24 Hours in Manchester

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24 Hours in Manchester

Author: Val Robus
20 Feb, 2025
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Last month, (which seems like a lifetime ago) I took a trip to Manchester to see Magnum. I hadn’t been on a plane on my own since 2019, and I wasn’t sure how I would be. It was all good, and I was pleased with how well I did. It’s so handy having Ireland West Airport just down the road, it’s a small airport and very relaxed and laid back, it took about five minutes from the time I parked the car to sitting in the departure lounge with a coffee. I flew to Liverpool and got a bus and train to Manchester. It’s all very doable and easy, the bus to the station is just outside the airport, and they run every ten minutes or so. The flight is short too, just around 50 minutes, and it’s as cheap as chips if you book early.

I had a packed schedule, I wanted to fit in as many things as I could, and there’s so much to see and do in Manchester, it’s a great place for a city break, and well worth a visit. My first port of call was the Museum of Illusions, I love anything a bit different, so this was right up my street. I had my bag with me, but there are free lockers that you can use, which was very handy. I’d recommend visiting the museum with someone, as there are quite a few photo opportunities and it’s quite impossible when you are on your own.

My next stop was The Simpsons Café, this is in Primark, every few months the café changes to a different theme. It’s not the cheapest, but it’s something a bit different, the food and drinks are Simpsons themed, and there are songs and soundbites playing from the show. Afflecks was next. No visit to Manchester is complete with a visit to Afflecks – not just a shopping centre but a shopping emporium. A one-stop shop for anything unusual and quirky and full of wonderful characters too.

Lunch was next, and this place was on my list since I started planning my trip to Manchester. It’s WakuWaku, a wonderful 2D restaurant/café. It really has the wow factor, and that was what I was looking for. The best bit was the 3D coffee and the little egg pancakes – just adorable! It’s not cheap, but it is fabulous, and something very different.

Off again, to The Factory International. This was a last-minute addition to my trip, as I had heard about the David Hockney exhibition, and it look amazing online. If you are a fan of David Hockney, you would have enjoyed it. The Factory International is a great facility, it’s hard to believe that it’s on the grounds of the old Granada TV studios – where Coronation Street was filmed. I got an Uber back to the hotel I was staying in, the Premier Inn and happened to bump into some of the Magnum band members, which was a bonus! I went to the concert that night and had an amazing time.

I was up and out bright and early the next morning and took the train to Liverpool, I’d booked a visit to the Cat Café. You don’t have to prebook, but it is advisable. You can just call in for 15 minutes if you want too. The staff in the Cat Café were lovely, all so friendly and welcoming, and happy to take photos. The café is gorgeous too, it’s on three floors, so you can move around during your visit, and each floor has a coffee machine and a fridge. The cats do their own thing, and you aren’t allowed to pick them up, but you can stroke them and play with them.

The flight was on time and got me home hours before the storm started. I have to say I had an absolute ball, it felt like I’d had a proper holiday, and I loved almost every minute of it. I’d really recommend a visit to Manchester, or any short trip from Ireland West, we’re so lucky to have such a great facility in our area.