Manchester has so many things on offer and when on public transport or in the car, you might blink and miss it! One of the best ways to discover Manchester is by stretching your legs and heading out on a walking tour led by guides who know the city inside out. From food and drink-themed to tours that highlight Manchester’s best kept secrets and things the city is notoriously great for, such as music and street art, check out our pick of the top walking tours in Manchester.
1. Manchester Food Tour by Scranchester Tours
Head out on a gastronomic adventure, sample some of the best food and drink that this industrial city has to offer and learn how Manchester’s food and drink offer an insight into the city’s past, present and future. Manchester’s gastronomic scene is booming and this tour will show you exactly what the hype is all about. Starting (and ending) at top food and drink market hall Mackie Mayor, your local guide will take you on a multi-stop food tour across the city revealing some culinary hidden gems and historical insights along the way. We’ve never had such an incentive to walk!
🎟️ Book Manchester Food Tour by Scranchester Tours here.
2. Free Manchester Walking Tours
Next, there’s a walking tour for those looking to discover Manchester but on a budget. Free Manchester Walking Tours take place every day at 11am, starting from the Alan Turing Memorial in Sackville Gardens- plus there’s no need to book, just simply turn up. During these Manchester walking tours, your local guide tells the story of Manchester including how famous characters, political movements and musical legends made this city what it is today. Plus, being led by locals, you’re bound to walk away with a fair few recommendations and insider tips.
🎟️ Book Free Manchester Walking Tours here.
3. Manchester Craft Beer Tour
Calling all craft beer lovers! Prepare for things to get boozy as you hop along on one of these craft beer walking tours around Manchester. Sip on 10-12 beers (1/3 pints) of superb craft beer locally brewed in Manchester, with each one very unique. At each venue a brewer or a tasting expert will give the full lowdown on what makes these craft beers un-brew-lieveable. Get your steps in on this craft beer tour and be rewarded with an epic pint– what more could you want?
🎟️ Book a place on the Manchester Craft Beer Tour tour here.
4. Manchester Music Walking Tour
Forget Memphis and Merseybeat, Manchester is THE music city. Manchester is a factory of superior song-making and stirring soundscapes courtesy of Joy Division, the Fall, New Order, Buzzcocks, Happy Mondays, John Cooper Clarke, the Stone Roses, 808 State and the Smiths. All of these legendary musicians were spinning around the legend of the Hacienda, the world’s hippest nightclub, chicer than the Copacabana, sexier than Studio 54, cooler than the Cavern or Cream. On this walking tour, you can relive the good ol’ years of the Hacienda when Manchester music was at its peak, on a free walking tour of the city centre organised by Ed Glinert, a leading historian and long-time music writer.
🎟️ Book Manchester Music Walking Tour here.
5. Manchester Ghost Tour: City Centre Exploration Game
I ain’t afraid of no ghost! If you’re looking for a touch of the heebie-jeebies then this Manchester ghost tour is for you. Mixing a fictional storyline with real elements of folklore and local history, this outdoor game and walking tour will take you on unique and unusual adventures where you’re guaranteed to see Manchester in a whole new light. You will be guided to some of the most frightful places in the city, following step-by-step instructions in order to solve clues. Dare you go on this tour?
🎟️ Book the Manchester Ghost Tour: City Centre Exploration Game here.
6. Manchester Cheese Crawl
More of a crawl than a walk (you’ll understand after all the cheese you consume), this two-hour tour allows you to gorge on Caerphilly-selected cheeses. According to See Your City, there’s only one way to truly get to know Manchester: by touring all of the cheesiest spots, of course. The marvellous Manchester Cheese Crawl takes you to some cheese spots in the city and promises Edam Gouda day out. Starting in St Ann’s Square, and winding its way over to the Northern Quarter, these brie-lliant walking tours will visit the best cheese sellers in Manchester. Plus, there will plenty of cheesy jokes and interactive cheese-themed quizzes and competitions to keep you amused along the way.
🎟️ Book a place on the Manchester Cheese Crawl here.
7. Manchester Afternoon Walking Tour
If you’re looking to hit every major Manchester site in one afternoon then this is one of the best walking tours to book yourself onto – a Manchester bucket list on foot, if you will. Perfect for those short on time but eager to uncover the city’s gems and key monuments, this intimate group tour will take you across Manchester in two and half hours. On this Manchester Afternoon Walking Tour, you’ll pass quite possibly all the major sites including museums, libraries, squares, statues, churches, theatres, green spaces, arenas and galleries allowing you to soak up all the culture that this wonderful city has to offer in a quick yet also insightful way.
🎟️ Book the Manchester Afternoon Walking Tour here.
8. Skyliner Street Art Tour
Manchester has previously been named one of the best cities in the UK for street art and they’re not wrong as it boasts some mesmerising murals and awesome artwork that cannot go unmissed. Join these street art walking tours through the Northern Quarter where you’ll be able to get up close and personal with some of the finest street art in Manchester, both old and new. The tours venture in Ancoats over the invisible wall known as Great Ancoats Street and investigate how art and architects worked together to create a cohesive space for living in.
🎟️ Book a Skyliner street art tour here.
9. Manchester City Stadium Tour
Big fan of the Blues? Enjoy one of the most immersive tour experiences in the Premier League with a guided look around the Etihad Stadium. Learn all about the story of Manchester City in a 360° theatre and enjoy an audio-visual perspective of the players’ matchday dressing-room preparations. Take the fabled tunnel walk onto the pitch and be sure to get photos in the dugouts. There’s even a unique opportunity to field questions to a virtual manager in the press room, so have your notepad and pen ready! Plus, this tour offers audio guides in a number of languages.
🎟️ Book a tour of the Etihad Stadium here.
10. Bridgewater Canal Guided Tours
Lastly, head a little out of the city of Manchester to the wonderful village of Worsley as part of Bridgewater Canal guided tours. On these walking tours just outside of Manchester city centre you can find out more about the fabulous history of the Bridgewater Canal and Worsley Village that includes a Queen, a Duke, several Earls and some ingenious engineers. There is also a tour called Coal, Canal and Cake where visitors can indulge in the history of Worsley’s thriving coal industry and Bridgewater Canal as well as a slice of cake to finish.
🎟️ Book Bridgewater Canal guided tours here.
11. LGBT+ Manchester Walking Tour
Fancy exploring Manchester’s world-famous Gay Village? Led by Josh, who has an MA degree specialising in Manchester’s LGBT+ history and continues to work with LGBT+ oral histories, this tour is a blend of history, heritage, culture and fun. Discover iconic monuments, touching memorials, secret street art and legendary pubs to tell the story of how Manchester got so Queer. On this LGBT+ walking tour, you’ll hear stories about Manchester’s LGBT+ heroes of both the past and the present – from underground Victorian drag balls to local stars appearing on RuPaul. It’s a great for international visitors and locals as well as those looking to connect with like-minded people whilst digging into Manchester’s LGBT+ heart and history.
🎟️ Book a spot on the LGBT+ Manchester Walking Tour here.
12. Silent Disco Adventure
If you’re after a walking tour with a difference then this is it. Join the Silent Adventures Team for a musical journey through Manchester’s streets with funky moves and pop star voices on display. Experience a flash mob, silent disco and rhythmic riot through town with hi-tech headsets filling your body with beats – dance down Deansgate and shimmy through Shudehill on this unique tour. Unlike other walking tours in Manchester, it’s an all singing, all dancing affair! Plus, if you’re concerned about being embarrassed you needn’t worry as you’ll be part of fab group people all after a great time.
🎟️ Book a place on the Silent Disco Adventure tour here.
13. Rock and Goal Manchester Walking Tour
Whether you’re visiting Manchester for its musical heritage or its footballing legacy, this walking tour will fill you in on all the juicy secrets the city has to share. Snap epic shots for the ‘gram, spot locations from your favourite BBC and Netflix shows, and even discover spots that double for New York City on the big screen. On Rock and Goal Manchester Walking tour, you’ll uncover Manchester’s pivotal role in history, from ending WWII and slavery to pioneering rights and innovations that changed the world. Plus, if you’re into football, you can learn about how Manchester began the Premier League, and if you’re more of a music fan, see where live acts started out.
🎟️ Book Rock and Goal Manchester Walking Tour here.
14. Manchester Wine Tours
Combining our love for wine and walking, Manchester Wine Tours offer visitors a guided tour around the city centre, where they’ll visit some of the best places to drink and buy wine in Manchester along the way. You will be guided in small groups on a leisurely three-hour jaunt where you’ll be able to sample a few glasses en route, as well top notch nibbles. This is a great opportunity to try something new, learn the characteristics of different varieties and even discover a new favourite. Cheers!
🎟️ Book a place on Manchester Wine Tours here.
That rounds up our list of the best Manchester walking tours, whether you’re a total newbie to the city or simply want to find out more about this fantastic industrial city in a fun, active way.