Think of Liverpool and The Beatles will likely spring to mind, but there’s more to this city than the famous 4. Its waterfront is a designated World Heritage Site, it has two Premier League football teams and there are enough restaurants and shops to keep you busy for ages. Plus, some trains to Liverpool from Manchester take less than 40 minutes and it’s an hour and a half from Leeds. Of course, if you are interested in finding out more about John, Paul, George and Ringo, there are plenty of ways to do that too.
Arriving into Liverpool Lime Street you’ll find plenty of connections for onward travel. Mersey Travel will keep you on the move by bus, local train or ferry and if you're travelling to Liverpool Airport, catch the airport bus from outside the train station.
For unlimited bus travel around the city, buy a Liverpool Plusbus ticket with your train ticket for £3.90 (£2.60 with a railcard). Taxis, short and long stay parking, plus an open-top bus tour provide other ways to get around Liverpool.
Tate Liverpool is the North's most prominent home of modern art and its 3 floors host a rolling schedule of celebrated exhibitions. For those who don’t know their Warhol from their Weiwei, there are regular guided tours on offer. You could also nip over to the newly-built Museum of Liverpool too. Roll up, Roll up for the Magical Mystery Tour a fascinating and fun bus trip that includes a visit to John and Paul’s old houses, and finishes up at the legendary Cavern Club. Liverpool Cathedral also impresses on an otherworldly scale and continues to be one of the most-popular things to do in Liverpool.
If you have a taste for the finer things in life, combined with a head for heights, then Panoramic 34 is a must-visit. Liverpool’s highest eatery serves food as spectacular as the views The gastronomically minded will want to check out Paul Askew’s The Art School, named as one of the Sunday Times Top 100 Restaurants of 2017. They have full vegetarian and vegan menus alongside their standard prix fixe and a la carte offerings. The café at Bluecoat, Liverpool’s Centre for Contemporary Arts, meanwhile, offers up simple fare in very creative surroundings And if it’s true Italian hospitality you’re after, then Gusto at the Albert Dock is the place to go.
Of all the places to stay in Liverpool, the Hope Street Hotel with its pine beams, exposed brick walls and iron pillars is one of the coolest. The Shankly Hotel offers luxurious accommodation that’s almost as unique as its namesake. Memorabilia is displayed throughout the reception area including Bill Shankly’s original contract, hand-written notes and letters that were sent to the former Liverpool coaching great. The Nadler offers the chance to stay at a chic boutique hotel at a much lower price. It has no bar or restaurant but does include cooking facilities. Or why not stay at The Titanic Hotel on the newly redeveloped Albert Dock. Housed in a former warehouse it offers vast rooms, bare brick walls and large iron framed windows.
The beautiful Georgian Quarter is a wonder. Come here for local brews, irresistible cheap eats and frequent live music. Lift off aboard a ferry ‘cross the Mersey to the Spaceport at Seacombe for a unique day out for would-be astronauts of all ages. Part-science museum, part-interactive exhibition, there’s tons to do. Whilst you’re down by the docks, the more adventurous can try their hand a wake boarding at Liverpool Wake Park. It doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner, experienced nor how fit you are, all that matters is everyone has a brill time. One for the over 18s only is the crazy colourful world of Ghetto Golf. This crazy space is housed within Cains Brewey and offers everything you could want for a fun packed afternoon or evening of play; crazy golf, cocktails, street food, and DJs, what more could you need?
MetQuarter is home to a number of great brands – shop here for the perfect designer gear. Any Liverpool shopping excursion has to include a trip to Bold Street. Known locally as the coolest road in Liverpool, it’s vibrant and bohemian; take a break, grab a coffee and get people watching. The Beauty Bazaar by Harvey Nichols is the ultimate beauty destination. And don’t miss Liverpool ONE. It’s a one-stop-shop for your leisure needs, with restaurants, bars, boutiques and a multiplex cinema. For more independent boutiques and cafes and head to the Victorian grade II listed Wayfarers Arcade.
For more ideas on what to do in Liverpool, check out Visit Liverpool.
Go behind the screens of famous TV shows and films that were filmed in Liverpool