Liverpool
For years I rather dismissed Liverpool.Not because there was anything particularly wrong with it, but because like many people my opinion had been formed by newspaper headlines from the 1980s. Strikes. Unemployment. Crime. Football hooligans. Derek Hatton.
The sort of place where you'd lock the car, lock it again, then wonder if you ought to have brought a bigger lock and hope you still had four wheels attached when you returned.
How wrong can one person be?
Liverpool has undergone an astonishing transformation over the last thirty years. It hasn't forgotten its industrial past, but it has embraced it rather than tried to hide it. Former dock buildings that once handled cargo from every corner of the globe now house museums, restaurants, cafés and apartments. Warehouses have become hotels. Historic buildings have been lovingly restored rather than bulldozed.Unlike some cities that have spent millions trying to reinvent themselves, Liverpool still feels authentic. It doesn't seem to be pretending to be something it isn't.
Scousers have a reputation for humour. Ask for directions and you're just as likely to receive a joke as an answer. Usually you'll get both.
One thing that quickly becomes obvious is just how proud Liverpudlians are of their city. They don't simply like Liverpool—they absolutely adore it. Mention London and they'll usually explain why Liverpool is better.
Another pleasant surprise is the value for money. Many of the city's best attractions are completely free, including several world-class museums
Liverpool isn't just about The Beatles, although you could easily spend several days following in their footsteps. It isn't just about football either, despite what supporters of either club might tell you.
It's a city of magnificent architecture, maritime history, culture, music, museums, waterfront views, impressive churches, excellent shopping and enough places to eat and drink to ensure you'll never go hungry.
Getting There
Liverpool is served by Liverpool John Lennon Airport, around eight miles south-east of the city centre. It's not enormous, you won't need hiking boots to walk from one end to the other and you don't feel as though you're taking part in an endurance event simply to reach passport control.
Unlike many airports, there isn't a railway station directly attached to the terminal. Before you start muttering darkly about local planning departments, don't worry—the buses are frequent, reliable and inexpensive.
The Arriva 500 Airport Express provides the quickest connection to Liverpool ONE bus station, taking around 30 minutes depending upon traffic. Services generally operate every 15 minutes during the day. An adult single fare is a very reasonable £2.00, £1.40 for under 19's
If you're arriving by train, Liverpool Lime Street Station couldn't really be much better positioned. Step outside and you're immediately facing the magnificent St George's Hall. Walk downhill for ten minutes and you'll reach Liverpool ONE shopping centre. Continue for another five minutes and you're standing on the famous waterfront.
Trains arrive from London Euston in around two hours and twenty minutes, while regular services connect Liverpool with Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham, Norwich, North Wales and Scotland.
If you're driving, Liverpool is well connected by the M62, M57 and M58 motorways.
A word of warning though. The city centre contains enough one-way systems, bus lanes and enthusiastic parking enforcement officers to provide gainful employment for an army of traffic wardens. Take your time, pay attention to the signs and don't automatically assume that every street allows cars. Increasingly, they don't. Parking isn't particularly cheap in the city centre but there are numerous multi-storey car parks around Liverpool ONE, Albert Dock and the business district.
My advice?
Once you've parked, leave the car exactly where it is. You'll spend far more time enjoying Liverpool on foot than you ever will driving around it.
Getting Around
One of Liverpool's greatest assets is that you don't actually need to "get around" very much.
Unlike London, where a trip to the nearest attraction often involves three Underground lines, two escalators and a mortgage to pay the fare, Liverpool's city centre is refreshingly compact. Once you've reached the centre, you'll find yourself walking almost everywhere.
The route from Lime Street Station to the waterfront is almost entirely downhill, of course coming back it's uphill and after a long day - well!!
Merseyrail
Liverpool's metro railway, Merseyrail, doesn't receive the same publicity as London's Tube but it's arguably one of Britain's most efficient urban rail networks. The trains are generally clean, frequent and punctual, connecting the city centre with Southport, Formby, Crosby, New Brighton, Chester, Ellesmere Port, Ormskirk and many other destinations.Unlike the London Underground, you rarely feel as though you're being packed into a moving sardine tin. As an added bonus, it's very cheap. Single fares start from £2.60, return from £2.80, a daily off peak rover ticket, covering the entire network is a very cheap £6.40. You can just tap and go with a contactless card with a daily maximum charge of £10.55
What To See
The Waterfront
If Liverpool had a front room, this would be it. Everything seems to happen here. Visitors stroll along the promenade, cyclists weave expertly between pedestrians, musicians perform for spare change, ferries come and go, children chase pigeons that have absolutely no intention of being caught, and every few minutes somebody stops to photograph the skyline.
The stretch between the Royal Albert Dock and the Pier Head isn't especially long, but allow yourself far longer than you think you'll need.
And occasionally because you simply want to sit on one of the benches and watch the River Mersey doing what rivers have done remarkably well for thousands of years—flowing.
Unlike London's Thames, where much of the river disappears behind office blocks and apartment developments, Liverpool positively celebrates its waterfront.
Today, instead of cargo ships unloading cotton, tobacco and timber from around the world, you'll see cruise liners, ferries, pleasure boats and the occasional naval vessel.
Royal Albert Dock
If there is one place that defines modern Liverpool, it's here. Opened in 1846, the Albert Dock was revolutionary. Rather than constructing warehouses from timber, which had an unfortunate habit of catching fire, the engineers built them almost entirely from brick, cast iron and stone.Not only did they create one of the safest dock complexes in the world, they also created one of Britain's finest examples of Victorian industrial architecture.
By the 1970s the docks had fallen into decline.
Container ships had become larger, trade patterns had changed and Liverpool's once bustling docks stood largely abandoned. Many cities would probably have demolished them. Thankfully, Liverpool didn't. Instead, they were restored, transformed and given a completely new purpose.
Today the old warehouses are home to museums, cafés, restaurants, bars, shops, hotels and apartments. It's difficult to imagine a more successful regeneration project. Spend an hour wandering around the dock and you'll quickly appreciate why it's one of the city's biggest attractions.
Unlike many modern developments, nothing feels artificial.
There are plenty of places to enjoy a coffee while watching the world drift past.
If the sun happens to be shining—and let's be honest, this is still north-west England, so don't take it for granted—the Albert Dock becomes one of the most pleasant places to spend an afternoon.
By evening the whole area takes on a different character.
The warehouses are illuminated, restaurants become busier, outdoor tables fill up and the waterfront acquires a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.
You may arrive intending to spend an hour here, don't be surprised if you're still here three hours later wondering where the afternoon went.
The Three Graces
If you've ever seen a postcard of Liverpool, there's a very good chance you've already seen the Three Graces.
Standing proudly on the Pier Head, these three magnificent buildings are probably the city's most recognisable landmark and together form one of the finest waterfront skylines anywhere in Europe.
The three buildings complement each other beautifully despite being completely different in style. Collectively they tell the story of Liverpool's wealth, ambition and confidence during the height of the British Empire.
Stand on the opposite side of the Mersey and the view is magnificent. Stand directly in front of them and you'll probably spend half your time looking upwards.
The Royal Liver Building
Let's start with the most famous of the trio. Completed in 1911, the Royal Liver Building was one of the first large buildings in the world to be constructed using reinforced concrete.At the time it must have looked astonishingly modern. Even today it dominates Liverpool's skyline. The building is crowned by two enormous Liver Birds. No, they're not eagles. No, they're not cormorants.
And no, nobody really seems entirely certain what a Liver Bird actually is. It's a mythical creature unique to Liverpool and has become the city's symbol.
Legend has it that one bird watches over the sailors at sea, while the other keeps an eye on the people of Liverpool.
The building's four clock faces are larger than those of Big Ben, something Liverpudlians are always delighted to tell visitors, whether you wanted to know or not.
Today you can visit the Royal Liver Building Experience, which includes an exhibition about the building's history before taking visitors to the tenth and fifteenth floors for panoramic views across Liverpool and the River Mersey.
Cunard Building
Standing alongside the Liver Building is the elegant Cunard Building. Where the Liver Building exudes confidence, the Cunard Building positively oozes class. Completed in 1917 as the headquarters of the famous Cunard Steamship Company, it reflects the days when Liverpool was one of the world's busiest passenger ports.
This was where thousands of hopeful emigrants began new lives across the Atlantic.
The building's Italian Renaissance design gives it a distinctly continental appearance and many visitors assume it's older than it actually is. Take time to notice the intricate stone carvings and decorative details.
Port of Liverpool Building
The third member of the Three Graces is perhaps the least photographed, which is a little unfair because it's every bit as attractive as its more famous neighbours. Completed in 1907, it served as the headquarters of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board.
Its magnificent central dome dominates the interior while the exterior is decorated with columns, sculptures and elaborate stonework.
If the Royal Liver Building represents Liverpool's confidence and the Cunard Building symbolises its global connections, the Port of Liverpool Building reminds visitors exactly where all that wealth came from.
Museum of Liverpool
Now here's something I didn't expect. Museums devoted entirely to one city can sometimes be a little... worthy. You know the sort of thing, cabinets full of Victorian teaspoons, several hundred pieces of pottery. An old tax receipt from 1847. A display explaining the history of municipal drainage.
Interesting, perhaps, if you happen to be researching Victorian sewerage.
Not exactly riveting for everyone else.
Thankfully, the Museum of Liverpool avoids all those traps.
It's one of the best city museums I've visited. Better still ... admission is completely free.
Housed in a striking modern building overlooking the Mersey, the museum tells Liverpool's story from its origins as a small fishing settlement through its rise as one of the world's greatest ports, right up to the present day.
The displays are imaginative, interactive and varied.
You'll find exhibits covering immigration, sport, music, transport, social history and popular culture.
Naturally, The Beatles feature prominently, so does football - this is Liverpool after all.
One of my favourite galleries explores everyday life in the city. Rather than concentrating solely on famous people and grand events, it looks at ordinary Liverpudlians and how they lived. Some of the recreated shops and homes are wonderfully nostalgic.
Depending upon your age, you'll either smile knowingly or ask someone older what half the objects actually are.
The museum also explains Liverpool's role in the transatlantic slave trade, it doesn't shy away from the subject, nor should it. The city's wealth brought enormous prosperity but also came at a terrible human cost. It's an important part of Liverpool's history and deserves to be acknowledged honestly.
If you only have time to visit one museum during your stay, this would be my recommendation.
It provides the perfect introduction to understanding Liverpool and everything else you'll see during your visit.
The Mersey Ferry
There are certain things you simply have to do when visiting particular cities. You don't go to Venice and refuse to travel by gondola. You don't visit Edinburgh and ignore the castle. You don't travel to Blackpool and wonder what all the fuss is about a tower.And you certainly don't visit Liverpool without taking the ferry across the Mersey.
Whether you're of a certain age and immediately start humming Gerry and the Pacemakers or you're too young to know what I'm talking about, the Mersey Ferry is one of Liverpool's great experiences.
The circular River Explorer Cruise lasts around fifty minutes, departing hourly from the Pier Head before calling at Seacombe and Woodside on the Wirral. Adults (16+) £14.00, Concessions £12.50, Child (5-15) £9.00
The best seats are undoubtedly outside on the upper deck, even if it's a little chilly. Bring a coat rather than spending the entire voyage looking through slightly grubby windows.
You'll enjoy it far more.
The panoramic views of Liverpool's skyline are magnificent and you'll also gain a better appreciation of just how large the docks once were.
Evening sunset cruises with prosecco and live music operate Friday, Saturday and Sundays from May to October, obviously times vary, cost is £25.00 a head and the cruise lasts around 2½ hours
Merseyside Maritime Museum
If there's one museum that perfectly explains why Liverpool became one of Britain's greatest cities, it's this one. Located in one of the Albert Dock warehouses, the Merseyside Maritime Museum tells the story of ships, sailors, merchants, emigrants and explorers who passed through Liverpool over the centuries.
Like many of Liverpool's museums... admission is free.
You could spend an hour here, or you could spend an entire afternoon. It depends how fascinated you are by maritime history.
One gallery explains the development of the docks and how Liverpool became one of the busiest ports in the world, another explores life at sea.
There are displays covering merchant shipping, wartime convoys, customs officers, shipbuilding and life aboard ocean liners.
Particularly moving are the exhibitions dealing with the Titanic.
Equally powerful are the displays examining the Battle of the Atlantic.
During the Second World War Liverpool became Britain's principal convoy port. Without the supplies arriving through the Mersey, Britain's chances of survival would have been considerably reduced. It's a fascinating chapter in the city's history.
The Beatles Story
Let's address the elephant in the room, or perhaps I should say ... The Fab Four.It would be perfectly possible to spend an entire weekend in Liverpool doing nothing except Beatles-related attractions.
There are enough museums, tours, houses, statues, murals, pubs, cafés and souvenir shops to keep even the most devoted fan occupied for days.
If you only visit one, make it The Beatles Story at the Albert Dock.
It's professionally presented, thoughtfully designed and manages to appeal to both lifelong fans and people who simply know that one of them married Yoko Ono.
The exhibition follows the band's story from childhood through Hamburg, The Cavern Club, Beatlemania, worldwide fame and eventual breakup. Along the way you'll encounter recreated streets, recording studios and memorabilia.
The audio guide is included in the admission price and is narrated by John Lennon's sister, Julia Baird.
You'll discover plenty of lesser-known stories behind songs you've probably heard hundreds of times.
The recreated Cavern Club is particularly atmospheric.
Their story isn't just about music, it's about four ordinary young men from Liverpool who somehow became the most famous band in history.
Times are seasonal but summer opening is 09:30 - 18:30, last admission 17:00
Adults (16+) £20.00, Concessions £16.00, Child (5-15) £11.00
The Cavern Quarter
Eventually, every visitor ends up in Mathew Street, usually because they're looking for the Cavern Club.
Occasionally because they took a wrong turning. The street is packed with Beatles references.
There are statues, wall plaques, live music, gift shops and more Beatles souvenirs than you thought could possibly exist.
And, of course, The Cavern Club itself.
Strictly speaking, today's Cavern isn't the exact original. The original cellar was demolished during construction work in the 1970s. However, the current venue has been rebuilt using many original bricks and occupies almost exactly the same location.
Walk downstairs and you'll immediately understand why musicians loved it.
Liverpool Cathedral
Liverpool Cathedral is one of the finest buildings in Britain.Officially known as the Cathedral Church of Christ, construction began in 1904 and wasn't finally completed until 1978. Seventy-four years.
Designed by Giles Gilbert Scott when he was only 22 years old, it's the largest cathedral in Britain and one of the largest Anglican cathedrals anywhere in the world.
Admission to the cathedral is free.
If you're reasonably fit, consider paying the small additional charge to visit the Cathedral Tower. (£7.00)
After climbing—or taking the lift for most of the journey—you'll be rewarded with spectacular views across Liverpool, the Mersey, the Wirral and, on a clear day, into North Wales.
Metropolitan Cathedral
Now for something completely different.Walk for around fifteen minutes from the Anglican Cathedral and you'll arrive at another cathedral that couldn't possibly be more different if someone had designed it on another planet.
Officially called the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, most people simply call it "Paddy's Wigwam."
Don't worry, the Catholics don't seem to mind.
Completed in 1967, its circular modern design divided opinion from the very beginning.
Some people think it's magnificent, others think it resembles a giant space rocket that landed by mistake.
Personally ... I rather like it, it's bold and it's different.
And unlike many modern buildings, it has real character.
Hope Street
The road connecting Liverpool's two cathedrals is appropriately named Hope Street.
Whether the name was deliberately chosen because it links the Anglican and Catholic cathedrals is open to debate.
It's a lovely story though, so let's not spoil it.
Hope Street is one of Liverpool's most attractive roads with elegant Georgian houses, independent restaurants and traditional pubs.
It has a relaxed atmosphere that's very different from the bustle of the waterfront. If you're looking for somewhere to eat in the evening, this is an excellent place to start.
St George's Hall
Standing proudly opposite Lime Street Station, it's impossible to miss. Completed in 1854, the building combines concert hall, law courts and civic monument in one magnificent package. Its enormous Corinthian columns wouldn't look out of place in ancient Rome.Stand at the top of the steps and turn around, you'll have one of the finest views in Liverpool.
Behind you sits St George's Hall, ahead of you stretches Lime Street.
To either side are more impressive Victorian buildings.
The Great Hall possesses one of the world's finest Minton tiled floors, normally protected beneath a wooden floor but revealed on special occasions.
The concert hall still hosts performances today and guided tours allow visitors to explore the magnificent interiors, prison cells beneath the building and former courtrooms.
Football
Let's deal with this carefully.
If you're a Liverpool supporter, Anfield is the centre of the footballing universe. If you're an Everton supporter, it's merely somewhere that blocks the sunlight.
Fortunately, both sets of fans possess an excellent sense of humour. Usually.
Even if you couldn't tell Mohamed Salah from Mo Salah's fish and chip shop, Liverpool's football heritage is impossible to ignore.
Two clubs, more than twenty league titles, multiple European Cups. Millions of supporters around the world.
It's woven into the fabric of the city.
Anfield
Whether you're a football fan or not, Anfield is an impressive place. Opened in 1884, it actually began life as Everton's ground before Liverpool FC came into existence.
Football history is full of little twists like that.
Today the stadium holds around 61,000 spectators and, on match days, the whole district seems to come alive.
Scarves appear in every shop window, pubs overflow. Street traders suddenly materialise selling everything from programmes to questionable-looking burgers.
If you've never experienced "You'll Never Walk Alone" sung by a packed Anfield before kick-off, it's genuinely moving.
The stadium tour is, supposedly, one of the best in the country.
Longer if you're travelling with someone who insists on photographing every trophy from six different angles.
Everton Stadium
For well over 130 years Everton called Goodison Park home. One of English football's most famous grounds, it hosted World Cup matches in 1966, countless international fixtures and generations of loyal supporters.
But football moves on and Everton's magnificent new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock now stands proudly on Liverpool's northern waterfront.It's a spectacular piece of architecture.
Built into one of the city's historic docklands, it somehow manages to look both ultra-modern and entirely at home among the old brick warehouses. Even if you're not an Everton supporter, it's worth seeing simply because it demonstrates yet again how Liverpool has transformed its waterfront without forgetting its past. Be warned it's a bugger to get to with no neaby public transport.
A Word About Match Days, If Liverpool or Everton are playing at home ...
Plan ahead.
Roads become busy.
Trains become busy.
Pubs become extremely busy.
Hotels become more expensive.
On the plus side, the atmosphere throughout the city is wonderful.
Port Sunlight
About twenty minutes from Liverpool lies one of Britain's most remarkable villages.Port Sunlight wasn't built by the local council, nor by wealthy aristocrats. It was created by soap manufacturer William Lever for the workers at his nearby factory.
Now before you picture endless rows of identical terraced houses, forget that idea immediately.
Every few streets the architecture changes:-
Tudor.
Arts and Crafts.
Half-timbered cottages.
Georgian influences.
Beautiful gardens.
Wide avenues.
It's less like an industrial village and more like somebody built an ideal English community from a storybook. There are over 900 listed buildings.
The Lady Lever Art Gallery is outstanding and houses works by Turner, Constable, Millais and many other great artists.
Admission is free.
If you're interested in architecture, history or simply pleasant places to wander for an afternoon, Port Sunlight is highly recommended.
(prices quoted correct as at August 2026)
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