From the neo-Gothic grandeur of the town hall to the imposing glass blade of Beetham Tower, Manchester's skyline is truly a sight to behold.

We might be waving goodbye to the big wheel in Piccadilly Gardens soon but luckily there are plenty of other vantage points with views to rival it.

Here are 10 of our favourites - most are open to the public while others can be booked for private events.

Cloud 23

Nowhere else in Manchester can boast such incredible, wraparound views of the city’s skyline as the Hilton hotel’s cocktail bar, on the 23rd floor of the skyscraping Beetham Tower.

The views are prettiest after sundown, when you can watch the lights twinkle beneath you, but it’s also a great place for afternoon tea. The floor-to-ceiling windows look out over the Peaks, the Pennines, the Cheshire plains and beyond.

Manchester House

The level 12 lounge bar at celeb chef Aiden Byrne’s fine dining restaurant in Spinningfields boasts knock-out views of the city below. While tables in the restaurant often get booked up months in advance, no reservations are required at the lounge so you can just rock up and enjoy a cocktail while admiring the vista.

Great John Street Hotel

The boutique hotel has a south-facing roof terrace with sweeping views over the city, which is open to the public. There is also a private residents’ area for hotel guests with a hot tub and sun loungers.

King Street Townhouse (coming soon)

Opening this summer under the same ownership as the Great John Street Hotel, the King Street Townhouse will have a rooftop infinity pool as well as a south-facing roof garden and event space.

The pool will offer a panoramic view of the city centre skyline, looking over to the town hall and the Beetham Tower skyscraper, according to an artist’s impression of the space.

Other hotels coming soon and bringing more rooftop terraces with them include Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville's Stock Exchange project and Hotel Gotham's Club Brass - although you'll have to be members to enjoy their views.

Skylounge at Doubletree

Hotel Skylounge: Views of Manchester from our SkyLounge.

This private penthouse event space on the 11th floor of the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel, near Piccadilly station, offers striking views of the city’s surrounding architecture, looking out across the Grade II-listed Minshull Street court buildings and beyond.

The Light

The 15th floor penthouse of the Church Street aparthotel boasts its own private roof terrace and hot tub with incredible views of the city. Inside there are also floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the Northern Quarter and beyond. For booking enquiries click here.

Heaven at Hotel Football

Heaven on the rooftop of Hotel Football in Old Trafford

Manchester’s newest rooftop space boasts a football pitch and retractable roof as well as breathtaking views of Old Trafford and the city beyond. Situated on the 12th floor of Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville’s Hotel Football, the astro-turfed area is open on match days with a barbecue and bar for £40 per person and can also be booked for private parties and functions.

Imperial War Museum North’s Air Shard

Standing 100ft tall, the Air Shard tower (visible to the left of the photo above) has become one of the most recognisable works of architecture in Greater Manchester since the Imperial War Museum North opened in 2002, and italso offers one of the best views of the skyline around it. It only costs £1.20 to climb up to the viewing platform, where you can look out over the Manchester Ship Canal, across the Quays, and beyond to Manchester city centre.

The Wheel of Manchester

Manchester’s giant ferris wheel gives a bird’s eye view of the city from 100ft up in the sky over Piccadilly Gardens. If you haven’t already taken a spin, you’d better hurry though - it’s being dismantled and removed from Piccadilly Gardens on April 12 and may never return to the city. Rides cost from £2 to £9 or you can pay £45 to have a pod all to yourself, with VIP packages available from £50 to £70.

Manchester Town Hall clock tower

The view from Manchester Town Hall's clock tower

The neo-Gothic grandeur of the town hall is a sight to behold in itself but the views from the top of its clock tower are something else altogether. Rising over 280ft above Albert Square, the tower is one of the best vantage points in the city and is well worth the long climb up the spiral staircase. Tours are operated by Manchester Guided Tours and New Manchester Walks and cost £9 plus booking fees.