Exploring a city on foot allows you to take everything in at a slower pace, discover nooks and crannies you would otherwise have missed and immerse yourself in history by retracing footsteps of historical figures. A walking tour in Manchester is a great way to discover the city’s story and most popular attractions. Consider some of these popular walks in Manchester that would make a worthy addition to your Manchester city break itinerary.

First, if you are looking for a general understanding of Manchester’s history, the Discover Manchester walk is the one for you. This guided tour takes you through the city centre, stopping at the most popular sights including Manchester Town Hall, Manchester Cathedral and the Royal Exchange. Through the tales told by your guide, you will come away with an understanding of the city’s rich history, culture and architecture. The Discover Manchester tour is run by the Manchester Visitors centre every weekend.

Manchester is known as a place where radical ideas and action are born and thrive, and the city’s many galleries and museums represent this diverse and freethinking spirit. The Radical Manchester walk boasts some of Manchester’s boldest and most engaging cultural sites, including the Museum of Science and Industry, The People’s History Museum and Urbis, the city’s progressive and eye-catching exhibition centre. This walk is also operated by the Manchester Visitors centre.

While a pub-crawl is a very loose variation of a ‘walk,’ discovering some of the city’s great Real Ale houses is fascinating. The Campaign For Real Ale group has created a self-guided tour of some of Manchester’s best traditional watering holes. Departing from Oxford Road Station, there are six notable stopovers. You can begin at the Salisbury on Wakefield Street then head to Lass O’Gowrie on Charles Street. Afterwards, you can continue on to Peveril of the Peak and Briton’s Protection, both on Great Bridgewater Street. Next, call in at The City Arms on Kennedy Street and then the final stop, the reputably haunted Shakespeare on Fountain Street. If you get stuck for directions, the friendly locals are often more than willing to help.

Manchester’s thriving musical scene has always pushed musical boundaries and the Sound of Manchester walk, organized by the Manchester Visitors centre, will take you back to where it all began. Amongst the sights and stories that feature in Manchester’s musical makeup, the tour takes you to through the Madchester era and the rise and fall of Factory Records and the Hacienda. You will learn about Charles Halle, who brought Northern Soul to the city, established Britain’s first symphony orchestra and was responsible for the legendary Sex Pistols concert. You will also discover the most significant Manchester musical venues of past and present including the grand Bridgewater Hall and the progressive Twisted Wheel.

A walking tour is a great way to discover Manchester’s story. Choose from plenty of Manchester hotels in the heart of the city, pack some good walking shoes and a map and start planning your Manchester adventure today.

Dave MacKinder writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.