Retro by name, retro by nature, Barbarella has been tucked away at the back of the city’s leading vintage emporium, Pop Boutique, for longer than anyone can remember. Hairstyles might change but this place has remained admirably resistant to change, right down to the Jane Fonda prints from the sixties sci-fi film it took its name from.
This walking tour explores the neighbourhood’s streets, stories and hidden corners, offering a closer look at the places and people that have made Manchester.
From £12.00
For fans of early Black Country New Road, Champion Trees render stalled lives and small defeats in exacting, wry and self-deprecating detail.
From £10.00
Across three floors of saan1, three independent curators pursue distinct interpretations of memory, nostalgia and landscape.
Free entry
The Peak District is one of the most walked, photographed and painted landscapes in England. Common Ground is interested in what lies beneath it.
Free entry
Create stunning pottery, jewellery, sketches, watercolours and more with the vast array of craft workshops at MCDC.
From £45.00
Join Joe Feeley a Mancunian through and through, who guides you into Manchester’s two pillars of cultural excellence with his Rock and Goal tour.
From £9.99
Join Craft Beer Tour Manchester for a journey through some of the cities best local breweries and artisanal beer serving bars. Discover the personality of Manchester’s beer through a diverse
From £45
A fascinating archival exhibition uncovers the forgotten stories of people who have helped shape The Portico Library’s 220-year history.
Free entry
One of the oldest vintage shops in the Northern Quarter (opened here in 1994), Pop is set out across two floors and racks up a cafe, barber’s and basement furniture section, as well as its own label and good-as-new originals – all for very reasonable prices.
Independent cafe in Manchester’s bustling Northern Quarter. Perfect if you’re looking for high-quality homemade produce.
Comic book and pop culture superstore in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
Primely located on Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter, Cass Art Manchester offers a vast selection of high-quality art materials at affordable prices.
Opened in 1991, Night & Day Cafe on Oldham Street plays host to an exhausting array of gigs throughout the year.
Selina NQ1 is a creative and charming yet sophisticated hotel in the heart of Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
Affleck & Brown is a bar in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Housed in the Smithfield building which was once the location of the Victorian department store of the same name. Enjoy cocktails, beers, wines and coffee.
Piccadilly Records is the real deal, a record shop so good that it probably deserves some credit for the regeneration of its surrounding neighbourhood.
Shop selling clothing, accessories, and gifts.
Coffee bar and shop selling gifts and homeware from local designers.
Vinyl Exchange is the largest seller and buyer of rare and second-hand records, CDs and DVDs in the North West.
Vintage clothes shop on Manchester’s Tib street, specialising in current and retro trends.
Discover the summer's most rewarding theatre in libraries, pubs, Fringe venues and unexpected spaces across the North.
Summer isn’t usually a high point in the exhibitions calendar, but Greater Manchester’s small galleries seem to have made a pact to change that this year.
From post-industrial romance to experimental country, here's a hot new batch of weird gigs in small venues.
It's summertime, and the dining choices are easy, thanks to our expert guide to food and drink in Manchester and the North.
Whether you’re after storybook theatre, museum wanderings or illusion-bending play spaces, there’s plenty to keep curiosity ticking through winter and beyond.
There's no shortage of great films out at the moment, whether you're looking for the latest blockbuster, that hot arthouse flick fresh from Cannes or a cosy classic.
Step away from the usual. Tours and activities that spark curiosity, inspire creativity and offer something refreshingly different.
