National Geographic champions Manchester

26 Oct 2022

National Geographic has announced that Manchester will be included in their highly anticipated list as one of the world’s best destinations to visit in 2023.

The influential ‘Best of the World’ list ranks Manchester as the only city in the UK to be awarded the prestigious accolade, which annually sets out 25 of the must-see places to visit around the globe. The accolade recognises Manchester’s post-pandemic revival and comes ahead of a raft of significant cultural attractions due to open in the city in 2023, with editors and travel experts personally nominating the city “as a mecca for soccer fans and a growing arts and culture hub”.

Reasons given for the decision to name Manchester ‘Best of the World’ include Manchester Museum's reopening which is planned for February 2023 following a £15m transformation that will add new galleries.

Manchester joins global destinations including San Francisco, Colombia, Switzerland, and Trinidad and Tobago, which were included in the ‘family’ category of the accolade, recognising destinations offering educational journeys for all generations. The other categories featured in the list include culture, nature, community, and adventure.

Operating in over 170 countries, National Geographic’s titles are some of the best-known and most recognisable travel publications in the world, reaching over half a billion people on social media.

Esme Ward, Manchester Museum Director, said: “We’re thrilled that Manchester is included in National Geographic’s ‘Best of the World’ list. February 2023 will mark a huge moment for culture across the city. We will open the doors to Manchester Museum in February following a £15 million transformation, with a mission to build better understanding between cultures and a more sustainable world.

“We have created a new Exhibition Hall, Belonging Gallery, Lee Kai Hung Chinese Culture Gallery and South Asia Gallery, a British Museum partnership. The beautiful new galleries and exhibitions will showcase the best of the museum’s historic collections, as well as addressing the urgencies of the present day and highlighting the complexities of our world. We have also listened to advocates with lived experience and inclusive new spaces and features are incorporated throughout."

National Geographic’s full ‘Best of the World 2023’ list:

Family
Trinidad and Tobago
San Francisco, California
Colombia
Manchester, UK
Switzerland

Culture
Appian Way, Italy
Busan, South Korea
Longmen Grottoes, Henan Province, China
Egypt
Charleston, South Carolina

Nature
Scottish Highlands
Botswana
Slovenia
Big Bend National Park, Texas
Azores

Adventure
New Zealand
Choquequirao, Peru
Utah
Austrian Alps
Revillagigedo National Park, Mexico

Community
Dodecanese Islands, Greece
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Alberta, Canada
Laos
Ghana