For a night on the town (Manchester): The Northern Quarter has long been known as the “creative quarter” of Manchester – the home of many fashion designers, creative agencies, art galleries and quirky retailers. The area has a handful of great bars and restaurants making it a cool and vibrant area to hang out.

For music lovers (Manchester): Piccadilly Records is the main independent record shop in Manchester and is located on the fashionable Oldham Street in the city centre. It has a good range of CDs and vinyl catering for people of all tastes and is a great place for finding out about new artists. This is the best place to go if you want to pick up something that you probably wouldn’t find in HMV.

To get the oldies off your back (Manchester): Take a stroll through the beautiful Manchester Cathedral which is ideally situated on Victoria Street in central Manchester. This Cathedral was constructed over a period of 600 years and is a beautiful place to visit.

To experience history and music (Manchester): Go on a Manchester Music Tour – an exclusive tour of landmarks synonymous with the Manchester music scene. See the sights of the city that inspired the Manchester music scene and made it the envy of the world. The tour around Manchester will be on foot and will last approximately 2 hours.

To get in touch with your inner-student (Manchester): Make sure you party at the Academy Club which hosts four different venues within Manchester University, featuring local surprise artists as well as the bigger bands travelling through town like N.E.R.D, The Streets and The Ting Tings.

For Beatle lovers (Liverpool): The Mathew St Festival coincides with the Creamfields weekend. The event is in celebration of the Beatles. This music extravaganza goes for two days and features six stages of bands playing everything from British classics to brand new tunes.

To visit an epic venue (Liverpool): Check out the Barfly Club on Seel St. New bands that have just started or have just been signed perform at this venue. Barfly has been around for years and every single band that’s ever started out and gotten big in Liverpool has played here at some point.

For more music history (Liverpool): Make sure you attend The Beat Goes On exhibition. This exhibition highlights the remarkable achievements of Merseyside artists from across the years; people who have influenced generations of musicians. Hear about the different cultural and musical traditions within the region and its vibrant music and club scenes.

The famous Albert Dock (Liverpool): A 19th Century warehouse, this is an award-winning attraction housing cafés, bars, restaurants and shops. It is home to the Beatles Shop, where you can buy Beatles memorabilia and souvenirs while enjoying the Beatles hits being played on an original 1960s jukebox.

For aquatic enthusiasts (Liverpool): Set sail and drop anchor for a fun day out at Merseyside Maritime Museum. Explore the large and varied collections that reflect the seafaring importance of Liverpool as a gateway to the world.