Experience in Manchester, United Kingdom by Isabel

What’s it like to live in Manchester? Would you recommend it?

Manchester is a perfect city to live in. Most things happen in the city centre, but the majority of people live on the outskirts, so there are great transport connections. You can participate in lots of activities every day, both cultural and entertainment: from trying food from all over the world, going to events in cultural centres or art galleries, to all types of parties to suit all tastes.

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What’s the student life like in Manchester?

There are different universities in Manchester, but the majority of students are concentrated in the Oxford Road area. During the day (that starts at about 8am), you’ll see lots of students coming and going from the universities. During the night, (and every day of the week), the student atmosphere transforms the same area: pubs and clubs that don’t seem like it during the day, fill with students who are ready to forget everything they’ve learned just hours before.

What’s the cost of living like in Manchester?

It depends where you choose to live. In the university area (Oxford Road, Fallowfield, Longsight), the average price is around £300 a month (mostly without bills included). The supermarkets are usually cheap, if you’re not into eating exquisite foods. As for eating out, prices can vary, but most of the time a meal costs 8 to 10 pounds.

Was it difficult to find accommodation in Manchester? Have you got any advice?

I put quite a lot of work into finding accommodation, mainly because I arrived just as university began, so all of the houses were already occupied. If you come alone and you don’t mind who you live with, you’ll be able to find a lot of available rooms. In my case, I came with a friend and we didn’t want to separate, so the search was more difficult.

What’s the food like in the country? What are your favourite dishes?

Manchester is a city where many cultures come together, so you won’t find many restaurants dedicated to traditional English food (fish and chips? ). However, you will be able to try typical dishes from India or America, to Africa or Italy. A good plan for your Erasmus months would be to attempt to try a new one every weekend.

Which places would you suggest visiting in Manchester?

In the UK all museums are free, so in Manchester you’ll be able to enjoy this experience. From Whitworth Gallery to the Museum of Industry, all are impressive and show the culture in an interactive way. If you like football, you can also visit the Football Museum or go to the stadiums. There are also canals in this city, so I strongly recommend that one day, when it’s not raining too much, you listen to some music whilst wandering by the canals, enjoying the views and the industrial history.

Any to eat in Manchester? Can you tell us your favourite places?

In the Corn Exchange building (in the city centre, just next to the Football Museum), there are several restaurants from all over the world. From Vapiano (Italian food), Wahaca (Mexican), Mohgli (Indian), Cabana (Brazilian), to Pho (Vietnamese). This is undoubtedly my favourite place. You go in and, depending what day it is, you choose one restaurant or another depending on what you fancy. It’s an adventure of exotic food discovery.

Where do you recommend to go out partying in Manchester?

If you prefer a student atmosphere, you’ll find several pubs and clubs on Oxford Road (Factory, Fifth Avenue, Footage, etc. ). There are more clubs near Deansgate, like Revolución de Cuba or Albert Schloss. There’s no way you can leave Manchester without having visited all of the different pubs in the Northern Quarter, a hipster area.

Any advice for future students in Manchester?

Enjoy every day of the experience. Study in the mornings, but don’t miss out on the night life nor any of the cultural activities that you can do throughout the day.

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