10 Secret & Strange Places to Visit in Manchester This Summer
Manchester is a city full of surprises. Beyond the football, music, and museums, it hides a world of oddities and overlooked wonders waiting to be explored. If you’re visiting this summer—or just looking for something unusual to do—here are 10 of the strangest and most secret places to visit in Manchester that deserve a spot on your itinerary.
Each is easy to reach on foot or by tram, and all are pulled from the pages of Manchester – Secret & Strange Places to Visit by Paul Chrystal.
1. The Vimto Monument
Granby Row, just off Oxford Road
Yes, Manchester has a monument to Vimto—the famous fruity drink invented here in 1908. A giant wooden bottle surrounded by oversized fruits marks the spot near its original factory. Quirky and proudly Mancunian, it’s the kind of photo-op you won’t find in any other city.
2. John Rylands Library
Deansgate
This might be Manchester’s most beautiful building—and many people walk straight past it. Step inside and you’ll find yourself in a Gothic cathedral of books, complete with stained glass, medieval manuscripts, and twisting staircases. It feels more Hogwarts than public library.
3. The Hidden Victorian Street at Salford Museum
Peel Park, Salford – a short walk from Deansgate
Tucked away inside Salford Museum is Lark Hill Place, a full-size, cobbled Victorian street. Shopfronts, gas lamps, and eerie window displays recreate 19th-century life in spine-tingling detail. It’s indoors, atmospheric, and totally unexpected.
4. The Pankhurst Centre
Nelson Street, near Oxford Road
History was made here. This unassuming former home of Emmeline Pankhurst is where the suffragette movement began. Today it’s a powerful museum dedicated to women’s rights, tucked between hospital buildings and often missed. But inside, it’s inspiring and eye-opening.
5. The Hidden Fossils of Manchester Museum
Oxford Road
Manchester Museum is home to a full-size T. rex and Egyptian mummies—but look closer and you’ll spot real fossils hidden in its Victorian staircases. Some of the steps contain ancient marine life frozen in time, quite literally beneath your feet.
6. Salford Lads Club (The Smiths Shrine)
Coronation Street, Salford
Made famous by The Smiths’ album cover, this working youth club is now a musical pilgrimage site. Inside is a room dedicated to the band, filled with fan photos, memorabilia, and tributes. A must-see for music lovers—and yes, you can pose outside the famous red-brick doorway.
7. The Temple (Underground Pub in a Former Toilet)
Great Bridgewater Street
Once a Victorian public convenience, now a much-loved bar. The Temple is literally underground—tiny, tiled, and with some of the best jukebox music in Manchester. One of the perfect places to visit in Manchester for those who enjoy their pints with a touch of history and humour.
8. Manchester Cathedral’s Underground Secrets
Victoria Street
You might not expect a 15th-century cathedral in a city famous for factories—but Manchester Cathedral is full of hidden features, including strange carved beasts, ancient artefacts, and the remains of a secret chamber below the floor. Look closely and the past starts to whisper.
9. The Mechanics’ Institute
Princess Street
This building helped change Britain. It’s where the Trades Union Congress was founded in 1868—and it still stands proud today. But most passers-by don’t realise its importance. With regular events and talks, it’s worth stepping inside to appreciate its radical history.
10. Alan Turing Memorial & Hidden Code Plaques
Sackville Gardens
One of the symbolic places to visit in Manchester. A quiet tribute in a tranquil garden, this statue of Alan Turing marks one of Manchester’s greatest minds. But look closely at the bench and surroundings—you’ll find hidden code, math references, and a moving tribute to the man who helped break the Enigma.
Explore More in the Book
These are just a handful of the strange and secret places revealed in Manchester – Secret & Strange Places to Visit. The full guide includes over 100 locations, packed with colour photography, quirky facts, and directions to places you’ll want to explore for yourself.
Now available in bookshops and online. Click here to order your copy: https://destinworld.com/product/manchester-secret-and-strange-places-to-visit-book/
Whether you’re a visitor or a lifelong Mancunian, this book will show you a side of the city you’ve never seen before.
