Salford

Salford isn't Manchester and Salfordians will remind you of that. MediaCityUK at Salford Quays is where the BBC and ITV relocated their major operations in 2011, bringing BBC North, Match of the Day, and Coronation Street's studios with them. The Lowry arts centre sits on the waterfront with two theatres and the world's largest collection of LS Lowry paintings, free to enter. The Imperial War Museum North, designed by Daniel Libeskind, is a ten-minute walk across the footbridge. Salford Cathedral is worth a detour for its stained glass. The Metrolink connects Salford Quays to Deansgate in six minutes.