Manchester or Liverpool?

[Devongirly]

We are going 'up north' to Nottingham later this year and we thought we would extend our trip and discover a city we haven't been before. Both these cities are about equal distance(2hrs) from the first stop.

We have a 15ds and 13dd.
Ds loves art, museums, culture...
Dd shopping, fashion, interesting little shops.

Thanks in advance.

Liverpool. Much more aesthetically pleasing and lots of nice museums

Well I’ve only been to Manchester but I loved it. Great vibe, interesting bridges and industrial architecture. Did the free walking tour which was fun and it was nice to see some suffragette history.

We stayed at the Melia which was a lovely hotel and central for what we needed.

Lots of shopping and very good museum on the industrial revolution.

Liverpool. Much more diverse. Make sure you go on a ferry, see the statues in the sea at Crosby, and pop up to Formby for a beach day.

I’d say Manchester. Big shopping centre (Trafford centre) then lovely suburbs to potter in Indy shops (didsbury, Chorlton, altrincham) for DD. MOSI, loads of galleries, peoples history museum, Jewish museum etc for DS. Chinatown, northern quarter for a ‘cool’ place for teens to potter. So much to do! It’s an amazing city.

Manchester, Northern Quarter & Afflecks palace is brilliant for independent shops.

Lots of great museums/galleries - John Rylands library, Chethams library, Manchester art gallery, Whitworth, Central library reading room (Emmeline Pankhurst statue opposite on St Peter’s square).

Just ignore Piccadilly gardens & Market St!

Look at what’s on at www.escapetofreightisland.com - family friendly in the day time especially for kids your age and often have acts/events on. You can order food from all different places so can please even fussy teens!

Manchester. I like Liverpool but I think Manchester’s got more to it, in terms of what you’re looking for.

But yeah, agree with PP, avoid (or pass quickly through) Piccadilly Gardens and Market Street.

Both excellent choices steeped in history. Although I'm a Mancunian I'll recommend Liverpool to you because it has a big river and some beautiful architecture. It's also a better size and layout for a short break.

I do question the PP that says it's more diverse than Manchester though. I'm not sure I'd agree.

Liverpool - great museums, great shopping.

The World Museum, Walker Art Gallery, Tate, Maritime Museum are all very close to one another. The Albert Docks are lovely and there is a very good Premier Inn there. Take the ferry across the Mersey or do a trip out to the Antony Gormley statues.

For shops Liverpool One has all of the big names, but for more quirky stuff head to the Hippie Hole or over to Lark Lane where you can also stop off in Sefton Park.

I’m laughing at the the thought of connecting Nottingham to those two magnificent cities - they really don’t belong in the same trip. (And strictly speaking, Nottingham is the midlands, not the north.)

Manchester and Liverpool are a 40 minute drive, or an hour’s train ride apart - so if you have more than a day to spare you could visit both. Though they both merit a longer trip.

If you really can only do one it would be a shame to miss Liverpool. World class art, (the Walker, the Tate,) museums and culture - Hope St alone has a Cathedral at each end, an incredibly important theatre and breathtaking architecture. (Plus plentiful food, drink, statues and views towards the Mersey.) Add wide streets, a sniff of sea air, the Another Place sculptures on Crosby Beach (unmissable,) Sefton Park Palm House, the Docks, Bold St, the history of the place …

Manchester has its attractions too - wonderful art galleries and theatres and Salford Quays and the Northern Quarter - but Liverpool is a grander holiday destination.

I know...I haven't even been to Nottingham. Anyway we are going there for a show which is in Newark? If anyone has any other ideas of a place we could go on from there then let me know. I've also seen that York is close! To be honest we aren't use to cities, just farmers markets where we live so it will be exciting I'm sure.

Of the two I prefer Liverpool.
If you're going to Newark then Lincoln is very close by, it's similar to York in style.

Thank you!! Know nothing about Lincoin. My dh did laugh when I Said Liverpool, he said now did u think of Liverpool from Nottingam, I said its only 2 hours away!

Liverpool really is worth a visit though, I don't know anyone who has been there who hasn't enjoyed it. The city centre is quite compact so most things are within walking distance of each other, and the mix of architecture is beautiful.

York is stunning, completely different character to Liverpool and Manchester. Lincoln is like a mini-York, it has a castle and a cathedral, and a nice riverside area. It's not as grand as York but if you're at Newark show-ground you're within half an hour of Lincoln really.

From Nottingham, I would probably do Lincoln and/or York, assuming you don't know them.
To go back to your question, I vote Liverpool! I just think the city has a nicer feel.

Liverpool. I hate big cities but Liverpool is different. The river being to close makes it feel light and spacious, museums great, shopping fabulous.

Love them both but Liverpool has more of a holiday vibe. It's like an island in some ways with entirely its own vibe and lots to do. But yeah, from Nottingham I'd be more likely to go to York and thereabouts.

Nottingham is not 'up north'.

I think Liverpool is easier to have a good explore and cover the things your kids like.
I love Manchester but it can take more effort.

Well they both sound great. We are hoping to visit both next football season as I have teenagers who would like to go to Old Trafford and Anfield.
I think we will make a weekend of both.

It is if you live where I do 😄

Liverpool definitely.

Liverpool - fabulous city. I personally don't like Manchester much.

Massive and subjective overgeneralisation:

Liverpool has better museums/galleries and is much, much prettier

Manchester has better music and theatre

Both great for shopping and food.

A day in Liverpool and try and squeeze in a few hours in Lincoln. As people have said it’s a bit like York but not quite as nice (but york is hard to beat imo)
Liverpool is a really easy city to get around, it’s not too spread out like Manchester.