Manchester is certainly not short of well-known tourist and visitor attractions - the Science and Industry Museum, the John Rylands Library and the National Football Museum to name but three - but the city also has its fair share of hidden gems which you have to be somewhat in the local know to discover.
From cool bars which disguise themselves from the outside as more mundane establishments to green havens located amid industrial sprawl and from quirky museums to historic buildings tucked away down side streets, Manchester has loads for visitors keen to get off the beaten track a bit to discover.
There was certainly no shortage of candidates which could have made this list, from a veritable index of Northern Quarter watering holes with concealed entrances and off-the-wall themes to cult Manchester institutions such as The Temple (a bar inside what used to be a subterranean loo) to alternative venues like the tiny Three Minute Theatre (or 3MT) tucked into a ground-floor corner of Afflecks.
But this is a list of 11 places ManchesterWorld feels have been somewhat overlooked and which range from the city’s very earliest beginnings way back in ancient history to firmly contemporary venues and hobbies.
1. Trafford Ecology Park
Right in the middle of industrial Trafford is this 11-acre green haven which offers a natural haven in a very built-up area. Photo: Google Photo: Google
2. Greater Manchester Police Museum
Located in the Northern Quarter, the Greater Manchester Police Museum traces the city’s history of law enforcement with old weapons, historical artefacts and more, all looked after by a knowledgeable team. Photo:Google Photo: Google
3. The Mamucium Roman Fort
Train passengers coming into the city from the north will pass Manchester’s Roman remains from the viaduct near Deansgate, but seeking them out and exploring brings 2,000 years of history to life. Photo: Google Photo: Google
4. The Washhouse
This Shudehill speakeasy is cunningly disguised as a launderette from its outside and first room. Make a booking, turn up, say how many loads you’re there to drop off and see what happens..... Photo: Google Photo: Google