Manchester has come a long way since being the center of Industrial Revolution and as one of the largest cities in England, it has worked hard since then to become the avant-garde city that it is today. With hip cafes, fancy restaurants, world-class shopping and Victorian architecture, Manchester makes a wonderful base from which to explore Northern England.

Manchester certainly has its hold in history with the Romans settling there as early as A.D. 79, but more recently, it holds a huge place in modern music history with bands like New Order, Joy Division, the Smiths and Oasis topping the charts over the decades. Fancy a football (soccer) game? Check out a fan favourite of the English Premier League, Manchester United.