Your guide to Manchester
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Manchester Christmas
Festive lederhosen… bratwurst… mulled wine… Close your eyes for a second and you might actually believe that you’re in Munich for your Christmas shopping. Despite a slight lack of the whole North Pole thing going on (let’s face it you can always go to the Chill Factor-e), Manchester is without doubt the Spirit of Christmas North - even without the creamy stuff… Celebrated as the best in Britain and even one of the best in Europe, Manchester’s Christmas Markets bring in that festive feeling by the bucket load.
Now in the its seventh year, Christmas in Manchester is centred on Albert Square complete with a Christmas Tree to match Blackpool Tower (well 50 ft in any case) – with the entrance straddled by an enormous illuminated Father Christmas.
Christmas Markets
New for 2008, Albert Square also hosts a 6m Weihnactspyramide (that’s a giant German Christmas Pyramid with Nativity Scene to you and me) on top of the German Beer tent, and a very quaint Hansel and Gretal style Alpine House accommodating, yes you guessed it, an oversized multilingual talking reindeer – but whatever else as a great Christmas Attraction? There are oodles of Christmas markets for all your Christmas Shopping which span off Albert Square with a very festive melange of food, continental gifts and more food (from crepes and cheese to Bratwurst and Beer) – so make sure you have a light breakfast and eat your heart out!
Planning a Christmas Meal in Manchester?
Having a Christmas party? Looking for a great restaurant to eat at? Check out our Christmas Restaurants in Manchester
Ice Skating Rink at Piccadilly
Still to be confirmed there is also talk of an outdoor Ice-skating rink – if you can skate straight after all that mulled wine, but should be good for a laugh! – And if you fancy some general live entertainment, the grand Christmas Light switch-on is being held on the 7th November at 18:30 with live acts all night (line-up to be confirmed) finishing in a grand finale firework session. A great opportunity to kick off the Christmas shopping…
Christmas Shopping in Manchester
For some serious shopping when you’re ready to get down to it, the Manchester Christmas Markets are the first place to start for something special and a bit different:
18th November 2008 – 22nd December 2008
The Manchester European Christmas Markets - Albert Square 10:00 – 21:00
Over 50 European stalls as well with gifts and traders from across the continent. Plus all the European food and drink you can think of. The starting point for the masses and lots of food and a good source of inspiration.
The Manchester German Christmas Market – St Ann’s Square 10:00 – 21:00
All things Germanic with traditional wooden toys and wooden decorations, crystal lamps and no doubt a hearty bunch of Teutonic traders warming the chairs at the gluwein bars. And more bratwurst of course…
18th November 2008 – 21st December 2008
The Manchester Christmas Market – New Cathedral Street 10:00 – 19:30
A complementary addition to Albert Square and St Ann’s Square Christmas Market, extending Christmas Market Shopping potential throughout the city centre.
The Manchester Christmas Arts and Crafts Market – Exchange Street 10:00 – 19:00
With embroiderers, silversmiths, leather workers and potters – the first port of call for all things creative and hand-made.
The Manchester World Christmas Market – Brazennose Street 10:00 – 19:00
A little further away from home these stalls feature goods from Africa and the Far East perfect for something completely different in your Christmas Shopping list.
Need a hotel whilst Christmas Shopping?
Going Christmas Shopping in Manchester and need a hotel for the night? Check out our Christmas Hotels in Manchester
Other Christmas Shopping in Manchester
The Arndale Centre
If it does start raining The Arndale Centre is essential Manchester Christmas shopping as the biggest inner-city shopping centre in the UK with over 240 stores. Christmas shopping hours are already operational to give you extra time to get all your bits. But even better if you go on a Wednesday evening (17:00 – 21:00) the centre is transformed into a student village featuring non-stop discounts from over 70 shops from music and DVD’s to clothes and make-up – all against the back-drop of top Rehab DJ’s to shop to the beat. Located on the junction of High Street/Cannon Street and Cannon Street/Market Street the shopping centre is easily accessed in the city centre on foot. Christmas shopping hours are: 09:00 – 21:00 Mon-Fri; 09:00 – 19:00 Sat and 10:00 – 18:00 Sun.
Manchester City Centre
Manchester has quickly established a reputation for being one of the UK’s premier shopping destinations. The Northern Quarter is the place to be for independent fashion labels, and unique brands can also be found in the Triangle Shopping Centre. Much haute couture can also be found on King Street (Vivienne Westwood, DKNY, Armani…). Market Street is home to the usual high street suspects including Debenhams, Primark and H&M in Manchester city centre.
The Trafford Centre
A little off the beaten track if you want indoors and masses of free parking (although parking can be grid locked come Christmas so make sure you avoid peak times), the Manchester Trafford Centre is a great place for all Christmas Shopping with 230 stores (plus multiplex Odeon cinema, entertainment and the biggest food court you’ve ever seen with over 60 restaurants and cafes). The Christmas Lights switch-on is on the 23rd October (in the Orient) with Key 103 Radio DJ’s Mike and Chelsea and guests. Christmas Shopping hours are:10:00 – 23:00 Mon-Fri; 10:00 – 21:00 Sat; 12:00 – 18:00 Sun (8th-23rd December). 09:00 – 23:00 (22nd-23rd December). 09:00 – 17:00 (24th December).
Travel
Travelling to Manchester is very straightforward with excellent links from M56/M6/M60 motorways, although parking in Manchester as per any city centre is mainly limited to NCP car parks and can be very expensive. The city centre is littered with one-way streets and it has been known even by those living on familiar territory to end up back on the M60 ring-road going a very long wrong way round… Manchester benefits from excellent public transport links – it may be advisable to use them, especially when the roads are busy with Christmas shoppers. For further information call Metrolink on 0161 205 2000, Local Bus and Rail Services – 0161 228 7811 or go to www.traveline.org.uk.
Out and About – Boxing Day Specials
You’ve eaten as much as you possibly can. You’ve braved the Christmas shopping queues in Manchester’s Arndale Centre, you’ve sweated like a sardine with the masses on Manchester’s Metrolink, and you’re going to do it all again as soon as you’re Christmas cheques have cleared and the hangover is fully recovered from Christmas events at Sankeys or Area 51. So now what? Want to beat sibling (grown-up or not so grown-up as the case might be) squabbles over Monopoly, dad snoring, another James Bond film and even more turkey leftovers? In the interest of preserving your long-term sanity, why not round up the troops and check out some great Christmas events in the Manchester area which are just about worth crawling out of bed for? Need a bit of a rest first? Why not check out our New Year's Eve Events in Manchester
The Manchester Museum of Science and Industry is a great (and free) day out with pretty much something for everyone from the Manchester Mills to hands-on science shows to Planetarium Shows. There are also wide-ranging Christmas activities during Christmas and New Year. For further information go to www.mosi.org.uk.
For another good day out why not go to Tatton Park (M6 J19)– the stately home celebrates a Victorian themed Christmas and is very festive. You can go round the house (a neo-classical mansion apparently) as well as the impressive grounds and deer park and working farm. For further information go to www.thenationaltrust.org.uk. Or if you just fancy a walk try Heaton Park (M60 J19) Platt Fields Park (Rusholme, central Manchester).
Or if the family’s really in panto mood but you don’t fancy the ugly sisters you might want to consider Mary Poppins which is on at the Palace Theatre or Great Expectations at the Library Theatre.
Words by Rachael Dyer
Image courtesy of Flikr
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