really beautiful city. Though definitely a more industrial town than its southern counterparts, this red-brick-covered city is full of gorgeous architecture, beautiful churches and plenty of shopping. While the areas immediately outside the city centre retain their Victorian charm, especially those around the canals and railway lines, the city centre is much more modern, with glass-walled structures competing for attention with the centuries-old buildings next door. It’s this mix of old and new that I found so fascinating.
There’s no way I covered the whole of the city, but from my short visit, these were the best Manchester photo spots I could find. And best of all, every single one of them is free to visit.
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The John Rylands Library
If you’re ever in Manchester, DO NOT leave this city without going to see the John Rylands Library. For any one who felt the pain of not receiving a letter to Hogwarts on their 11th birthday (admit it, we’ve all been there), this might just make up for it.
The exterior of the library is a mix of old and new, with red brick complemented by modern glass architecture. The older section was designed to look like a church, and the interior definitely looks more like a cathedral (or a Great Hall) than a library. It is a truly stunning place, with staircases lit by soft lighting, stone arches and vaulted ceilings. When I visited Oxford and the University complex there (which actually was used as an interior filming location for the Harry Potter films) a few years later, I was instantly reminded of the John Rylands Library.
The John Rylands Library also houses some incredible medieval manuscripts and, amazingly, the oldest known piece of the New Testament, called the St. John Fragment.
Beetham Tower
When first completed in 2006, Beetham Tower was considered the UK’s first real skyscraper outside of London. It’s also one of the narrowest skyscrapers in the world. Just outside the city centre, the tower has a hotel, offices and over 200 luxury apartments. But it’s easy to take advantage of the gorgeous views across Manchester by simply visiting Cloud 23, an upscale bar that serves coffee and hot chocochatlate during the day, so you don’t have to splash out on cocktails or food if you don’t want to!
Though Manchester certainly doesn’t boast the most beautiful skyline in the world, I loved seeing the deep red tones of the industrial-era buildings stretched out below. The tower itself is also worthy of a few shots from the ground.
Shambles Square
The Old Wellington, dating to 1552, is one of Manchester’s most historic buildings. Its Tudor-style half-timbered architecture is an iconic part of the city. Originally built elsewhere, it was actually dismantled in the 1990s and moved to its current location near Manchester Cathedral, creating Shambles Square. Sinclair’s Oyster Bar is another beautiful building that was relocated to its current position.
If you want more insight into the history of Manchester, taking a guided walking tour of the city is a great thing to do.
Chathem’s Library
Yes, there is not one, but two libraries on this list of the best Manchester photo spots. I’m a book nerd, what can I say?
The library at the Chathem’s School of Music isn’t as grand as the John Ryland, but its dark wood panelling, narrow corridors and rows of old books are just as Harry Potter-esque. Walking through the book-lined aisles, you could almost imagine Hermione pulling a dusty tome from a shelf, of which there are over 100,000 in the building.
At over 350 years old, the Chathem’s Library is the oldest free public reference library in the English-speaking world. On a side note, for history buffs, Chetham’s library is where Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels began to write The Communist Manifesto.
University of Manchester & Museum
The University of Manchester contains yet MORE beautiful buildings, as well as the interesting Manchester Museum, worth a look if you need to kill a couple of hours. And best of all, like the majority of sites in the city, it’s free!
It’s also one of the biggest universities in the country, so as you wander around the campus, you’ll see plenty of students and professors going from building to building. Flyers for events and clubs line noticeboards below turrets and archways and ivy-covered walls.
The university also houses a surprisingly large museum, with millions of items from all over the world. Covering archaeology, anthropology and natural history, this free museum – yes, FREE – is definitely worth a visit.
Manchester Cathedral
As industrial as the city may be, even Manchester needs a few beautiful churches. Possibly the most impressive of them all is Manchester Cathedral. Over five hundred years old, the building is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside. The cathedral has lovely stained glass windows, as well as some of the best wood carvings in the north of England,
During the Second World War, the cathedral was hit by a German bomb, causing extensive damage. Some thought it too severe to repair, but twenty years later the cathedral was good as new.
The Manchester Cathedral is also home to The Angel Stone, with carvings dating to 700 A.D. from an early Anglo-Saxon church built on the site. The beauty of the cathedral and surrounding area, combined with the long and interesting history, definitely makes the cathedral one of my top Manchester photo spots.
Mamucium Roman Ruins
Manchester’s history goes a lot further back than you might expect. This Roman fort was first built in 79 CE, with the stone walls being added just over a hundred years later. After the Romans withdrew from Britain in the fifth century, the Mamucium fort fell into ruin and was essentially ignore do for the next millennium.
As the city expanded during the Industrial Revolution, a canal was built through one end of the fort, and viaducts over the other, destroying much of it. But then archaeologists moved in in the early 20th century and the rest of the fort was saved. Nowadays it is part of the Castlefield Urban Heritage Park. Though the ruins aren’t the prettiest part of the city you’ll see, they’re one of the best Manchester photo spots to me because it’s quite a unique experience to see ancient ruins surrounded by industrial warehouses and raised train tracks.
Manchester’s Canals
As an industrial city, Manchester’s canals were an integral part of its history. Today, they don’t transport goods, but provide walkways and leisure areas for locals and visitors. I really liked the Castlefield canal area, near the Mamucium Roman Ruins. The iron viaducts and restored Victorian warehouses are fun to photograph no matter the weather.
If you want to see more of Manchester from the water, you can take a river and canal boat cruise.
Museum of Science & Industry
There’s nowhere better to see just how how much Manchester was the heart of the Industrial Revolution than at the Museum of Science and Industry. The train station with the old tracks, the hangars full of disused planes…I really felt transported back to the 19th century. Back then, this city would have felt like the centre of the world to the people who lived there.
If you’re interested in the history of technology – transport, computers, communication – this museum will engross you. Even if you’re not, like me, the old buildings and exhibits offer plenty of photo opportunities.
While entry is free, it is recommended to book your tickets in advance, which you can do on the official website.
Other Free Manchester Photo Spots
Obviously, in a short visit it would have been impossible to see all the cool spots in Manchester, but there are a few places that look amazing and worth checking out.
- Northern Quarter: murals, neon signs, old brick warehouses and independent cafés
- Castlefield Viaduct Sky Park: a converted elevated railway with gardens and panoramic urban views.
- Heaton Park: head up Hall Hill inside the park for wide skyline shots.
- Victoria Baths: vintage tiled interiors and moody historic shots.
- Fletcher Moss Botanical Gardens: riverside walks, flowers and woodland.
- Sackville Gardens & the Alan Turing Memorial: one of Manchester’s most recognisable statues.
Where to stay in Manchester
Since I slept on my sister’s couch when I stayed in Manchester, I don’t have any specific accommodation recommendations. Malcuna Manchester is the highest-rated hostel in the city, with a great location in the Northern Quater. If you’re looking for private or more luxurious accommodation, there are plenty of apartments, hotels and guesthouses to choose from.
Have you ever been to Manchester? Tell me all about your stay, or if you want to go!
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