Manchester

• Best use: A good curry and one indoor stop make a useful Manchester afternoon. Choose This & That for a quick central meal, Richmond Tea Rooms for a deliberately slower tea, or Mughli for a booked Rusholme dinner.
• Choose by day: John Rylands opens Wednesday–Saturday. It cannot be the default attraction on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday.
• Big mistake: Adding the library, a food hall, Curry Mile and football to one short awake window. Choose the meal or visit that matters most.
• What to skip: A stadium exterior detour when football isn't your interest, or a long walk in the rain just to reach another café.

Getting back before pickup

Set your accommodation as the start and end of the outing. Check both journeys, waiting and any connections before leaving. Set a leave-by alarm that gets you back with time for rest and preparation before your required crew pickup. Cut the extra stop if the return becomes uncertain.

• Tram: Use the Bee Network journey planner for the correct line and any changes. With contactless, tap in before boarding and tap out at the end of a tram journey; a bank card and its phone-wallet version are different payment devices. Use the same one throughout. Buy the appropriate ticket before boarding if not using contactless.

• Money: Pay in GBP, check service charges before tipping and carry a backup payment method. The outing budgets below separate food from your actual transport fare.

• Rusholme and the Quays: Add the outward and return journey separately. Neither is an extra central street to squeeze in after lunch. Match-day crowds can change the journey.