Bramall Hall and Gawsworth Hall are both fine original Tudor houses in the traditional black and white timber framed style. Both have vast landscaped gardens and are great places to visit and learn more about the Tudor ages. Ordsall Hall is another large Tudor house and also has large landscaped gardens however Ordsall Hall is reputed to be the most haunted house in England. It has featured in many paranormal investigations and you can even go ghost hunting yourself on a night time paranormal tour.

The location of Manchester’s beautifully constructed Town Hall is Albert Square. Albert Square is a large public plaza and is surrounded by shops, cafes and some fantastic old buildings that are well worth visiting. The Town Hall itself was completed in 1877 and is often used in films as a double for the Palace of Westminster where filming is banned. Inside the hall there are beautiful large statues of Saint George, King Henry III and Queen Elizabeth I among others and look out for mosaics and carvings of Bees throughout the hall which symbolises the status of Manchester as being a hive of industry in the 18th century.

There are many museums and art galleries in Manchester including Manchester Museum, housed in an impressive 19th century building which features one of the largest exhibitions on Ancient Egypt as well as archeology, botany and live animals. The Imperial War Museum North is also well worth a visit for its interesting exhibitions on war with a focus on the World Wars. It includes artifacts such as soldiers’ uniforms and weapons along with exhibitions on life in the trenches, life on the home front and many more.

It’s well worth spending a day at The Quays in Salford where you can have a relaxing drink or meal by the canal. Redeveloped since Manchester’s industrial past you can take a 6 hour ferry cruise up the canal to Merseyside where you will hear live commentary along the route detailing the history of the canal and also see some of the best sights Manchester has to offer.