Sports fans know all about Manchester, England’s, legendary football (soccer) clubs, Manchester United and Manchester City. But business and leisure travelers are missing out to assume that’s all this dynamic riverside city has to offer. Manchester was the birthplace of the industrial revolution, and lies on the River Irwell, intersected by the River Mersey. A quirky Ancoats Peeps artist trail in the Ancoats area allows visitors to explore the once-again flourishing neighborhood by peering through brass eyepieces embedded in walls surrounding historic industrial sites. Elsewhere, the Gangs of Manchester walking tour takes in the history and stories involving the Victorian Scuttlers, workin- class neighborhood youth gangs identified by their idiosyncratic style of dress: bell-bottomed pants, clogs with brass-pointed tips, peaked caps, bright scarves and distinctive haircuts.

The city is also noteworthy for its impressive mix of architectural styles. Notable sites include the Victorian Baths, Albert Hall concert venue, Le Mans Crescent (popular for films and television shows with Victorian settings), the Daniel Libeskind-designed Imperial War Museum North and Bramhall Hall, a newly restored black-and-white timber-framed Tudor manor. There’s plenty beyond the past to enjoy, with a host of new restaurants including Where the Light Gets In, contained within a Victorian warehouse in Stockport. Instead of a menu, the chef team offers curated selections based on the day’s freshest local ingredients. The city’s excellent, modern public transportation network includes the Metrolink tram system, connecting to the major rail stations and offering stops at tourist attractions. Trams run every few minutes, making getting around a cinch. The brand-new water taxi system, with its covered, brilliant yellow boats, links Castlefield with Trafford Centre along the Bridgewater Canal.