manchester free bus tour

Roads and transport Bee Network free bus

Free travel around manchester city centre.

The Free bus service in Manchester's city centre connects the main public transport destinations, and all points in between. All buses are wheelchair accessible.

• Piccadilly Station
• Oxford Road Station
• Deansgate Station
• Salford Central
• Victoria station.

Find out more on the TfGM website

Fields marked * cannot be left blank

Feedback submitted to us on this form is monitored but you won’t receive a reply. In an emergency, visit our emergency contact details page . Please don't include any personal or financial information, for example your National Insurance or credit card numbers.

Manchester bus tour

Sightseeing manchester bus tour (1.5 hours) – departs: daily.

Manchester Sightseeing Hop-on Hop-off Bus

Book Tickets Now   

Explore the top attractions with a 90 minute Sightseeing Manchester bus tour.

Known throughout the world as the birthplace of the industrial revolution, manchester has a proud history in science, politics, music, arts and sport..

Beginning at the Bridgewater Hall, in the heart of the city centre, discover this vibrant history from the top deck of the green Sightseeing Manchester open-top bus, as it takes you on a 90-minute trip around Manchester and the modern waterfront developments at Salford Quays. The route that takes in some of Manchester’s key sights, including the National Football Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry, Old Trafford football stadium and The Lowry.  Lord of the Rings  and  Lost actor Dominic Monaghan, provides the commentary aboard the bus as you explore Manchester from the upper deck. The tour ends at the Bridgewater Hall.

Note: Commentary is in English only.

Bus departure point: Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester, M2 3WS

No tours on 14 April + 26 May + 24 August due to city centre road closures.

Look for the Sightseeing Manchester logo and MT1 on the bus stops.

Discover more Sightseeing ideas

Under 16 / Student

Senior/ 60 and over, any 4 adults, family ticket.

£30.00 (2 adults and 3 children)

Book Tickets

Click on the button below to visit our booking website and book tickets.

Book Now   

Ask a Question

Free Bus Guide

Manchester’s Free Buses move through the centre of the city. Buses drive in a loop, which takes about half an hour. Free buses are not often full. Usual passengers are people visiting Manchester, and people with limited mobility. My experience, drivers are very helpful.

General Information

Daily times (roughly),

Pink ①

Green ③ , Blue ②

Sundays and Bank Holidays

Buses run at these intervals,

Directions,

through centre

Blue ②

anti‐clockwise

Green ③

Sometimes the routes vary. This is hard to understand but not important (only a few stops, or an extra street).

Quick directions

Piccadilly station to….

Victoria Station

Castlefield

Blue ② (stops short, get off at the Great Northern Warehouse)

Middle Deansgate

Pink ① ( Blue ② slightly longer)

Victoria Station to…

Piccadilly Station

Castlefield to…

Great Northern Warehouse (also the Opera House, GMex convention centre, Science and Industry Museum and Beetham Towers/The Hilton)

(walk to the corner of the Great Northern Warehouse) Blue ②

Middle Deansgate to…

John Rylands Library (also Forsyth music shop, Spinningfields, Manchester Crown Court and the People’s History Museum),

Google Maps, or any other app that displays open transport data, will show Free Bus information.

Free Buses are run by the First Bus company. Their app,

New Destinations Have Been Added To Manchester’s Free City Centre Bus Service

Passengers can now travel to the likes of HOME and Deansgate Locks for free with the launch of these new bus routes.

Manchester’s free city centre bus is quite the asset and it’s certainly not just for tourists. If you time it right and you need to get from one side of Manchester city centre to the other, this free yellow bus can help get you there and better still, the free bus has introduced some new destinations for passengers to hop on and off at.

Transport for Greater Manchester and Manchester City Council have agreed to continue funding the service for the foreseeable future. First introduced in parts of the city centre not served by public transport, the free bus connects key destinations – including visitor and retail attractions – with transport hubs and rail stations.

To enable the continued running of free bus in Manchester city centre, a revised service that better reflects current demand has been launched, with two new routes and new timetables replacing the previous three route service. Both routes will operate from 7am to 7.30pm Monday to Saturday and 10am to 6.30pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays .

The new Manchester free bus routes will allow passengers to travel from Piccadilly to new destinations such as HOME and Deansgate Locks , while maintaining links to Deansgate and Victoria rail stations, Spinningfields, Chinatown and the Science and Industry Museum (SIM).

Stephen Rhodes, TfGM’s Director of Bus, said: “The free bus has been a staple of Manchester city centre’s transport network since it was first introduced as Metroshuttle more than 20 years ago. The service is provided by TfGM and Manchester City Council, and by delivering these changes we are keen to build on this partnership and continue delivering the service for years to come.”

During the main part of the day each service will run every 10 minutes, and will serve the following routes:

• Free bus 1 will follow a clockwise loop from Piccadilly rail station to Deansgate rail station , then via SIM , Spinningfields and Chinatown back to Piccadilly. This route will provide a link from Piccadilly to attractions at the bottom end of Deansgate, such as SIM and HOME, while maintaining links between Piccadilly and Spinningfields
• Free bus 2 will follow a clockwise loop from Piccadilly rail station to Chinatown , King Street , St Marys Gate , Victoria rail station and Shudehill , then back to Piccadilly. This route will provide a link from Piccadilly to the shopping areas of King Street, Market Street and Deansgate.

For more information about the new Manchester free bus routes, destinations and timetables, head here .

TYPE IN YOUR SEARCH AND PRESS ENTER

- Manchester Free Buses

How to get to Manchester Free Buses car-free

Plan your journey

Other great car-free days out....

The Blackhouse, Arnol

Blickling Estate

Attadale Gardens

The Courtyard

Eden Project

Sorry! We can't find any journeys at that time...

Visit Manchester Free Buses car-free

Visit by bus for just £2 each way. Most buses in England are offering £2 Single Fares until 31st December 2024. Our journey planner will show you if your route is included, or you can find a full list of participating operators and routes here .

It’s is easy to visit Manchester city centre, as frequent free buses call at many of the city’s tourist attractions.

Both the buses stop close to the Manchester Art Gallery , Police Museum and Royal Exchange Theatre.

Free bus 2  stops right outside the National Football Museum , Printworks and Craft and Design Centre.

Free bus 1 stops right outside the Science and Industry Museum and Crystal Maze LIVE Experience , and close to: People’s History Museum , Aviva Studios, Manchester Opera House, Royal Exchange Theatre, Home Theatre, O2 Ritz, Palace Theatre and Bridgewater Hall.

Both buses leave from near to Manchester Piccadilly train/ tram station. Free bus 1 also leaves from Deansgate train/ tram and near Oxford Road train station. Free bus 2 leaves from near Victoria train/ tram station and Shudehill bus and coach station.

When you travel by train, a Manchester PlusBus ticket offers even more unlimited bus travel around the city.

Use our journey planner to find the best route from where you are.

Cyclists welcome - plan your route here

Here’s some information on access to attractions, buses and trains .

About Manchester Free Buses

Electric, yellow, hop-on-hop-off buses collect you from central train stations and drop you off at the city's visitor hot spots. Both buses go through Chinatown and The Gay Village. Bus one also runs to First Street, Castlefield and Spinningfields. Bus two goes through Greengate, Medievil Quarter, Noma, and the Northern Quarter as well.

For any queries about visiting contact Manchester Free Buses on 0330 1234 121 or [email protected]

Address: Manchester. Visit Website

Free ebook of Scenic Rail & Bus Journeys

plus the latest car-free adventures...

inspiring newsletter

More car-free adventures with Good Journey...

get our newsletter

scenic rail & bus eBook

find car-free days out

[Text for popup, goes in field above] During the national lockdown please stay at home and avoid non-essential travel – find out more [end of text]

We live on a beautiful island and there’s no better way to explore it than by train, bus, bike and foot. But, at this exceptional time, please follow  current advice  to stay at home and avoid non-essential travel in England. Separate travel rules apply in  Wales  and  Scotland .

We look forward to helping you enjoy great days out and more car-free adventures in the future.

Sightseeing Manchester – Open-Top Bus Tour

• Included with your Manchester Pass

Discover the city’s heritage and how it has grown to be the progressive hub it is today with a 90-minute bus tour.

Beginning in Albert Square in the heart of the city centre, the green Sightseeing Manchester hop-on, hop-off open-top bus takes you on a trip around the city and the modern waterfront developments at Salford Quays.

The 12-stop tour has been carefully planned to take you past some of Manchester’s key sights including, Manchester and Salford Cathedrals, the National Football Museum, Salford Quays & Media City, the Museum of Science and Industry Museum, and Manchester United Football Club.

The tour offers English commentary by Lord of the Rings and Lost actor Dominic Monaghan and a free to download app which offers commentary in French, Mandarin, German, Spanish and Arabic.

Key information

Running times can vary in the off-peak winter months and for special events around the city, please see their website for timetables.

For more information on running times, other places to board the bus and transport, please visit their website .

How to get there:

Tours start from Stop 1, Princess Street (stop SE) outside Manchester Art Gallery – postcode M1 4HR – near St Peters Square Metrolink.

The nearest Metrolink stop to Albert Square is St Peter’s Square .

Please check the calendar for available dates before travelling.

sightseeingmanchester.com/tour-information/

Web: sightseeingmanchester.com/

Subject to availability.

Booking Information

Advance booking not required. Present Pass to the driver.

Choose Your Pass

Example Itinerary

• Coronation Street Experience £35
• SEA LIFE Manchester £25
• Manchester City Stadium Tour £28
• National Football Museum £14
• 1-Day Pass £79
• Saving per Person -£23

What Is Included?

How Does It Work?

Terms & Conditions

Privacy Policy

Privacy Overview

Tour Information

• Buy Tickets

Discover Manchester with a Hop-On-Hop-Off Tour

The Bridgewater Hall

Lower Mosley St, Manchester M2 3WS

Piccadilly Gardens

Stop R, opposite Wetherspoons

National Football Museum

Manchester Cathedral

Salford Cathedral

Salford University

Trafford Road

Stop D, AC Hotel / Copthorne Hotel

Manchester United

Stop Sir Alex Ferguson Way

Imperial War Museum

Museum of Science & Industry

Service Updates

There are currently no service updates or alerts.

Travel & Tourism

The free bus service that quietly loops around Manchester is being overhauled this weekend

The contract has ended, but the free buses remain - albeit with some changes.

Manchester’s often-overlooked free bus service is being given a shake-up this month, with two new routes and new destinations added.

The city centre’s free bus service has previously allowed people to get around town along three different circular routes.

Now, with its existing contract is coming to an end, the whole service is getting a revamp.

Mancs will still be able to use the buses to get to popular attractions like the Arndale shopping centre, the Royal Exchange , Manchester Art Gallery, The Science and Industry Museum,

It will also continue to link together transport hubs and railway stations around the city centre.

But as part of Transport for Greater Manchester and Manchester City Council’s promise to continue funding the service for the foreseeable, the previous three routes will be switched for two new ones, as well as new timetables.

New destinations will be added to the free shuttle bus trips around Manchester too, including HOME and Deansgate Locks.

The buses will run every 10 minutes between 7am and 7.30pm Monday to Saturday, and 10am to 6.30pm on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Stephen Rhodes, TfGM’s Director of Bus, said: “The free bus has been a staple of Manchester city centre’s transport network since it was first introduced as Metroshuttle more than 20 years ago.

“The service is provided by TfGM and Manchester City Council, and by delivering these changes we are keen to build on this partnership and continue delivering the service for years to come.”

Neil Fairlamb, strategic director of neighbourhoods for Manchester City Council said: “The free bus services around Manchester are a vital asset for many of our residents, one which we are glad to continue funding alongside our partners at TfGM.

“We know that public transport is the better, more environmentally friendly way to travel and we hope that for many more years to come people will take advantage of this shuttle service.”

• Free bus 1 – a clockwise loop from Piccadilly rail station to Deansgate rail station, then via MOSI, Spinningfields and Chinatown back to Piccadilly. This route will provide a link from Piccadilly to attractions at the bottom end of Deansgate, such as MOSI and HOME, while maintaining links between Piccadilly and Spinningfields
• Free bus 2 – a clockwise loop from Piccadilly rail station to Chinatown, King Street, St Marys Gate, Victoria rail station and Shudehill, then back to Piccadilly. This route will provide a link from Piccadilly to the shopping areas of King Street, Market Street and Deansgate.

The revised free bus routes around Manchester will launch on 16 April. To find out more, visit tfgm.com/public-transport/bus/free-bus .

Featured image: Unsplash

Manchester Airport has issued an update on today’s travel as it apologises to all the passengers who were affected by the power cut yesterday.

The airport says it expects the travel schedule to “run as usual with no further disruption” today.

It comes after thousands of passengers travelling through Manchester Airport yesterday were hit with major disruption – with all flights cancelled from Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, and severe delays affecting Terminal 3 too.

The disruption was caused by a “significant power cut” in the early hours of yesterday morning, which had a knock-on effect on systems.

Passengers who were meant to  travel from T1 or T2 were advised not to go to the airport.

All flights from both terminals were cancelled “until further notice”, and while those passengers who had already checked-in for their flights were expected to see be able to travel later in the day, they were told they would likely face delays  due to a wide range of backlogged issues airport-wide.

Manchester Airport’s managing director, Chris Woodroofe, continued to keep all affected passengers updated throughout the day.

Now, with the dust settled and the flight chaos of yesterday hopefully a thing of the past, Manchester Airport has issued its latest statement addressing the expected travel schedule for today, and, most-notably, apologising to everyone who experienced disruption of any kind, at at any point, yesterday.

The latest statement on the airport’s website reads: “We would like to apologise to all those affected by the disruption in Terminals 1 and 2 today.

ℹ️ 23.06.24 – 9pm Final update for passengers travelling from Manchester Airport today and tomorrow. If you have been affected by the disruption and need to adjust your travel arrangements, please visit our website ➡️ https://t.co/4IIJHDpm0n pic.twitter.com/zxCEkGvp6r — Manchester Airport (@manairport) June 23, 2024

“Today’s schedule is expected to run as usual with no further disruption, so passengers should plan to travel to the airport as normal, checking in two hours ahead of their flight for short-haul, and three hours for long-haul, but it is always advisable to check the status of your flight before you travel to the airport.

“Airlines will be in touch with passengers to rearrange cancelled flights as we work with airlines, their baggage handling agents, and other partners to make sure passengers whose bags did not make it onto their flights are reunited with their belongings as soon as possible.”

The airport also thanked passengers for their “patience” in its latest statement.

• Manchester Airport cancels ALL flights cancelled from two terminals due to power outage
• Delays expected on ‘busy’ M56 Manchester Airport route as resurfacing work takes place
• Manchester Airport named in top 10 UK airports with the longest delays

Thanks and appreciation was also shown by the airport to all its staff, airlines, and onsite partners for their “hard work and resilience”.

Featured Image – Albert Bridge (via Pxhere / Geograph)

A special themed tram celebrating the greatest TV soap of all time has officially hit the Metrolink tracks today.

And it’s “the most Manc tram ever” too, apparently.

It’s pretty well-known at this point that Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) constantly gets contacted by Coronation Street fans asking where the TV show’s dedicated tram stop is – which doesn’t actually exist, by the way – and is not helped by the fact there’s a CGI tram in the programme’s titles and a ‘tram stop’ on the soap’s set too.

In fact, after the infamous tram crash in 2010’s 50th Anniversary episode, TfGM had almost 300 queries asking if the trams were still running in Manchester … genuinely.

Over here in the ‘real world’, fans looking to head to the Coronation Street Experience for a special visit of the show’s set will need to hop off at the nearest stop, which is the IWM North, just a short wander away – but as of today (19 June), all that has now changed.

That’s because, in true Corrie style, ITV Studios has proudly revealed what it’s calling “the most Manc transport ever” with the launch of the first-ever ‘Coronation Street Experience’ tram .

The unique homage to the show will meander across the Metrolink network for the next 12 months.

Created using special visuals from Manchester-based agency, Meanwhile , the so-called ‘Insta-trammable’ tram can be seen all dressed-up with gorgeous illustrations from the cobbles to give passengers the change to head to Rochdale through the legendary ‘Rovers doors’, arrive at Kingsway through the Kabin, make their way to the Velopark via Vera and Jack’s infamously-clad ‘No. 9 door’, or rock up at Radcliffe through the entrance to Roys Rolls.

As summer settles on our city, the ITV and TfGM teams also briefly snuck into the ‘real world’ earlier on today to turn the IWM Metrolink stop into ‘Weatherfield North’, especially for the themed tram’s official launch.

“We’ve got our very own Weatherfield tram stop, where our characters catch a handy tram ‘into town’, and we’ve even very-occasionally got a virtual tram going past over our bridge, commented John Whiston, who is the MD for Continuing Drama at ITV Studios, as the tram officially hit the region’s tracks today.

“However, we’ve never actually ventured onto Manchester’s Metrolink other than fictionally, so it’s exciting that an actual tram will sport some fine Coronation Street livery.”

Mr Whiston added that the point of the new themed tram is to show visitors just “how easy it is to journey to the Coronation Street Experience on a real tram.”

Urging Mancs and Greater Manchester visitors to “keep an eye out” for the new Corrie-themed tram across the Metrolink network over the next 12 months, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Interim Metrolink Network Director, added: “Metrolink, like Corrie, is an iconic symbol of Greater Manchester that has gone from strength to strength over the years, so we are delighted to be supporting ITV Studios and the Coronation Street Experience.

• Brand-new Coronation Street Experience with ‘immersive’ set tours opens
• ‘Essential’ track replacement work means no trams will run between two key Manchester stops this summer
• ITV honours Gail Platt’s legacy as actress Helen Worth leaves Coronation Street after 50 years

“Passengers will also have the chance to board the Corrie-themed tram out on the network over the coming months, so I’d urge people to keep an eye out.”

Featured Image – ITV Studios

More Travel & Tourism

City Centre

‘Essential’ track replacement work means no trams will run between two key Manchester stops this summer

Rivington Brewing Co – The beautiful country walk that ends at a taproom with stunning views

Labour says it will look at stripping ‘woeful’ Avanti West Coast of its contract if elected

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

‘Invaluable’ Greater Manchester accessible bus drivers to strike over low pay

‘Britain’s poshest wedding’ will take place in Chester today with free ice cream handed out to locals

Manchester named one of the UK’s ‘most desired’ places to live

Nell’s Pizza is set to open a new location in Altrincham later this year

You can get paid £300 to ‘eat and rate’ drive-thrus in Greater Manchester

A festival showing off some of the North West’s best street food coming to Circle Square

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches

artist/show/event

Show all results, what's on at the ghost bus tours york, york.

What's On at The Ghost Bus Tours York, York

Ghost bus tour of york.

The Ghost Bus Tours York ,   York

Tuesday 25 - sunday 30 june 2024.

• Buy Tickets

How to get to The Ghost Bus Tours York, York

Restaurants near The Ghost Bus Tours York, York

Bars near The Ghost Bus Tours York, York

Hotels near The Ghost Bus Tours York, York

Join Our Free Mailing List

Green Day in Manchester: Where to park and best Metrolink stop for Emirates Old Trafford gig on Saviors tour

A lot of the Manchester gig talk in recent months has centred around Co-op Live. The new 23,500 seater arena got off to a rocky start, but the gigs have started to take place on a regular basis now. 

With summer around the corner, thousands of music fans will be venturing to another venue in the city for three huge gigs. All of these will take place within just over a week of each other. 

Foo Fighters had two nights at Emirates Old Trafford, these being June 13 and 15. The second night was added after the first was subject to popular demand. 

On Friday June 21, Green Day bring their ‘Saviours’ tour to Old Trafford in what will be one of only four UK dates. This is the three-piece band’s first Manchester show since their ‘Revolution Radio’ tour back in 2017. 

Across these three days, thousands of music fans will descend on the cricket ground. In what will be a busy period for the area, we’ve rounded up some of the key pieces of information you’ll need to know. 

How can I get to Emirates Old Trafford? 

Metrolink .

As with most big points of interest in Manchester, Emirates Old Trafford has several metrolink stops nearby. The closest is Old Trafford, which is served by the Green and Purple lines. Full details of the nearby stops can be found below.

• Old Trafford  (Bury/Altrincham lines) - located next to the stadium
• Trafford Bar  (Altrincham/East Didsbury/Manchester Airport lines) - 10-minute walk.
• Firswood  (East Didsbury/Manchester Airport lines) - 10-minute walk.
• Wharfside  (Trafford Park line) - located a 15-minute walk from the stadium.

All three of Manchester’s major train stations have services that come from across the country. Emirates Old Trafford is a 20 minute metrolink ride from the city centre, and each of Piccadilly, Oxford Road and Victoria stations have access to Greater Manchester's tram network: 

• Piccadilly: board an Altrincham tram and get off Old Trafford. For tram services, just take the stairs down from the main concourse area at Piccadilly Station.
• Victoria: board an Altrincham tram and get off at Old Trafford.
• Oxford Road: board an Altrincham tram from Deansgate-Castlefield to Old Trafford.

Several bus routes will drop you off within a 10 minute or 20 minute walk from Emirates old Trafford. Details on these services can be found below: 

Along Chester Road - a 10-minute walk from the venue

• 255 - Piccadilly Gardens - Stretford - Carrington - Partington
• 256 - Piccadilly Gardens - Hulme - Stretford - Lostock - Flixton
• 263 - Piccadilly Gardens - Hulme - Stretford - Sale - Altrincham

Along Chester Road/Trafford Bar - a 20-minute walk from the venue

• X50 - Piccadilly Gardens - Old Trafford - Trafford Park - Worsley
• 250 - Piccadilly Gardens - Trafford Park - The Trafford Centre

Where can I park at Emirates Old Trafford? 

The nearest official parking is at Manchester United’s version of Old Trafford. Although the two nights for the Foo Fighters are now sold out.

Can I cycle to Emirates Old Trafford?

Emirates Old Trafford is accessible by bike, with several bike lanes leading to the stadium. A free bike park can be found under Stand E, so you don’t need to worry about where to leave your bike for the gig.

• Manage Subscription

UK fans wonder if Taylor Swift will say 'So long, London' after Eras Tour

June 22, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.

by LISA LEFF / Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Taylor Swift fans enjoy parsing the singer-songwriter's lyrics for references to her romantic life and insights into her state of mind.

But the pop superstar's fans in the U.K. didn't have to listen closely to her latest album, "The Tortured Poets Department," to get the sense that Swift had soured on the country's capital city after long making it a regular hangout and then her second home. The record's fifth track is titled "So Long, London."

As Swift brings her blockbuster Eras Tour to London's Wembley Stadium, some Swifties therefore are wondering if they are witnessing the beginning of an extended goodbye. She is performing three nights starting Friday, and is scheduled to return to Wembley for five nights in August to close the tour's European leg.

The area around Wembley was transformed for the shows, with fans posing in front of a giant mural of the singer and traveling stairs christened "Swiftie Steps." Swift announced that 88,446 people were in attendance at Friday's show in what she called "the most exhilarating city in the world."

Swift gave fans a wink and a nod toward her London life during one of her two solo acoustic surprise songs: a piano medley that opened with the London-set "The Black Dog" and segued into "Come Back, Be Here" and then "Maroon."

London is the only city on the tour where Swift is stopping twice. Some worry the arrangement may represent a swan song of sorts, while others think it just reflects a new era in Swift's bond with the Big Smoke. Whether "So Long, London" turns out to be a final chapter or a bookend to her valentine to the city, the song "London Boy," Eras is arriving as an emotional milestone.

"Her relationship now kind of assumes London won't be somewhere she will be. It's not like there is an American football player living here," said Maggie Fekete, 22, a Canadian graduate student who credits the London references in Swift's music with orienting her when she moved to the city three years ago. "I think there will be a lot less London in her music, which is sad."

Stella Elgood, 25, of London, said Friday she assumed Swift would sing "So Long, London" at some point during her eight nights in the city but that Swift "will always be welcome."

"Especially since she dated Harry Styles, she's been here in the Zeitgeist," Elgood said.

For those who haven't been paying attention, Swift had a series of romances with famous British citizens (including Styles in 2012) that ended last year, when she started dating Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. The speculation surrounding "So Long, London" and a mournful companion song that mentions a London pub, "The Black Dog," stems from the 2023 breakup of Swift and English actor Joe Alwyn, who were together for over six years.

Alwyn is assumed to have inspired "London Boy," a song from her 2019 album "Lover." A special-edition "Lover" CD included what appeared to be a January 2017 diary entry in which Swift talked about being "essentially based in London" but trying to lay low. British tabloids later reported that Swift spent much of the COVID-19 pandemic sheltering with Alwyn in north London.

The Sun newspaper reported in December that the multiple Grammy-winner had bought a large property in the area and was remodeling it to be her base in Europe. After Swift released "The Tortured Poets Department" last month, however, a writer for the British edition of ELLE magazine observed that Londoners had an opening "for an all-American A-lister who can slot into her place in our collective consciousness."

"We had Swift before we lost her to her record-breaking, box office-breaking Eras Tour and now, it would appear that her vacant position has been filled by Zendaya," writer Naomi May playfully posited before listing the various locations the American actor had been spotted with her longtime boyfriend, British actor Tom Holland.

Either way, the capital is putting on quite a show of its own to make sure Swift and her fans feel appreciated. Guides are offering walking, bus and taxi tours that retrace her footsteps, including a kebab shop whose owner says his establishment is supplying sandwiches for the singer and her crew on Friday.

Before the end of August, Swifties can partake in a full diet of Swift-themed brunches and dance parties, or ride the London Eye Ferris wheel accompanied by a string quartet playing her music. Souvenir stalls in Camden Market, one of the places mentioned in "London Boy," stocked up on Swift-specific caps, T-shirts, bags and stickers in preparation.

Amy Unsworth, 34, who is from a small town near Manchester, England, and was born a month before Swift, said Friday that the singer's ties to the U.K. and vice versa extend beyond the capital.

"I feel like as a Northerner I have an affinity with her," Unsworth said, noting that Swift wrote many of the songs on her "Evermore" album while in England's Lake District with Alwyn.

"It's hard to know how she feels right now, being back, given her history."

Unsworth isn't worried Swift will turn her back on the U.K. Swift said from the stage that her British fans "have been some of the most supportive people in my corner since I started making music." Swift performed in London for the first time at age 17, when she appeared at the student union of Kings College London.

"I think she will come back" after Eras, Unsworth said. "She has too many dedicated fans not to come back. She's built up too much momentum here to just forget about us."

Zachary Hourihane, who co-hosts a Swift podcast called "Evolution of a Snake" and posts YouTube and TikTok videos under the name Swiftologist, said Thursday that it's too soon to know whether the singer will retain her honorary citizenship or part ways with London. As her fans know all too well, only time will tell with Taylor.

"Taylor is someone who retraces her steps a lot. Things are never really over with her. She likes to revisit things that have finished," he said. "Let's be realistic about it. Her relationship, even if it is, 'so long, goodbye,' she has good reason to be in London and good money to make there."

Upcoming Events

Your browser is not supported for this experience. We recommend using Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari.

Family Friendly

Restaurants, buy the visit manchester pass.

Discover Manchester with the Visit Manchester Pass - Entry into 13 of Manchester's top attractions plus over 30 discounts and offers.

Sightseeing Manchester open top bus tour

Bus and taxi tours in manchester.

Explore Manchester with ease through our curated bus and taxi tours. Dive into the city's vibrant culture, historical landmarks, and hidden gems while enjoying the comfort and convenience of guided transportation. From iconic double-decker buses to private taxi excursions, our recommendations promise an immersive and stress-free exploration of Manchester. Sit back, relax, and let the city unfold before you as knowledgeable guides share tales of its rich history and dynamic present. Plan your tour, whether on a bustling bus or in the comfort of a taxi, for a memorable journey through the heart of Manchester's diverse and captivating landscapes.

Search for something...

Continue your Manchester story by exploring further.

Ratings Powered by