Manchester city guide

By Linnie Rawlinson for CNN

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See

Start with a stroll around the city center -- head to the Millennium Quarter and pop into Selfridges and Harvey Nichols while you're at it. Urbis, a curved glass building wedged into the Millennium Quarter, has exhibits on urban life -- take the glass elevator to the fourth floor for sweeping views over the Cathedral Gardens.

Manchester's close association with the trades union movement is documented at the People's History Museum. If Egyptology's your thing, get your mummy fix (human and animal) at Manchester Museum and check out the world's largest collection of tree frogs while you're there. Imperial War Museums North is a short taxi ride from the city center, and worth it for the stunning Libeskind-designed waterfront building as well as the tanks inside.

Manchester's Northern Quarter is where the alternative studenty crowd hang out. It's paradise for music lovers -- check out Damon's favorite, Piccadilly Records, for the latest indie tracks. Affleck's Palace is an Aladdin's cave of little independent boutiques selling Japanese kitsch, emo accessories, goth clothes and clubwear.

Be seen

Manchester's music scene is thriving -- check out up-and-coming bands alongside the latest names at the University of Manchester Student Union, then head to Killing Fantasy at the Retro Bar with the supercool indie kids.

Jazz fiends get dark and devious at Matt and Phred's while the glossy media crowd sip champagne in Eastern opulence at the black and red Opus One. Cloud 23 is the latest celebrity hangout -- the skybar is perched at the top of the Manchester Hilton with peepholes in the floor, panoramic views over the city and heady prices to match.

Sleek and sexy Socio Rehab is the coolest place for cocktails -- hop in a taxi to try their fresh fruit concoctions as it's unmarked, exclusive and very hard to find. Tribeca offers New York-style attic chic and a happy, lively crowd, or you can lounge underground in cotton sheets downstairs at B.E.D. On Canal Street, curvy and cool Spirit has a roof garden with the best view over the gay village while Vanilla is the place for gorgeous gay girls.

If you're up for larging it later on, join the indie pop-trash party at Poptastic or head to One Central Street and the legendary Bugged Out! -- get your acid injection on Fridays. For something more underground, happy househeads hype it up at Tribal Sessions at Sankeys or Metropolis at Music Box for drum 'n' bass.

Eat

Meat lovers should check out the Gaucho Grill, a decadent Argentinean restaurant specializing in steaks where even the Bloody Marys are beefed up for the carnivorous clientele. Vegetarians will want to skip this -- head instead to the basement of the Buddhist Centre and top up your karma -- and your stomach -- in the Earth Cafe.

Manchester's glittering Curry Mile is famous -- try the Spicy Hut for its award-winning sizzling subcontinental delights. The Yang Sing is one of Britain's most lauded Chinese restaurants, but try its baby brother, the Lotus Bar, for dim sum and classy cocktails.

For an old-fashioned city center dining experience, Sinclair's Oyster Bar serves up succulent mollusks alongside real ales in a pub setting, while locals looking for Italian food in a stylish setting head to Albert's Shed.

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