England · MANCHESTER TOURS
Manchester rewards the specific over the general: a stadium, a mill, a bar with a story. The 15 below are priced and timed, with a note on which run in the evening and which need a match-free day.
Visit Etihad Stadium for a 75-minute guided tour with staff such as Martin, Hannah, Tim, and Gary. See the home and away dressing rooms, walk through the glass players' tunnel, sit in Pep Guardiola's dugout seat, and take part in a virtual press conference.
“Slightly disorganised compared to the tour we had with liverpool. Great tour overall, dad was especially happy about it.”
At Alcotraz Manchester, you enter Cell Block Three-Four, wear an orange prison jumpsuit, smuggle in gin, rum, or whisky, and join actors in a comic prison story while bartenders turn your liquor into four personalised cocktails. Expect audience participation, photos, and a small group capped at 15 people.
“It was a brilliant experience. Actors were amazing. Loved every minute. Also made new friends in Cell C.”
Take your 3 to 10-year-olds through LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester for LEGO rides, a 4D cinema, Ninjago City Adventure, MINILAND, driving games, and a space mission. Tickets include attraction access and free parking at Trafford Palazzo. Plan on one to three hours.
“Code didn’t work at the venue! The queue was held up for over 15mins. Do not use this website. The kind lady at the desk let us through after seeing what the issue was.”
Start at Manchester Central Library at 2pm and walk with a small group through the city centre, from Emmeline Pankhurst and Alan Turing to Chinatown, The Shambles, Manchester Cathedral, and the National Football Museum. Guide Gareth is known for clear stories, humor, and useful food and drink tips.
“There were about 12 people in our group. It was easy to find Gareth. We went round the central part of Manchester and Gareth was an excellent guide - knowledgable, witty and fun. He also gave several ideas of other places we could visit so it was a great orientation tour.”
Explore SEA LIFE Manchester at your chosen entry time, from Turtle Beach and moon jellyfish to sharks, rays, rock pools, and Ernie the green sea turtle. Allow about two hours, then continue to the nearby Trafford Centre for food. Extra feeding and snorkelling experiences cost more.
“Husband booked for myself and the kids to snorkel with sharks. It was an amazing experience and we all thoroughly enjoyed it! A huge thank you to Jordan W who explained everything to us, answered all questions and made the experience one to remember!”
Follow a local guide through Manchester from the Free Trade Hall to Afflecks, linking Oasis, Joy Division, The Smiths, football, film locations, Chinatown, and the city’s industrial past. Expect an English-language walk for up to 30 people, with plenty of stories, photos, and a pub stop.
“Joe was a great local guide with lots of knowledge and hit all the spots on my list for visiting Manchester during Oasis weekend.”
Walk central Manchester with a lively guide such as Mel, Mark, or Matt, sampling Lancashire cheese, halloumi, rarebit, grilled cheese, and fizz. Expect quizzes, team games, visits to local food spots, and a finish near Tib Street. Arrive 15 minutes early and wear comfortable shoes.
“Really fun and engaging tour! Would recommend to anyone who enjoys cheese and wine and a good laugh!!”
At iFLY Manchester, you’ll learn basic flight technique, suit up, and take two turns in a vertical wind tunnel with a certified instructor. No prior experience is needed, and the session suits ages 3 and up. Arrive 45 minutes early at Trafford Park.
“Don’t worry about the pre training video because there’s no point of scaring and thrills, it is totally un worthy and waste of time and money instead of doing this better to go for another place, this is completely waste and the people are looting money for the high flying and no friendly people, they are giving only respect to highly pay customers in my opinion it’s completely waste of time and money”
Start at 11:30 am at Waterside Coffee and walk through Ancoats and the Northern Quarter with a guide such as Julia, Ian, or Lala. You’ll visit six independent food businesses, taste savory dishes and sweets, enjoy a glass of wine, and finish near Arndale Market after about three and a half hours.
“What a wonderful tour! Delicious food, really nice company and a terrific guide. Julia was really knowledgeable and friendly, made everyone feel welcome, and you could really tell she was passionate about and enjoyed what she was doing. We had a great time and would recommend the tour to everyone visiting Manchester.”
Spend 3.5 to 4 hours tasting Manchester food and drink with a guide such as Rob, Britta, or Steph. Visit independent eateries, a Cantonese bakery, Afflecks, and the Northern Quarter while learning local history. Lunch and all tastings are included, with groups capped at 10.
“Great 5 hours eating our way around the Northern Quarter, learning about the history of Manchester. Highly recommend, whether you’re a tourist or a local. Britta was an excellent tour guide. Highlights were Siop Sop, Pico’s and Ginger’s.”
Start at Manchester Piccadilly and follow Captain Bess through St Peter’s Square, Castlefield, St John’s Gardens, John Rylands Library, and Chinatown. Ian and Paul’s smartphone hunt mixes maps, clues, city facts, hints, and freedom to pause. Allow about 2.5 hours, wear comfortable shoes, and bring a backup map.
“Nice to see some areas that we wouldn’t have usually seen on a normal trip to Manchester, fun day out!”
Join The Craft Tour Company at Fell Northern Quarter at 1:30pm for a social, three-and-a-half-hour walk through Manchester’s independent beer scene. Guides such as Fred and Isla lead you to local breweries and bars, with every tasting included, ending at Sureshot Taproom.
“Really good afternoon. Isla, the host, was really good. Very friendly and informative. Got to see parts of Manchester that I wouldn’t normally visit, so was really interesting.”
Travel from Manchester Airport into North Wales with a guide-driver such as Shelly, Adrian, Frank, or Gerry. You’ll visit Llandudno, Conwy, Snowdonia, Betws-y-Coed, and Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, with narration, scenic back roads, and free time at each stop.
“My wife and I had a fantastic time. Lee was a fabulous driver/guide. He was educational and entertaining. The tour was well put together. Well done with time frame, travel, stops, etc. Would highly recommend.”
Travel from Manchester in a 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach with a driver-guide such as Richie, Darren, Pete, or Rob. Visit Bowness, cruise Lake Windermere for 45 minutes, explore Grasmere and Hawkshead, and enjoy classic Lake District scenery without planning the route yourself.
“We had a great day. Rob's narration throughout the journey was excellent. He is a great asset to your company.”
Spend a full day crossing into North Wales with a driver-guide, visiting Conwy Castle, Snowdonia’s Betws-y-Coed, and historic Chester. The 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach keeps the group small, while guides such as Darren, Simon, Steve, and Mike add local stories and practical tips.
“A perfect day trip from Manchester. Although it takes up the entire day, you won't feel it. Wales is stunningly beautiful. Highly recommended”
Pick a city, a castle or a coach out of town.
