British city is named OASIS of culture by Lonely Planet travel experts
BOOMTOWN: Manchester has muscled in as one of the top 10 cities to visit in 2016.
If you're one of the many Brits yet to take a bite of the big apple or eat a baguette under the Eiffel Tower, don't fret.
One of the must-see cities for 2016 is right on your doorstep.
Lonely Planet's Best in Travel publication has named Manchester in one of the world's top 10 cities to visit next year.
Heralded as "the UK's cultural boomtown," the book says that the once industrial giant "has found a new groove for the 21st-century as a dynamo of culture and the arts."
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A respected travel guide, Lonely Planet credits the Manchester Government investment for boosting the appeal of the bucket-list city.
It states: "(The Government) has committed £78 million to build The Factory, a new, multi-purpose arts space that will include a 2,200-seat theatre and will be the permanent home of the Manchester International Festival."
The city's football heritage - which boasts Premier League sides Manchester City and Manchester United - was also noted along with its boutique shops on South King Street and the 'industrial chic' dining room at Manchester House.
The dynamic city secured the eighth spot on the coveted list, rising above Rome at number 10.
James Smart, Lonely Planet's destination editor for the UK and Ireland, said: "Manchester has transformed in recent years, with inspirational new openings, the reinvention of existing spaces and vast investment.
"Whatever experience travellers are after - culture, sport, shopping, nightlife - they won't come away from Manchester disappointed. The city has something to offer everyone."
Dublin was also named third on the list and described as a location that "pulsates with youthful vibrancy."
The list was devised by Lonely Planet's experts based on exciting developments, destinations with "a lot of buzz" and special events to come next year.