UK BREAKS
Fancy staying close to home? There’s never been a better time to do so
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There have never been more reasons to stay closer to home this summer, when the UK’s cities will be firmly in the spotlight. Take Manchester, where you can now stroll above the city on the Castlefield Viaduct, a new elevated park inspired by New York’s High Line. We suggest basing yourself at Princess Street’s The Alan, a slick new boutique hotel that opened inside a Grade II-listed warehouse in 2022. Expect artfully exposed brick walls, unexpected pops of art deco-themed colour and a reception desk that transforms into a DJ’s mixing desk at night time.
There are endless opportunities to fuel your explorations of Manchester. Several food halls have opened there in recent months; our favourites include Oxford Road’s Hello Oriental (the char siu is to die for) and Peter Street’s Exhibition – a fine dining take on the traditional food hall. Diners can order dishes from three kitchens: Baratxuri, for Basque-country-inspired dishes; Osma, famous for its seasonal Scandi cuisine; and OSMATXURI, for Latin American/European fusion cuisine.