Let's hear it for Manchester.

Canal Street area is brilliant for a night out.

I've only been to Manchester once, which is surprising considering we are just the other side of the Pennines; had a day out with DD a couple of years ago. We loved it. Fantastic shopping, nice eating places and a lovely art gallery.

Jo1book, don't let anyone from Leeds hear you calling it the powerhouse of the North - there'll be a riot!

A big hit with sporty visitors is the National Football Museum - free of charge but you can buy tickets for the amazing virtual penalty shootout.

Take a 192 bus down the A6, and you can visit the Stockport Hat Museum which is far more interesting than it sounds!

crun, look at one of the Manchester guide sites, there are so many places to visit and you can identify the one's that appeal to you. It is a great city

Greyduster. I really like all of the North because of the friendly people.

Aye, lass! We do try!

For interested people The Whitworth Art Gallery opens on Saturday after two years and a £15 million restoration.The news reporters lucky enough to preview say it is superb and with a good restaurant for "Ladies who lunch".

Isn't there a lovely Van Gogh painting of a tree with white blossom there?

Well, blow me; questioning my own sanity [not for the first time]. Have a memory of being in Manchester and standing in front of a Van Gogh painting of a tree; looking through all the paintings he ever did it doesn't seem to exist . I can even picture it .

Tegan - type 'Van Gogh peach tree in blossom' into a google image search and spot 'your' picture.

It's in Amsterdam though. Mind you, I'm talking of 40 + years ago; perhaps it was on loan at the time [?].

I got a print of that at the Van Gough Museum in Amsterdam. I fell in love with it too, Tegan. Loved that museum too.

They have a fine collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings in Manchester City Art Gallery, which is why DD wanted to go (apart from the shopping!). I liked the early 19th century galleries, and the contemporary craft and design collection. A good place to spend an afternoon.

Greyduster I like the pre-raphelites as well. I am planning myself a trip there and to the Whitworth Gallery when the weather picks up.

I like this one as well, but when I last went to the Manchester Art gallery it was not on show as it had been loaned elsewhere. I was very annoyed.

www.bbc.co.uk/arts/yourpaintings/paintings/summer-in-cumberland-204899

I've only once been to Manchester - a stop onthey way home from a school trip_ got lost & ended up in Sale!! No2 son is getting married up there in the summers o hope to give it a proper go this time

The "new" refurbed Whitworth should "vaut le voyage" as the Michelin Guide used to say. It sounds amazing!

Born and bred in Manchester! Met my late husband there in 1966 who was working in Manchester from London. He eventually persuaded me to move to London and I've lived here now since 1967!! But....I still feel like a Lancashire Lass and haven't lost my accent completely! I'm always trying to tell my Grandsons there is no 'r' in bath, grass, path etc! :-)