Manchester has one of the widest varieties of shops in the north-west of England. The city centre houses one of the largest shopping centres in Europe, the Arndale Centre, where visitors can find most of the major high street retailers. Getting to Manchester is easy as it is connected to major road and rail networks and cheap flights to Manchester Airport are available from most European cities.
Streets such as Deansgate, St Ann’s Square and Barton Arcade are popular with shoppers who are looking for anything from designer labels to the ultimate bargain. The area is also home to a number of cafés, restaurants and coffee bars, which makes it welcoming for those serious shoppers who want to spend all day browsing.
The city centre also has a number of specialist shopping areas. The Triangle is home to independent jewellery shops and some designer names while those with an interest in vintage fare can visit the Northern Quarter. This is popular with second-hand retailers, record and music shops. Chinatown has a number of shops selling everything from food to fabric and there is even a Buddhist shop for yoga accessories.
There are also several shopping options for those who prefer not to visit the city centre. There is a Designer Outlet Shopping Village situated next to The Lowry in Salford and the Trafford Centre offers nearly 300 different stores.
Markets are always a popular choice with shoppers and Manchester has many to choose from. Farmers’ markets are regularly held at various locations around the city for fresh produce and Christmas sees one of the country’s best European markets. Stalls are set up at different locations in the city centre and vendors come from nearly every European country to sell their wares.