Summer is a great time to visit Manchester. Often referred to as the capital of the north, Manchester is the UK's second largest city, meaning there is always plenty to see and do. Summertime and the longer days of sunshine that go with it, provides a great opportunity to see as much of Manchester as possible.

Manchester has 138 parks, gardens and green open spaces, making it a popular place for relaxing and soaking up the northern sun. The parks are maintained by Manchester city council, who in 2009 received 29 Green Flag Awards for meeting national standards of excellence for parks and green spaces within Manchester.

Aside from the regular green spaces found in Manchester's city centre, there are also a number of other parks nearby, under the control of Manchester City Council. These include several dirt and race tracks for BMX biking, a number of bowling greens, two farms, horse riding centres, a water sports training centre, tennis courts and more than one hundred football pitches. It's little wonder then that Manchester makes such a popular destination for outdoor activities.

Another quintessentially summer activity which Manchester does particularly well is cricket. Why not spend a day - or several, depending on the game - enjoying the cricket at Old Trafford Cricket Ground. Since its foundation in 1864, Old Trafford Cricket Ground - or simply Old Trafford as it is more commonly referred to - has been the home of Lancashire Cricket Club, one of the UK's most famous cricket clubs.

If sport isn't your thing why not take advantage of one of the many music festivals taking place in Manchester. Some of the most popular include Mad Ferret Festival which takes place in June and most famously the Manchester International Festival which usually takes place in biennially in July. The festival features a number of performances from music articles as well as artists from the performing and visual arts fields. And if that doesn't tickly your fancy, there is always the counter-festival, Not part of the Manchester International Festival, an alternative to the popular Manchester spectacle which usually runs a few days afterwards.

Other popular Manchester summer festivals include Summer in the Park and the Manchester Mega Mela, a festival focused entirely to the celebration of South Asian culture and music.

Regardless of which festivals you choose to attend - if any - you can be sure, Manchester will offer plenty to do and see, with the numerous restaurants, bars and hotels in Manchester sure to cater for the remainder of your needs.

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