Manchester may be better known for its spirit than its sights (chat with anyone sporting a Man United or Man City shirt and you'll understand), but there's plenty to see in this north English city.
Football fans already know the city for its many stadiums, but bookworms will adore its never-ending libraries — including the famous John Rylands Library (which houses the largest collection of illuminated manuscripts in the United Kingdom beneath its stunning, vaulted ceilings), Chetham's (the oldest public library in the English-speaking world, where Karl Marx and Freidrich Engels are said to have spent their days studying), and The Portico (which now sits atop The Bank pub).
If you'd rather hit the bars than the books, make your way to the Gay Village, where all are welcome to grab a pint and dance the night away.