Manchester ‘among world’s top 10 cities to visit in 2016’

MANCHESTER has been named one of the top 10 city destinations in the world for travellers in 2016, ahead of others such as Nashville and Rome.

The city receives the accolade in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2016, the highly anticipated collection of the world’s hottest trends, destinations and experiences for the year ahead.

The travel yearbook highlights the top 10 countries, cities and regions to visit in 2016 and places Manchester eighth.

The city earned its place as a must-see destination for 2016 thanks to the fact that it has “found a new groove for the 21st century as a dynamo of culture and the arts”.

The book goes on: “And the government agrees: it has committed £78m to build The Factory, a new, multi-purpose arts space that will include a 2,200-seat theatre and will be the permanent home of the Manchester International Festival.”

The book highlights: “One of Britain’s most important art galleries, the Whitworth, reopened in 2015 after a £15m revamp with a new glass promenade and art garden.

“A few months later saw the opening of HOME, a multi-artform centre with ambitions to produce the country’s best theatre, film and visual art. Britain’s second largest public library, the pantheon-like Central Library, reopened in 2014 as a ‘living room space’ for the city.”

James Smart, Lonely Planet’s Destination Editor for the UK and Ireland, said: “We included Manchester in this year’s top 10 cities list because it deserves to be recognised as one of the UK’s most important destinations for travellers.

“Manchester has been transformed in recent years, with inspirational new openings, the reinvention of existing spaces and vast investment.

“Whatever experience travellers are after – culture, sport, shopping, nightlife – they won’t come away from Manchester disappointed. The city has something to offer everyone.”

Kotor in Montenegro took the top spot thanks to offering a “picture-perfect visage from virtually every angle”.

Dublin also featured in the list, coming in at number three, thanks to being “a truly cosmopolitan capital, with an influx of people, energy and ideas infusing the ever-beguiling, multi-layered city with fresh flavours and kaleidoscopic colours”.