Of course, us Mancs already know we’re just so romantic, and obviously the sexiest, but now our thoughts have been validated. ShareToBuy have conducted research into proposals, interest in Valentine’s Day, romantic restaurants, dating app usage, flower deliveries, LGBTQ+ friendliness and more, with Manchester having come out fourth in the UK’s Most Romantic Cities of 2023 – just in time for Valentine’s Day!
It seems we rank above the likes of London, Nottingham, and Glasgow overall, but Manchester is number one in online interest in dating. Whether that’s swiping right on dating apps or searching for dating locations, we love a good date in Manchester – which makes sense given the amazing variety of date ideas you can make reality in the city.
We’ve got it all, from first date spots, to activities for well-established couples, and unlikely places that could serve really well for getting to know someone.
When it comes to proposals, it seems that Northerners are far more romantic than Southerners by a long shot, with places like Liverpool, Newcastle and our very own Manchester in the top five for engagement ring searches. There’s something in the air getting us down on one knee in the North!
Manchester is also second only to London for LGBTQ+ friendly dating, looking at factors such as LGBTQ+ clubbing, safety, rights and, of course, date locations, and we rank fourth on budget-friendly dating – we’re not surprised given our frugal abilities.
We’re in good company, too, with Northern cities such as Sheffield and Newcastle consistently scoring highly in each category, not to mention Leeds topping the board overall. It just goes to show that even if Manchester doesn’t rank number one every time, you’re never too far from another great Northern city that does.