Time Out names Manchester, Birmingham and Eastbourne among best places to visit in UK in 2023

The esteemed leisure guide reckons the reopening of Manchester Museum and the launch of Factory International arts hub make Manchester perfect for a short break in 2023.
Jenny Simpson
By Jenny Simpson
Published 30th Nov 2022, 12:10 BST
Updated 30th Nov 2022, 12:11 BST
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Manchester has been named one of the best places in the UK to visit in 2023 by Time Out magazine.

The popular lifestyle and leisure guide has ranked the city as fourth in its top 15 annual guide to UK locations to visit or make an overnight stay. However, the city of Birmingham ranked two places above Manchester in second - thanks to its ‘underrated’ food scene, while ‘up and coming’ Eastbourne clinched the top spot for its emerging ats scene.

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Time Out reckons major arts and culture events in Manchester’s calendar will also make it the place to be in 2023. They highlighted the opening of new arts venue Factory International plus famed director Danny Boyle’s opening production there - an interpretation of the Matrix called Free Your Mind featuring hundreds of performers - as a big draw for 2023. And they also hailed the reopening of Manchester Museum following a huge refurbishment as another highlight in the city calendar.

Time Out editors also reckon the Northern Quarter is a perfect spot to end a day visit, with food and drink at Ezra and Gil.

The new extension at Manchester MuseumThe new extension at Manchester Museum
The new extension at Manchester Museum

Huw Oliver, Time Out’s UK Editor said: “Rather than the usual hotspots, we want to highlight places, many of which are ludicrously underrated, which people don’t automatically think to go to but which offer so much. In all of the places on the list, you will find interesting things to see and do, eat and drink during the day and night, a friendly welcome and a community spirit which enables you to connect with locals and really get to know a place.

It’s another accolade for Manchester after Time Out recently named it one of the best places to visit in the world, as well as dubbing the Northern Quarter one of the coolest neighbourhoods - a list which also included Ancoats in 2021. Travel guide Lonely Planet also named it as one of the best places to visit in 202.

  • What have Time Out writers missed off their list for Manchester highlights? Join in the conversation on our Facebook page here.
Related topics:ManchesterEastbourneBirmingham

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