Date spot in Manchester
Castlefield canals
Walk the towpaths around Castlefield Basin, where the Bridgewater Canal winds between old warehouses, railway viaducts and the remains of a Roman fort.
Castlefield, at the south end of Deansgate
Address: Castlefield Basin, Potato Wharf, Manchester M3 4NB- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Romantic
Why it's a good date: A few minutes from the shops and it feels like another city, especially on a summer evening. The canal-side pubs give you somewhere to stop when you've walked enough.
Photo: Gillie Rhodes, CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped and resized)
More from our Manchester guide
Heaton Park
Middleton Road, north Manchester, by Heaton Park tram stop
Address: Heaton Park, Middleton Road, Manchester M25 2SW- Outdoors
- Free
- Best in Spring, Summer
Explore one of Europe's biggest city parks, with woodland, a boating lake and a view of the Manchester skyline from the high ground.
Why it's a good date: It's big enough to feel properly out of town, and the tram drops you at the gate. The rowing boats are seasonal, so check they're out if you fancy a turn on the lake.
Photo: Todor.iliev.doychinov, CC0 (cropped and resized)
Dunham Massey
Near Altrincham, south-west of Manchester
Address: Woodhouse Lane, Altrincham WA14 4SJ- Trip
- Mid-price
- Best in Spring, Summer, Autumn
- Outdoors
- Out of town
Walk among the fallow deer in the old deer park, then look round the Georgian house and its gardens.
Why it's a good date: A day in the country without a long drive. Keep your distance from the deer, take a picnic, and save the house for if the weather turns.
Photo: Photograph by Mike Peel (www.mikepeel.net)., CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized)
Adam Reid at The French
The Midland Hotel, Peter Street, city centre
Address: The Midland Hotel, 16 Peter Street, Manchester M60 2DS- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Romantic
- Foodie
Book the tasting menu at the Midland Hotel's restaurant, where Adam Reid cooks modern British food with a northern accent in a grand old dining room.
Why it's a good date: The one to save for an anniversary or a big occasion: an evening that's all about the food, in one of the city's landmark hotels. It's open a few evenings a week, so book well ahead.
Photo: Peter McDermott, CC BY-SA 2.0 (resized)
