Manchester University, any information/experiences on the city?

I am seriously thinking about applying to Manchester University to do medicine next year. I have heard good things about the surrounding city from teachers and friends, but I am worried I will see it differently to them. I won’t get a chance to visit the place until very close to my application is supposed to be handed in, so I am doing all the research I can to find out more about it.

I live in London and I adore it, I like the elegance and shoddiness all at once, everything from Oxford St to the little artsy fartsy cafes on my road, I cannot explain it but I have been here my whole life and am unwilling to leave, but at the same time I want to take the risk and go live somewhere new.

What is Manchester like? The area around Man. Uni specifically? Comparisons to London if you are able to make any?

What about racial/ethnic diversity/acceptance (very big factor for me), shopping, entertainment, culture, arts, public transport, parks, are there a lot of trees, dog shit on the floor..? ahah I don’t know, anything and everything you could tell me would be fantastic!

Medicine is going to be rough as it is, I just want to make sure living in an entirely different place isn’t too stressful either.
Thanks.