Private Manchester Self-Guided Tour

30 Reviews | Manchester, England

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2 to 3 hours (approx.)

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Overview

Forget about crowds, schedules or lines! With this self-guided experience, your smartphone is your new private guide.

Stroll around Manchester at your own pace, having the opportunity to take astonishing pictures and enter any attraction you fancy.

You will learn about Manchester's history; from when it was founded as a Roman Fort until it became the amazing city it is today. As you walk through these streets, you will learn about its industrial past, encompassed mostly through its innumerable canals and storehouses all over. You will also learn the role this city played (and still plays) in football, culture, music, art, science, architecture, international relationships and even war; where you’ll get to know every important figure in this tale. Plus, you get a unique list of recommendations so you get the most out of your visit.

PS: when booking, you will get an email with instructions and a code for using our app (a different code from your booking reference number!).

What's Included

You will get an email with instructions to activate your tour (booking reference isn't the code!)
Map, directions, GPS route and stops of each tour
3 weeks unlimited access to this Self-Guided Tour on the app
Audio guide, videos, pictures, recommendations and all the info you need
Jake will guide you through an audio guide (no computer-generated voice!)

Any entrance fee for the attractions mentioned during the tour
In-person Guide

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Meeting Location

Meeting point

Manchester M1
UK

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Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

Rice Street
Manchester M3 4JR, UK

The tour finishes at Deansgate, near the Roman Fort.

What To Expect

A Monument To Vimto

Here is where the tour starts. This is the first stop of 18! You will get a brief description of the whole tour and particularly at this stop, you will discover the amazing history behind the most famous soft drink the North has ever made, which was originally produced in this location.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Alan Turing Memorial

In this stop, we will tell you who was Alan Turing and why was (and still is) so important for the city. Also, you will learn some practical things about Sackville Gardens and all its monuments. You will start to get some perspective of the Gay Village and all its past in Manchester.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Gay Village

We will guide you around this beautiful and emblematic area of Manchester to teach you all about its history. Strolling around Canal Street you will hear about the dark past of the street and how people helped to turn the odds and worked to build the lovely sidewalk it is today.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Chinatown

Walk around the archway and discover the amazing shops and restaurants of this ethnic enclave. You will learn who's city is Manchester twin in China and why the archway was built here.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

St Peter's Square

We will guide you through the famous St Peter Square and you will learn everything you need to know about this place and its emblematic buildings: Manchester Central Library, the oldest free library in the country; The Midland Hotel, one of the first luxury hotels in the north; Manchester Town Hall, one of the most beautiful town hall in the country; and more. You will also hear every exciting story that happened here in the past and understand why it is called St Peter Square.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Bridgewater Hall

Discover the incredible Bridgewater Hall and all its surrounding area charged with vivid history. We will also tell you two of the north's most horrible stories that happened in the past that haunts citizens until today: The first in 1819 and the second in 1963, both in the premises of Manchester Central Station.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Royal Exchange Theatre

Here you will learn all about the Cotton Industry, how it developed so strongly in Manchester and what were the consequences for the city. You will understand the pivotal role that this building played in the industrial past of Manchester. Here, we will tell you the story of the IRA Bomb as well and how it affected the entire city.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Shambles

Definitely the most beautiful square around the city centre. Here you will see the oldest pub in town and learn about its history, so you understand why it is typically full (and relatively cheap). Also, you will learn about the boom of the cotton industry and how it made an opportunity to exploit the trade of other markets through the Royal Corn Exchange (another astonishing building in this square).

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Manchester Cathedral

We will guide you around the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Manchester, the seat of the Bishop of Manchester and the city's parish church. Manchester Cathedral is one of the many emblems of the city, and it's a must-visit for every passer-by.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The John Rylands Library

Discover one of the best-kept secrets of Manchester, and probably one of the nicest libraries in the country, the Harry Potterish - John Rylands Library. We will tell you everything you need to know about this extraordinary building, which is grace is on the inside, so if you have time our recommendation is to venture inside.

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Castlefield Urban Heritage Park

In our final stop, you will learn about the beggings of the city: its Roman Heritage. Feel like a roman exploring the reconstructed buildings of this amazing park. You will learn why the city is called Manchester. Then, we will let you stroll around the beautiful canals of Deansgate with a list of recommendations for things to do and places to eat around the city.

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Guardian Telephone Exchange (Pass By)

Another interesting landmark of this area is The Guardian Telephone Exchange, called the "Best kept secret in Manchester". We'll help you unveil this secret hiding in plain sight.

The Midland (Pass By)

Discover the magnificent landmark of the city centre, The Midland Hotel, which has been part of life in Manchester for over 118 years, is worldwide renown for its beautiful architecture. We will tell you all about it, plus some incredible stories that have happened here during the years.

Manchester Central Library (Pass By)

Hop into the legacy of what once was the first public lending and reference library of the UK, provided by Manchester local council after the passing of the Public Libraries Act 1850. Of course, this isn't the original building, but we will tell you everything about its history and how it became the beautiful Greek structure it is today.

Manchester Central

What now is a convention centre, once was used as Manchester Central Train Station by The Midland Railway. Join us to discover everything that happened in this place, from one of the worst massacres the north has ever seen (before the train even existed) to the mysterious story behind a suitcase left in this same station in 1965.

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Corn Exchange (Pass By)

Come to discover what once was one of the most exciting market exchanges around the north, where the commercialization of other goods thrived thanks to the cotton industry in the city. The first Corn Exchange was built on this site in 1837 and we will tell you how it became a Listed Building which now houses a Food Court, a Hotel and more.

The Old Wellington (Pass By)

Discover probably the most famous and oldest pub in the city centre: The Old Wellington and Sinclair's Oyster Bar. Once famous for housing John Shaw's Punch House, during this tour you will understand why so many people visit this Pub on a daily basis.

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Additional Info

Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
Wheelchair accessible
All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
Public transportation options are available nearby

Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Please check "Before You Go" Section of your e-ticket!

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Private Manchester Self-Guided Tour?

A: This tour is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded. Read more Apr 2025