A little Info on Manchester, for Students abroad
Being the UK’s third largest city, and anyone who has visited or lived there have attested to the fact that it is is one of their fondest love affairs. Famous mathematician, Alan Turing, who cracked the enigma code during WWII moved and lived there, whilst the infamous Manchester era of music, spawned the the likes of the Happy Mondays, Stone Roses and Oasis.
But there is much more to Manchester than mere nostalgia; located right next to the brand new BBC and ITV studios, Manchester is at the epicentre of the UK’s television media. It is home to the busiest bus route in Europe that journeys from the city centre into Fallowfield, where many students live.
It is also a bustling shopping city, with high street stores heaving day in day out with happy shoppers. Perhaps the greatest thing about Manchester is its celebration of multiculturalism, with the Curry Mile known to contain the biggest concentration of South Asian eateries outside India itself.
Manchester is also well known for being a city of learning and culture, and is home to a number of museums and libraries. And the great thing? They’re all situated within a stones throws of one another.
Events, Venues & Points of Interest
Manchester is a hive of activity, and there is always something going on for everyone. If you’re something of a culture vulture, Manchester is home to numerous art galleries to keep your senses ticking over. The big ones include Manchester Art Gallery, which boasts a fine collection of Impressionist works, and Whitworth Art Gallery. Situated on the edge of the city centre, Whitworth is at the forefront of curating the best contemporary art around, and was actually one of the UK’s first art galleries to purchase a Picasso. What great foresight they had!
The city is also great for movie lovers. As well as the usual mainstream cinemas that showcase the latest blockbusters, the city is also home to Home, a brand new cinema, theater and art space that shows all the latest foreign flicks and art house movies. Home also showcases experimental theater, so if the arts are your thing you might want to head on over there as soon as you’ve unpacked your bags.
Music lovers will also feel right at home in Manchester. The Manchester Academy and Manchester Apollo regularly host some of the world’s most exciting bands, whilst the Manchester Arena often invites some of the planet’s top performers to its stage, such as Beyonce, Blink 182 and Slipknot etc. Or, if you prefer classical music to heavy metal, you can hit the Bridgewater Hall, where you will find Mozart, Chopin & Beethoven being played out by the Manchester Philharmonic and Halle orchestra.
And if you fancy something to help you celebrate the fact that your exams are over, Manchester hosts Parklife each year; a three-day music festival situated in Heaton Park. Plenty of top DJs are invited to play each year, with this year’s bill including Fatboy Slim, Caribou and Jamie XX.
Manchester is basically a great place to study and live. The universities are modern and forward-thinking, whilst the city centre is bustling with activity and plenty of part-time job opportunities. Manchester is very much a city in tune with its past that is always moving forward. To find out if you could end up studying in Manchester, search for your perfect course with EN Education.
