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Visit Manchester City’s award-winning stadium tours this summer

They're leading from the front both on the pitch and behind the scenes.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 9th August 2024

Last season Manchester City followed up their iconic treble-winning campaign with a record-breaking fourth consecutive Premier League title – that being said, there’s really no better time to give one of their already award-winning stadiums tours a go.

Being once again voted not just in the top five stadium experiences in the UK but the 99th percentile of all reviewed Tripadvisor’s global experiences, Man City‘s tours of their home ground and the wider Etihad Campus are literally some of the most highly-rated on the planet.

In fact, the club was actually awarded the Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Best of the Best award in the category for the second time in three years, delivering not only a perfect family day out for Blues and football fan tourism in general but an experience that goes beyond most other stadium tours.

So what makes them so good? Well, there’s a few things.

There are a lot of unique experiences to be enjoyed on Manchester City stadium tours. (Credit: The Manc Group)

The most immersive stadium tours in the Premier League

First and foremost, you’ll struggle to find a more immersive and interactive stadium tour from any other Premier League club, as Manchester City use the latest technology to allow fans to fully dive into ‘the City story’.

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Lasting approximately 75 minutes (so you already know you’re getting your money’s worth), there’s something new around every corner, with a whole variety of things to see and do.

From visiting the Blues’ dressing room and sitting with your favourite player’s shirt, to walking down the glass players’ tunnel to the sound of a packed stadium – where countless supporters line up to watch as part of the Tunnel Club experience – you get to truly feel what it’s like to walk out at the Etihad.

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You can even sit in the man himself Pep Guardiola‘s actual seat in the home dugout and even meet him virtually, along with various members of the first team including Erling Haaland, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji. They also make sure to throw in the odd surprise from time to time…

‘R Bernard on the job.

Things are only set to get bigger and better 

With all that in mind, we think it’s fair to say that the official Manchester City tours of the Etihad Stadium are about much more than just getting a glimpse of the pitch or staring at a trophy cabinet.

Moreover, as the Etihad Campus continues to grow with an expansion of the stadium itself and the launch of the brand-new museum, hotel and other attractions coming in the near future, it’s an exciting time to be a Blue.

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Works are now well underway, so fans can be very excited about visiting the Campus outside of just game day as it bids to become a year-round and industry-leading leisure destination.

Manchester City start work on next phase of stadium expansion, hotel, museum and more
It’s all going on over in the blue half of Manchester.

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Tours at Man City start from only £26 per adult during off-peak times and, with additional looks at the academy and Women’s team facilities and wider campus costing £45, which also includes the short buggy ride over the Nexen bridge between stadiums.

If you really want to push the boat out you can pay £50 for a guided stadium tour with a club legend or even splash out on an exclusive VIP stadium tour from £70 per adult.

Whatever package you fancy, you won’t be disappointed when it comes to enjoyment, immersion or value for money – and you don’t just take our word for it, Tripadvisor says so too.

To book a solo tour, family and friends trip or group booking of Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium, you can find out more HERE.

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Credit: The Manc Group

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Featured Images — The Manc Group/Man City (supplied)

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A Manc’s guide to Piccadilly East – Manchester’s up-and-coming new neighbourhood

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

Manchester is an ever-evolving beast.

Just when you think the city centre has reached its peak, entire new neighbourhoods with exciting new openings spring up out of the blue. 

Take, for example, Ancoats – just a few short years ago it was more run-down mill than run clubs and martinis, and now it’s a buzzing neighbourhood with a Michelin star and some of the UK’s most respected restaurants and bars. 

The newest contender for the coolest neighbourhood in Manchester is Piccadilly East, a previously overlooked tangle of roads, warehouses and canals just behind Piccadilly train station. 

It’s all change round here though, with loads to see and do to keep you entertained. 

And it’s not all about the food and the drink and the culture and the nightlife (though there is a lot of that) – it’s also about the new homes that have been built here, like The Castings. 

The design-led development has 352 homes, ranging from well-thought-out studios to spacious three-bedroom apartments, some of the best views in the city, and unreal amenities. More on that later. 

For now, this is your essential guide to Piccadilly East. 

Burgerism and Sureshot Brewery / Credit: The Manc Group

Food and drink

Diecast* – The big name in this new neighbourhood is Diecast, a sprawling food, drink and music spot with masses of outside space, 64 combinations of frozen daiquiri, New York-style pizzas, and even retro caravans you can sit in. 

Ramona and The Firehouse* – It started as a teepee serving Detroit-style pizzas slices, and has now expanded into the neighbouring MOT garage, which has been transformed into a glittering party palace serving fire-cooked meats, flatbreads, and pure disco. 

Tariff and Dale* – A long-time favourite in the Northern Quarter, with the sort of natural industrial charm that so many have tried and failed to replicate, Tariff and Dale is known best for its classic cocktails, British beers, and wood-fired pizzas. 

Freight Island – Want to be spoilt for choice for your dinner? Piccadilly East rubs shoulders with Freight Island, a massive food hall and entertainment space that plays host to loads of great traders from across the North West, including the award-winning Burgerism. 

Diecast and Cloudwater Brewery / Credit: The Manc Group

Cloudwater* – Arguably the most well-known craft brewery in Manchester, if not the UK, Cloudwater has its own taproom here in Piccadilly East, where you can sip on delicious beers directly above the brewery itself. 

Track – Another spot where you can drink your beer as close to the source as possible is Track (happily, directly across the road from Cloudwater), which has built a beautiful taproom inside its huge brewery where you can crack open a can while you watch beers being canned in front of you. 

Sureshot – Part of the unofficial Piccadilly Beer Mile (there are a lot of brewers working around here) is Sureshot, a brewery with some of the funniest beer names in Manchester and an excellent taproom too. 

Shopping

Northern Flower* – Want a new little leafy mate for your new pad, or a bunch of flowers to treat a special someone (that special someone could be yourself)? Then Northern Flower is the spot for you. It’s a long-standing florist in the Northern Quarter, a short walk from Piccadilly East.

The Norah Store – Okay this is technically in Ancoats, not Piccadilly East, but the beauty of the new neighbourhood is that it’s very central. The Norah Store sells vintage-inspired womenswear, all designed by female designers and other small independent business owners. 

Literally the entire Northern Quarter – Actually, if you end up living in Piccadilly East you’re incredibly well-placed for some of the best independent shopping in the North West. In the Northern Quarter alone you’ll find vintage shops, boutiques, comic book shops, florists, bakeries, record shops, lifestyle stores, and more.

Northern Flower and The Norah Store / Credit: The Manc Group

Nightlife and hotels

The Warehouse Project – When it comes to nightlife, Piccadilly East is at the heart of quite possibly the most famous clubbing series in Europe – The Warehouse Project. Taking over Depot Mayfield every autumn and winter, it attracts the biggest names in dance, electronic, house and more for several weeks of pure fun. 

Leonardo – Time to rest your weary head? The new Leonardo Hotel has plenty of spacious bedrooms, and is a familiar sight now thanks to its striking Jenga block-style exterior with plants spilling out from every level. 

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Dakota – Another hotel in this neck of the woods is Dakota, a luxury spot with phenomenal rooms that’s played host to more than a few celebrities since it opened in 2019 (cough cough, Hugh Jackman…)

Culture

Mayfield Park – One of the best things for locals to do around Piccadilly East is to check out the new Mayfield Park, Manchester’s first new city centre park in 100 years. It was recently awarded a prestigious Green Flag award, with judges saying they had ‘never seen such an outstanding urban park’.

Ancoats Marina – There’s more valuable outside space to be found near Piccadilly East, with Ancoats Marina and all its charms right across the road. You can grab a coffee, a pastry, a wine or a pint, and soak in the waterside views. 

Co-op Live and Mayfield Park / Credit: The Manc Group

Co-op Live – Piccadilly East is walking distance for most people to the brand-new Co-op Live arena, a staggering new music venue that’s already hosted some of the biggest music names in the world, with plenty more to come. 

Events – There are always things happening at all of the places we’ve mentioned already, whether you’re wanting to browse a Maker’s Market, dance into the early hours, or even go to a Batman exhibition (this one has sadly departed but something similar will surely follow).

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Property

The Castings – When it comes to where to live in Piccadilly East, The Castings is a clear favourite. Its apartments have been finished to the highest standards with huge bedrooms with massive built-in wardrobes, well-equipped kitchens complete with top-of-the-range appliances, and stunning living spaces that are flooded with natural light. 

The building also has its own gym, kitted out with Technogym equipment that includes a free weights zone, squat rack, and cardio equipment, or taking on a class in the studio where virtual instructors are available seven days a week. 

Then there’s an on-site home working hub with 12 desk spaces, three private booths, and a bookable meeting room, plus a media room with a huge sofa and 86” TV.

And just off the working hub is one of several roof terraces which looks out over a small but green square below. 

The Castings / Credit: The Manc Group

Transport

The easiest commute in the world awaits you from Piccadilly East, which is (as the name suggests) right beside Manchester Piccadilly and all the many trains that pass through it every day. 

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You’re also very close to key stops on the Metrolink tram stop, bus routes, and are walking distance from all of Manchester city centre. 

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From here, you can hop on one train or one tram all the way to the airport if you want to get further afield. 

*Indicates that The Castings residents can get discounts and perks at these neighbourhood heroes.

Featured Image – The Manc Group

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Manchester Science Festival announces jam-packed full lineup for 2024

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

You can explore the extremes of nature, human capability, and creativity at Manchester Science Festival next month.

In case you missed it, Manchester‘s massively-popular Science Festival confirmed back in January that it would be making a grand return for 2024 later this year, and would be offering visitors the unique opportunity to become a genuine part of history through a wide range of hands-on events and activities when it did.

And now, the full programme for the exciting festival has been released this week – with loads of immersive experiences lined up.

Manchester Science Festival – which is produced and staged at Manchester’s legendary Science and Industry Museum in the heart of the city centre every other year – is one of the UK’s largest and most popular science festivals, and the lineup for 2024 only goes to prove why that is the case, as there’s something for people of all ages to get stuck into.

This year, organisers say the festival is all about “tackling the extremes of our world”.

Visitors will have the opportunity to learn about some of science’s most cutting-edge developments through multi-sensory experiences and hands-on family fun.  

Manchester Science Festival has announced its jam-packed lineup for 2024 / Credit: Science Museum Group

Interactive events will take place throughout the 10 days of the festival, with the Science and Industry Museum itself playing host to a significant majority of them, but other city centre-based hubs like Manchester Arndale also involved.

At the Science and Industry Museum, you can expect incredible immersive artworks with the new installation State of Mind by Squidsoup, which explores the impact of smartphones and apps on our brains, while the major exhibition Injecting Hope: The Race for a COVID-19 Vaccine – which opened at the Museum back in July – considers the extreme challenges faced during the pandemic.

STEM champion, social entrepreneur, and computer scientist, Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, will join forces with Libby Jackson OBE, who is the UK Space Agency’s Head of Space Exploration, for the first time for a special conversation around AI in Space.

The incredible Arachnobot, a giant spider puppet, will make its way through Manchester Arndale Centre in an “unmissable” and “enchanting” spectacle.

The popular 10-day event is returning to the city next month / Credit: Science Museum Group

Families can also visit fun-filled activity zones at the Museum too, all of which will be looking at the extremes of human performance and our planet.

There’ll be loads of different activities to do throughout the week, including some from fesrtival partners including Natural History Museum, and the universities of Manchester and Salford.

And there’ll be a special science-themed BBC CBeebies Bedtime Story during your visit too.

Ella Wild, who is the Head of Festivals and Events as the Science and Industry Museum, said the Museum is “delighted” that Manchester Science Festival is back with “an unmissable programme packed full of fun” this year.

There’ll be loads of immersive experiences and hands-on activities for all the family / Credit: Science Museum Group

She added that there’ll be lots of “playful experiences designed to ignite curiosity about our world”.

“The festival is a brilliant opportunity to bring together visitors of all ages and interests to be inspired by science in action,” Ella commented, “and it’s a wonderful way to showcase Manchester’s long-standing position as a leader in innovation, so we can’t wait to welcome everyone in October.”

Manchester Science Festival 2024 kicks off on Friday 18 October and runs right through to Sunday 27 October, and tickets are officially now on sale.

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Find out more and grab yourself some tickets here.

Featured Image – Orbie Pullen (via Science Museum Group)

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