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If Manchester can be said to have a centre, it's St Peter's Square and the cluster of buildings focused on it. South of here, the former Central Station now functions as the G-Mex exhibition centre, with the Hallé orchestra's home, Bridgewater Hall , opposite; Chinatown (Britain's largest) and the Gay Village are just a short walk to the east; while to the northeast, the revamped Piccadilly Gardens provides access to the so-called Northern Quarter , the funkiest of the regenerated inner-city areas. To the southwest is the Castlefield district, site of the Museum of Science and Industry . Eastern spine of the city is Deansgate , which runs from Castlefield to the Cathedral and, in its northern environs, displays the most dramatic core of urban regeneration in the country, centred on Exchange Square . Other city-centre diversions string out along the main southern artery Oxford Road . Southwest of the centre, trams run out to Salford Quays where the renovated docks and quays now maintain two high-profile visitor attractions, The Lowry arts centre and the Imperial War Museum North ; and no soccer fan will want to miss the tour of nearby Old Trafford , home of Manchester United.

Year-round, two-hour guided walks (£4) can be booked at the Visitor Centre in St Peter's Square - there are usually two or three departures a week.