Manchester Audiobook

This tour of the world’s first industrial city begins outside the Town Hall, passes the Central Library, and visits the new home of the Halle Orchestra. Walk to Deansgate Locks via a section of the first Trans Penine Canal and hear about the Roman settlement and the origins of the word Manchester. Stop at the Museum of Science and Industry – site of several firsts, including the world’s first railway station. See the splendid John Ryland’s Library, before stumbling upon the Hidden Gem. Visit St Ann’s Church and Square, walk on to the Royal Exchange – once the hub of the vibrant textile trade; now home to a theatre in the round. Continue to Exchange Square and admire the Old Shambles. Proceed to Manchester Cathedral – where colourful characters come to life – before ending the tour in Cathedral Gardens.

Allow two hours to undertake this tour, which is 2.4 miles (3.8 km) long.