10 ways to make the most of Winter break in Salford

1. Attend an event 

There’s always something happening in and around Salford, and the Winter break is no exception. There’s art exhibitions, musical performances and Manchester Christmas Markets, just to name a few! No need to go searching, we’ve put the events all in one place in our page below.  

Visit our What’s On page for more details about Upcoming Events. 

2. Join the festivities 

It’s hard to be in Manchester without getting swept up in the Christmas magic. There’s so much to get involved in across Greater Manchester this festive period; 

Manchester Christmas Markets: With over 200 stalls spread across nine locations in Manchester city centre, the Christmas Markets are world famous with plenty of quirky gift stalls, food stalls and bars to enjoy. A must visit if you’re in Salford in December! 

Ice Skating: Get your skates on  at Manchester Cathedral Gardens. (Open daily 10:30-21:00, until Wednesday 1 January) 

Tinsel Town: Ride the funfair, ice skate and enjoy some festive food at Tinsel Town, alongside doing some Christmas shopping at the Trafford Centre.(Open until the 5 January). 

The Twilight Trail: Explore the immersive light and sound show at Mayfield Park in Manchester city centre (right next door to Manchester Piccadilly station). (Open Thursday-Sun 16:30-21:30 until Sunday 29 December). 

Christmas at Manchester Craft and Design Centre: Visit the Craft and Design Centre for two floors of independent businesses plus live music, workshops, food & drink, to get you into the festive spirit (Open 11:00-17:00 daily). 

3. Get outside 

British Winter is cold and unpredictable but that doesn’t mean we aren’t treated to some nice days. So wrap-up warm and make sure to get some fresh air during the Winter Break: 

Castlefield Viaduct ‘High Line’: A Victorian-era steel viaduct transformed into a green ‘sky garden’ in the heart of Manchester. Pop in and discover this urban garden for free, Wednesday – Sunday 10:00-17:00, no booking needed. 

The Irwell Sculpture Trail: The largest public art scheme in England, commissioning regional, national and international artists and including 28 art pieces across a 30-mile footpath stretching from Salford Quays through Bury into Rossendale and up the Pennines above Bacup. 

RHS Bridgewater: Explore the revived garden site dating to the reign of Queen Victoria, Salford residents get in for free on Tuesdays! (Open daily 10:00-16:00). 

Campus Heritage Trail: Looking for something a little closer to campus? Follow a trail of QR codes and see how campus has changed over the years. 

4. Take in history and culture 

Manchester is home to some of the best museums in the country, and many of them are free. Just because it’s the Winter Break doesn’t mean you have to stop learning… 

Science and Industry Museum: Explore 250 years of innovations and ideas that started life in Manchester and went on to change the world (Open Daily 10:00-17:00) 

Ordsall Hall: Visit the historic manor and grounds of Ordsall Hall  

Imperial War Museum North: It explores the impact of modern conflicts on people and society. (Open Daily 10:00-16:40) 

Manchester Museum: Home to an incredible range of collections, covering everything from archaeology to zoology, natural history to human cultures. (Open Daily 10:00-17:00) 

National Football Museum:  Exhibitions all about ‘the beautiful game’ and its impact on society, communities and people. (Open Daily 10:00-17:00) 

People’s History Museum: People’s History Museum is the national museum of democracy, telling the story of its development in Britain: past, present, and future. (Open Daily 10:00-17:00) 

Salford Museum and Art Gallery: Did you know our campus is home to one of the largest collections of art in the Manchester area? Visit the Salford Museum and Art Gallery for a mix of history and art, plus walk down the famous Victorian street, Lark Hill Place. (Open Tuesday-Sunday 9:30-16:00) 

5. Enjoy the area’s art 

You might recognize the works of L.S. Lowry (who famously trained in our Peel Building) but that isn’t the only art close by to campus:

Manchester Art Gallery: Take a look at the Galleries impressive collection of  Victorian and contemporary art. (Open Daily 10:00-17:00, open until 21:00 on Thursdays) 

David Hockey Exhibition: Get an insight into the legendary artist’s process as you journey through six different chapters of his work, seeing the room around you light up and change.  (£10 concessions tickets)

Northern Quarter Street Art: Want to see art on a budget? Why not explore Manchester’s famous street art, particularly the colourful Northern Quarter. 

6. Dance to Manchester’s music scene 

Greater Manchester has produced a number of very successful musicians (Oasis, The Smiths, Happy Monday, to name a few!), and the Winter Break is a great chance to explore our rich and diverse music scene. 

Band On the Wall: Celebrate and enjoy music from around the world from this award-winning music venue in Manchester city centre at free and ticketed events. 

Matt and Phreds: This laid-back basement club hosts live jazz, funk and soul acts, plus some festive events in December. 

Manchester Cathedral: Warm up your vocal cords for a Christmas service in Manchester Cathedral, and get into the festive spirit. 

Visit Manchester website: There’s too much for us too possibly mention but you can find a full list of all the musical events happening in and around Manchester on the Visit Manchester website. 

7. Leave Salford 

Only temporarily! We might be biased, and we think Salford is the best but there’s lots of places outside of the city that’s worth visiting… 

Altringcham: A market town in Greater Manchester with fantastic shops, independent restaurants and award-winning Altringham Food Market (only 30 minutes from Salford) 

Stockport: Another Greater Manchester town with a mix of well-known and independent shops and restaurants, and lots of outdoor spaces and parks for wintery walks (only 10 minutes on the train from Manchester Picadilly) 

Liverpool: Famous for its music, football and culture, this city is worth a visit if you’re looking for something to do (only a 35 minutes train from Manchester Victoria) 

8.  Explore next steps 

Winter Break is a great time to reflect on your future and explore the next steps, whether that’s looking into postgraduate options, career opportunities or developing your skills.  

Reseach Postgraduate Options: if you’re not quite sure if postgraduate study is right for you, or want to find out more about one of our courses, our Postgraduate webpage is a great place to start. You can even book onto our next Postgraduate Open Day on Wednesday 26 February 2025. 

Explore Careers support: Thinking about your career but not sure where to start? Our Careers webpage is full of information about career options, application and interview advice and how to find your dream job. Why not sign up for some Careers workshops in January so you can hit the ground running in 2025! 

9. Familiarize yourself with university opening hours 

Whatever you’re doing during the winter break, we’re still here for you. Most campus buildings and university services will close at 17:00 on Friday 20 December 2024 and reopen on Thursday 2 January 2025 for the university’s winter break closure period. School offices and askUS will also be closed during this time.  

Some campus facilities will have reduced opening hours over the winter break including Clifford Whitworth Library and Eat and Drink outlets. 

You can find lots of information about our support services, what’s happening with library access and more on our website. 

10. Reach out if you need support 

If you are in need of urgent help during winter break, we are still here to support you. 

Download the SafeZone App – Get access to emergency assistance on-campus should you need it, including access to urgent assistance, first aid and to report emergency incidents and concerns. 

If you have an urgent problem or a critical need where you need immediate support or you/someone else is at risk of harm, you can access information and advice for urgent support.