Manchester for Free!

Very few things in life are free, so I was really surprised to visit Manchester and see all the freebies up for grabs. From Picadilly Station, there are free buses that take you all around the city center and China town. They run every ten minutes and take you to where the action is. I stopped first at the Town Hall, right in the heart of the city. The architecture was glamorous Gothic and the spirit of the city was strong.

 There was a winter wonderland of a Christmas market with stands of meats, cheeses, mulled wine and a variety of goods. Of course if you want to buy something it's gonna cost you, but there were free samples to try. I really enjoyed the Raclette cheese samples.

It's a bit cold in Manchester at the moment, so I headed indoors. There are many museums, all very close to each other, and they're all free! First I went to the Cornerhouse where they had a unique gallery full of abstraction and dislocation. Very artsy indeed. Then I stumbled upon the Manchester Museum which is a natural history museum of sorts. I was really intrigued by a bug exhibit and somewhat bored by the bird section. The mummies in the Egypt section were things I had seen before, but always like to see again. The Whitworth Art museum was my last stop. I really enjoyed some of the distinct pieces in the Shadows exhibit but did not like the Air Pressure film instillation. Nevertheless, the price was right! There's also the Museum of Science and Industry which is free, but I ran out of time to see it. So if you're looking for a place to visit and can't afford the pounds, Manchester is the place to do it.
For more information: visit http://www.visitmanchester.com/