Wedged between serene North Wales and the even-more-serene Lake District, Liverpool provides an opportunity to sample the “real” England, and is the best look at urban England outside of London.
Beatles fans flock to Liverpool to learn about the Fab Four’s early days, but the city has much more to offer: most notably an excellent maritime-history museum and two good art museums, as well as a pair of striking cathedrals, a dramatic skyline mingling old red-brick nautical buildings and glassy new skyscrapers, and—most of all—the charm of the Liverpudlians.
Sitting at the mouth of the River Mersey in the metropolitan county of Merseyside, Liverpool has long been a major shipping center. Its port played a key role in several centuries of world history—as a point in the “triangular trade” of African slaves, a gateway for millions of New World-bound European emigrants, and a staging ground for the British Navy’s Battle of the Atlantic against the Nazis’ U-boat fleet. But Liverpool was devastated physically by WWII bombs, then economically by the advent of container shipping in the 1960s. Liverpudlians looked on helplessly as postwar recovery resources were steered elsewhere, the city’s substantial wartime contributions seemingly ignored.
Despite the pride and attention garnered in the 1960s by a certain quartet of favorite sons, Liverpool continued to decline through the 1970s and ‘80s. The Toxteth Riots of 1981, sparked by the city’s dizzyingly high unemployment, brought worldwide attention to Liverpool’s troubles.
In recent years, however, things are finally looking up. The city’s status as the 2008 European Capital of Culture spurred major gentrification, EU funding, and a cultural renaissance. And, with some 50,000 students attending three universities in town, Liverpool is also a youthful city, with a pub or nightclub on every corner. Anyone who still thinks of Liverpool as a depressed industrial center is about a decade behind the times.
Liverpool deserves at least a few hours, but those willing to give it a full day or more won’t be disappointed.
For the quickest visit, focus your time at the Albert Dock, home to The Beatles Story, Merseyside Maritime Museum, Tate Gallery (for contemporary art lovers), and Museum of Liverpool. If time allows, consider a Beatles bus tour (departs from the Albert Dock).
A full day buys you time either to delve into the rest of the city (the rejuvenated urban core, the city’s cathedrals, and the Walker Art Gallery near the train station), to binge on more Beatles sights (the boyhood homes of John and Paul), or a bit of both.
If you’re here just for the Beatles, you can easily fill a day with Fab Four sights: Do the tour of John and Paul’s homes in the morning, then return to the Albert Dock to visit The Beatles Story. Take an afternoon bus tour from the Albert Dock to the other Beatles sights in town, winding up at the “Cavern Quarter” to enjoy a Beatles cover band in the reconstructed Cavern Club. (Beatles bus tours zip past the John and Paul houses from the outside, but visiting the interiors takes more time and should be reserved well in advance.)
International Beatles Week, celebrated in late August, is a very busy time in Liverpool, with lots of live musical performances.
With nearly a half-million people, Liverpool is Britain’s fifth-biggest city. But for visitors, most points of interest are concentrated in the generally pedestrian-friendly downtown area. You can walk from one end of this zone to the other in about 25 minutes. Since interesting sights and colorful neighborhoods are scattered throughout this area, it’s enjoyable to connect your sightseeing on foot. (Beatles sights, however, are spread far and wide—it’s much easier to connect them with a tour.)
Liverpool’s TI is at the Albert Dock (daily 10:00-17:30, Nov-March until 17:00, just inland from The Beatles Story, tel. 0151/707-0729, www.visitliverpool.com). Pick up the free, good city map and the comprehensive Liverpool Visitor Guide, which is crammed with updated lists of museums, hotels, restaurants, shops, and more.
By Train: Most trains use the main Lime Street train station. The station has eateries, shops, and baggage storage (per item: 3 hours-£3, 6 hours-£5, 24 hours-£7, Mon-Thu 7:00-21:00, Fri-Sun 7:00-23:00; most bus tours and private minivan/car tours are able to accommodate people with luggage). Note that regional trains also arrive at the much smaller, confusingly named Central Station, located just a few blocks south.
Getting to the Albert Dock: From Lime Street Station to the Albert Dock is about a 20-minute walk, or a quick trip by bus, subway, or taxi.
To walk, exit straight out the front door. On your right, you’ll see the giant, Neoclassical St. George’s Hall; the Walker Art Gallery is just beyond it. To reach the Albert Dock, go straight ahead across the street, then head down the hill between St. George’s Hall (on your right) and the big blob-shaped mall (on your left). This brings you to Queen Square Centre, a hub for buses. (The round pavilion with the “i” symbol is a transit info center—see “Getting Around Liverpool,” later.) From here, you can continue by bus (see below) or take a pleasant walk through Liverpool’s spiffed-up central core: Head around the right side of the transit-info pavilion, then turn left onto Whitechapel Street, which soon becomes a slick pedestrian zone lined with shopping malls. Follow this all the way down to the waterfront, where you’ll see the big red-brick warehouses of the Albert Dock.
To ride the bus, walk to Queen Square Centre (see directions above); for the most direct route to the Albert Dock, take bus #C5 from stall 9 (2/hour—see schedule posted next to stall, bus prices vary—from about £1.10/ride, £3.50 for all-day ticket).
You can also take a subway from Lime Street Station to James Street Station, then walk about five minutes to the Albert Dock (£1.15, also covered by BritRail pass). Note that some regional trains may pass through James Street Station before reaching Lime Street Station; if so, you can hop out here rather than riding to Lime Street.
A taxi from Lime Street Station to the Albert Dock costs about £5. Taxis wait outside either of the side doors of the station.
By Plane: From Liverpool John Lennon Airport, take bus #500 to the city center; it stops both at the Queen Square Centre bus hub and at Lime Street Station (2/hour, about £3). In front of the airport, look for the yellow submarine.
By Car: Drivers approaching Liverpool first follow signs to City Centre and Waterfront, then brown signs to Albert Dock, where you’ll find a huge pay parking lot at the dock. If coming from Wales, take the toll tunnel under the River Mersey (£1.70) and follow signs for Albert Dock.
The city is walkable (and fun to explore), so you may not need to take advantage of the local bus network. But if your feet need a rest, several city center buses swing around Liverpool, stopping at major sights. Of these, the most useful is #C3, which loops from the Albert Dock, up the hill to Chinatown and the Liverpool Cathedral, down Hope Street (with many recommended restaurants) to the Metropolitan Cathedral, past Lime Street Station and Queen Square Centre bus hub, and through the downtown area and the Beatles-focused Cavern Quarter (#C1 does a similar circle in the opposite direction). For more public-transit information, visit a Merseytravel center—there’s one at the main bus hub on Queen Square Centre (near Lime Street Station) and another at the Liverpool One bus station (1 Canning Place), across the busy street from the Albert Dock (both open Mon-Sat 8:30-18:00, Sun 10:00-17:00, tel. 0871-200-2233, www.merseytravel.gov.uk).
If you want to see as many Beatles-related sights as possible in a short time, these tours are the way to go. Each drives by the houses where the Fab Four grew up (exteriors only), places they performed, and spots made famous by the lyrics of their hits (“Penny Lane,” “Strawberry Fields,” the Eleanor Rigby graveyard, and so on). Even lukewarm fans will enjoy the commentary and seeing the shelter on the roundabout, the barber who shaves another customer, and the banker who never wears a mack in the pouring rain. (Very strange.)
Several cheaper private-taxi tours have popped up around Liverpool. While I’ve heard some good reports about them, the quality is less reliable, and some of the guides aren’t as well-versed in Beatles and Liverpool lore. I’d stick with the better-established companies listed below.
Magical Mystery Big Bus Tour—Beatles fans enjoy loading onto this old, psychedelically painted bus for a spin past Liverpool’s main Beatles landmarks, with a few photo ops off the bus. With an enthusiastic, live commentary and Beatles tunes cued to famous landmarks, it leaves people happy (£16, 1.75 hours; daily year-round at 14:00; April-Oct and off-season weekends and school holidays also at 11:30; often at other times as well—ask TI, call, or check online for schedule; buses depart from the Albert Dock near The Beatles Story and TI, tel. 0151/236-9091, www.beatlestour.org). As these tours often fill up, you’d be wise to book at least a day ahead by phone or through the TI (tel. 0151/707-0729).
Phil Hughes Minibus Beatles and Liverpool Tours—For something more extensive, fun, and intimate, consider a four-hour minibus Beatles tour from Phil Hughes. It’s longer because it includes information on historic Liverpool, along with the Beatles stuff and a couple of Titanic and Lusitania sights. Phil organizes his tour to fit your schedule and will do his best to accommodate you (£20/person, private group tour with 5-person minimum, can coordinate tour to include pickup from end of National Trust tour of Lennon and McCartney homes or drop-off for late-day tour starting at Speke Hall, 8-seat minibus, tel. 0151/228-4565, mobile 07961-511-223, www.tourliverpool.co.uk, tourliverpool@hotmail.com).
Jackie Spencer Private Tours—To tailor a visit to your schedule and interests, Jackie Spencer is at your service...just say when and where you want to go (up to 5 people in her minivan-£150, 2.5 hours, longer tours available, will pick you up at hotel or train station, mobile 0799-076-1478, www.beatleguides.com, jackie@beatleguides.com).
City Bus Tour—Two different hop-on, hop-off bus tours cruise around town, offering a quick way to get an overview that links all the major sights. The options are City Sightseeing (£10, buy ticket from driver, valid for 24 hours, recorded commentary, 14 stops, daily April-Oct 10:00-17:00, 3/hour, less frequent Nov-March, tel. 0151/203-3920, www.city-sightseeing.com) and City Explorer (£7, pay driver, ticket valid 24 hours, live guides, 12 stops; March-Oct daily 10:00-16:00, 2/hour; Nov-Feb daily 10:00-about 15:30—1/hour Mon-Fri, 2/hour Sat-Sun; tel. 0151/933-2324, www.cityexplorerliverpool.co.uk).
Ferry Cruise—Mersey Ferries offers narrated cruises that depart from the Pier Head ferry terminal, an easy five-minute walk north of the Albert Dock. The 50-minute cruise makes two brief stops on the other side of the river; you can hop off and catch the next boat back (£8 round-trip, runs year-round, Mon-Fri 10:00-15:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-18:00, leaves Pier Head at top of hour, café, WCs onboard, tel. 0151/330-1000, www.merseyferries.co.uk).
Yellow Duckmarine Harbor and City Tour—This company runs wacky one-hour tours of Liverpool’s waterfront, city, and docks by land and by sea in its amphibious WWII-era tourist assault vehicles. You’ll spend a half-hour on land, and a half-hour in the water (in the docks, not actually out on the River Mersey). Be prepared to quack (£10, increases to £15 in summer and on school holidays, £32 family ticket for 2 adults and 2 kids jumps to £40 in summer and on holidays, buy tickets at office on the Albert Dock near The Beatles Story, departs from the Albert Dock every 15-30 minutes daily 10:30-17:00, more frequently and until 18:00 on busy days, tel. 0151/708-7799, www.theyellowduckmarine.co.uk).
20 Forthlin Road (Paul McCartney’s Home)
▲Merseyside Maritime Museum and International Slavery Museum
At Pier Head, North of the Albert Dock
Beatles Sights in the “Cavern Quarter”
Museums near the Train Station
▲Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King (Catholic)
▲▲Liverpool Cathedral (Anglican)
John and Paul’s boyhood homes are now owned by the National Trust and have both been restored to how they looked during the lads’ 1950s childhoods. While some Beatles bus tours stop here for photo ops, only the National Trust minibus tour gets you inside the homes. This isn’t Graceland—you won’t find an over-the-top rock-and-roll extravaganza here. If you don’t know the difference between John and Paul, you’ll likely be bored. But for die-hard Beatles fans who want to get a glimpse into the time and place that created these musical masterminds, the National Trust tour is worth ▲▲▲.
Because the houses are in residential neighborhoods—and still share walls with neighbors—the National Trust runs only four tours per day (Wed-Sun) in summer, limited to 15 Beatlemaniacs each. Just 7,000 people pass through these doors each year.
Cost and Reservations: £20; because only 15 people are allowed on each tour, it’s smart to make a reservation ahead of time, especially for morning tours and on weekends. If you’re here in July, Aug, or any summer weekend or holiday, it’s smart to reserve up to two weeks ahead; at other times, a day or two in advance is usually enough. You can reserve online (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/beatles) or by calling 0151/427-7231. If you haven’t reserved ahead, you can try to book a same-day tour (for the morning tours, call 0151/707-0729). The last tour is less likely to be full because it takes 30 minutes (by car or taxi) to reach the tour’s starting point from central Liverpool—see below.
Tour Options: A National Trust minibus will take you first to John’s home, then Paul’s, with about 45 minutes inside each. From mid-March to Oct, tours run four times per day Wed-Sun (no tours Mon-Tue). Tours at 10:00, 11:00, and 14:15 follow a more scenic route that includes a quick pass by Penny Lane; these are more convenient, as they depart from the Jurys Inn at the Albert Dock (south across the bridge from The Beatles Story, near the Ferris wheel).
The 15:00 tour leaves from Speke Hall, an out-of-the-way National Trust property located eight miles southeast of Liverpool. Drivers should allow 30 minutes from the city center to Speke Hall—follow the brown Speke Hall signs through dozens of roundabouts, heading in the general direction of the airport. If you don’t have a car, you’ll need to hop in a taxi.
From either starting point, the entire visit takes about two hours round-trip.
Off-Season: From late Feb to mid-March and in Nov, tours leave Wed-Sun at 10:00, 11:00, and 14:15, and all depart from the Jurys Inn at the Albert Dock. No tours run in winter (Dec-late Feb).
Guides: Each home has a live-in caretaker who acts as your guide. These folks give an entertaining, insightful-to-fans 20- to 30-minute talk, and then leave you time (10-15 minutes) to wander through the house on your own. Ask lots of questions if their spiel peters out early—these docents are a wealth of information.
Mendips (John Lennon’s Home)—Even though he sang about being a working-class hero, John grew up in the suburbs of Liverpool, surrounded by doctors, lawyers, and—beyond the back fence—Strawberry Field.
This was the home of John’s Aunt Mimi, who raised him in this house from the time he was five years old and once told him, “A guitar’s all right, John, but you’ll never earn a living by it.” (John later bought Mimi a country cottage with those fateful words etched over the fireplace.) John moved out at age 23, but his first wife, Cynthia, bunked here for a while when John made his famous first trip to America. Yoko Ono bought the house in 2002, and gave it as a gift to the National Trust (generating controversy among the neighbors). The stewards, Colin and Sylvia, make this place come to life.
On the surface, it’s just a 1930s house carefully restored to how it would have been in the past. But delve deeper. It’s been lovingly cared for—restored to be the tidy, well-kept place Mimi would have recognized (down to her apron hanging in the kitchen). It’s a lucky quirk of fate that the house’s interior remained mostly unchanged after the Lennons left: The bachelor who owned it decades after them didn’t upgrade much, so even the light switches are true to the time.
If you’re a John Lennon fan, it’s fun to picture him as a young boy drawing and imagining at his dining room table. It also makes for an interesting comparison to Paul’s humbler home, which is the second part of the tour.
20 Forthlin Road (Paul McCartney’s Home)—In comparison to Aunt Mimi’s house, the home where Paul grew up is simpler, much less “posh,” and even a little ratty around the edges. Michael, Paul’s brother, wanted it that way—their mother, Mary (famously mentioned in “Let It Be”), died when the boys were young, and it never had the tidiness of a woman’s touch. It’s been intentionally scuffed up around the edges to preserve the historical accuracy. Notice the differences—Paul has said that John’s house was vastly different and more clearly middle class; at Mendips, there were books on the bookshelves.
More than a hundred Beatles songs were written in this house (including “I Saw Her Standing There”) during days Paul and John spent skipping school. The photos from Michael, taken in this house, help make the scene of what’s mostly a barren interior much more interesting.
In its day, Liverpool was England’s greatest seaport, but trade declined after 1890, as the port wasn’t deep enough for the big new ships. The advent of mega container ships in the 1960s put the final nail in the port’s coffin, and by 1972 it was closed entirely.
But over the last decade, this formerly derelict and dangerous area has been the focus of the city’s rejuvenation efforts. Liverpool’s waterfront is now a venue for some of the city’s top attractions. Three zones interest tourists (from south to north): The Wapping Dock area, with Liverpool’s futuristic new arena, conference center, and adjacent Ferris wheel; the red-brick Albert Dock complex, with some of the city’s top museums and lively restaurants and nightlife; and Pier Head, with the Museum of Liverpool, ferries across the River Mersey, and buildings both old/stately and new/glassy. Below are descriptions of the main sights at the Albert Dock and Pier Head.
Opened in 1852 by Prince Albert, and enclosing seven acres of water, the Albert Dock is surrounded by five-story brick warehouses. A half-dozen trendy eateries are lined up here, protected from the rain by arcades and padded by lots of shopping mall-type distractions. There’s plenty of pay parking.
▲The Beatles Story—It’s sad to think the Beatles are stuck in a museum. Still, this exhibit—while overpriced and a bit small—is well-done, the story’s a fascinating one, and even an avid fan will pick up some new information. The Beatles Story has two parts: the original, main exhibit at the south end of the Albert Dock; and a much smaller branch in the Pier Head ferry terminal, near the Museum of Liverpool just to the north. A free shuttle runs between the two locations every 30 minutes.
Cost and Hours: £13 covers both parts, tickets good for 48 hours, includes audioguide, daily May-Sept 9:00-19:00, Oct-April 10:00-18:00, last entry at 17:00 year-round, tel. 0151/709-1963, www.beatlesstory.com.
Main Exhibit: Listen to the audioguide as you take a chronological stroll through the evolution of the Beatles, focusing on their Liverpool years: meeting as schoolboys, performing at (and helping decorate) the Casbah Coffee Club, making a name for themselves in Hamburg, meeting their manager Brian Epstein, and the advent of worldwide Beatlemania (with some help from Ed Sullivan). There are many actual artifacts (from George Harrison’s first boyhood guitar to John Lennon’s orange-tinted “Imagine” glasses), as well as large dioramas celebrating landmarks in Beatles lore (a reconstruction of the Cavern Club, a life-size re-creation of the Sgt. Pepper album cover, and a walk-through yellow submarine). The last few rooms trace the members’ solo careers, and the last few steps are reserved for reverence about John’s peace work, including a re-creation of the white room he used while writing “Imagine.” Rounding out the exhibits are a “Discovery Zone” for kids, and (of course) the “Fab Store,” with an impressive pile of Beatles buyables.
The great audioguide, narrated by Julia Baird (John Lennon’s little sister), captures the Beatles’ charm and cheekiness in a way the stiff wax mannequins can’t. You’ll hear clips of interviews from the actual participants in the Beatles’ story—their families, friends, and collaborators. Cynthia Lennon, John’s first wife, still marvels at the manic power of Beatlemania.
While this is a fairly sanitized look at the Fab Four (LSD and Yoko-related conflicts are glossed over), the exhibits remind listeners of all that made the group earth-shattering—and even a little edgy—at the time. For example, performing before the Queen Mother, John Lennon famously quips: “Will the people in the cheaper seats clap your hands? And the rest of you, if you’ll just rattle your jewelry.”
Pier Head Exhibit: The second part of The Beatles Story is less interesting, but since it’s included with the ticket, it’s worth dropping into if you have the time. You’ll find it upstairs in the Pier Head ferry terminal—a quick trip on the free shuttle bus (runs every 30 minutes) or about a 10-minute walk north (at the opposite end of the Albert Dock, then another 5-minute walk across the bridge and past the Museum of Liverpool). The main attraction here is a corny “Fab 4D Experience,” an animated movie that strings together Beatles tunes into something resembling a plot while mainly offering an excuse to play around with 3-D effects and other surprises (such as the smell of strawberries when you hear “Strawberry Fields Forever”). The Hidden Gallery displays recently rediscovered early photos of the moptops by then-teenaged photographer Paul Berriff. Through September of 2013, the museum also features the temporary exhibit “Elvis and Us,” about the relationship between the Beatles and their fellow 1960s music icon (£3 extra).
▲Merseyside Maritime Museum and International Slavery Museum—These museums tell the story of Liverpool, once the second city of the British Empire. The third floor covers slavery, while the first, second, and basement handle other maritime topics.
Cost and Hours: Free, daily 10:00-17:00, café, tel. 0151/478-4499, www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.
Background: Liverpool’s port prospered in the 18th century as one corner of a commerce triangle with Africa and America. British shippers profited greatly through exploitation: About 1.5 million enslaved African people passed through Liverpool’s docks (that’s 10 percent of all African slaves). From Liverpool, the British exported manufactured goods to Africa in exchange for enslaved Africans; the slaves were then shipped to the Americas, where they were traded for raw material (cotton, sugar, and tobacco); and the goods were then brought back to Britain. While the merchants on all three sides made money, the big profit came home to England (which enjoyed substantial income from customs, duties, and a thriving smugglers’ market). As Britain’s economy boomed, so did Liverpool’s.
After participation in the slave trade was outlawed in Britain in the early 1800s, Liverpool kept its port busy as a transfer point for emigrants. If your ancestors came from Scandinavia, Ukraine, or Ireland, they likely left Europe from this port. Between 1830 and 1930, nine million emigrants sailed from Liverpool to find their dreams in the New World.
Visiting the Museums: Begin by riding the elevator up to floor 3—we’ll work our way back down.
On floor 3, three galleries make up the International Slavery Museum. First is a description of life in West Africa, which re-creates traditional domestic architecture and displays actual artifacts. Then comes a harrowing exhibit about enslavement and the “Middle Passage.” The tools of the enslavers—chains, muzzles, and a branding iron—and the intense film about the Middle Passage sea voyage to America, drive home the horrifying experience of being abducted from your home and taken in wretched, life-threatening conditions thousands of miles away to toil for a wealthy stranger. Finally the museum examines the legacy of slavery—both the persistence of racism in contemporary society, and the substantial positive impact that people of African descent have had on European and American cultures. Walls of photos celebrate important people of African descent, and the music desk lets you sample songs from a variety of African-influenced genres.
Continue down the stairs to the Maritime Museum, on floor 2. This celebrates Liverpool’s shipbuilding heritage and displays actual ship components, model boats, and a gallery of nautical paintings.
Floor 1 shows footage and artifacts of three big Liverpool-related shipwrecks: the Lusitania, the Empress of Ireland, and the Titanic (all of which were destroyed—by a German U-Boat, accidental collision with a coal freighter, and iceberg, respectively—in a tragically short span of time between 1912 and 1915). Also on this floor, an extensive exhibit traces the Battle of the Atlantic (during World War II, Nazi U-Boats attacked merchant ships bringing supplies to Britain, in an attempt to cripple this island nation). You’ll see how crew members lived aboard merchant ships. The Hello Sailor! exhibit explains how gay culture flourished at sea at a time where it was taboo in almost every other walk of British life.
Make your way to the basement, where exhibits describe the tremendous wave of emigration through Liverpool’s port (between 1830 and 1930, nine million Europeans charted their course to the New World through the docks of Liverpool). And the Seized! exhibit looks at the legal and illegal movement of goods through that same port, including thought-provoking displays on customs, taxation, and smuggling.
Tate Gallery Liverpool—This prestigious gallery of modern art is near the Maritime Museum. It won’t entertain you as well as its London sister, the Tate Modern, but if you’re into modern art, any Tate’s great. Its two airy floors, dedicated to a rotating collection of statues and paintings from the 20th century, are free; the top and ground floors are devoted to special exhibits. The Tate also has a inexpensive, recommended café.
Cost and Hours: Free, £4 suggested donation, £7-13 for special exhibits; daily April-Oct 10:00-18:00, Nov-March 10:00-17:00; tel. 0151/702-7400, www.tate.org.uk/liverpool.
A five-minute walk across the bridge north of the Albert Dock takes you to the Pier Head area, with the following sights.
▲▲Museum of Liverpool—This museum, which opened in 2011 in the blocky white building just across the bridge north of the Albert Dock, does a good job of fulfilling its goal to “capture Liverpool’s vibrant character and demonstrate the city’s unique contribution to the world.” The museum is full of interesting items, fun interactive displays (great for kids), and fascinating facts that bring a whole new depth to your Liverpool experience.
Cost and Hours: Free, £2 suggested donation, daily 10:00-17:00, guidebook-£1, café, Mann Island, Pier Head, tel. 0151/478-4545, www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/mol.
Visiting the Museum: First, stop by the information desk to pick up free tickets to two short videos—one on the Beatles and one on Liverpool’s soccer obsession (both described later; tickets are for a specific showing). If you have kids under 6, you can also get a free timed-entry ticket for the hands-on Little Liverpool exhibit on the ground floor.
Ground Floor: On this level, The Great Port details the story of Liverpool’s defining industry and how it developed through the Industrial Revolution. On display is an 1838 steam locomotive that was originally built for the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. There’s also the skippable Global City exhibit, focusing on how Liverpool’s status as a major British shipping center made it the gateway to a global empire.
First Floor: Don’t miss the Liverpool Overhead Railway exhibit, which features the only surviving car from this 19th-century elevated railway. You can actually jump aboard and take a seat to watch 1897 movie footage shot from the train line. A huge interactive model shows the railway’s route. Also on this floor is the History Detectives exhibit, which covers Liverpool’s history and archaeology.
Second Floor: If you’re short on time, spend most of it here. The People’s Republic exhibit examines what it means to be a Liverpudlian (a.k.a. “Scouser”) and covers everything from housing and health issues to military and religious topics. As industrialized Liverpool has long been a hotbed of the labor movement, exhibits here also detail the political side of the city, including child labor issues and women’s suffrage.
One fascinating display is the re-creation of Liverpool’s 19th-century court housing, which consisted of a series of tiny dwellings bunched around a narrow courtyard. With more than 60 people sharing two toilets, this was some of the most overcrowded and unsanitary housing in Britain at the time.
Next, the exhibit skips to religion and the centerpiece of this room: a 10-foot-tall model of Liverpool’s Catholic cathedral that was never built. In 1932, Archbishop Richard Downey and architect Sir Edwin Lutyens commissioned this model to showcase their grandiose plans for constructing the world’s second-largest cathedral. Their vision never came to fruition, and the Metropolitan Cathedral was built instead (for more on what happened, see here).
On the other side of the floor, the Wondrous Place exhibit celebrates the arts, cultural, and sporting side of Liverpool. An exhibit on the city’s famous passion for soccer features memorabilia and the 17-minute video “Kicking and Screaming,” about the rivalry between the Everton and Liverpool football teams and the (sometimes) tragic history of the sport (such as when 96 fans were crushed to death at a Liverpool match). To see the video, get a ticket for a specific time at the information desk (though if there’s room, the attendant may let you in without one).
Music is the other big focus here, with plenty of fun, interactive stops that include music quizzes, a karaoke booth, and listening stations featuring artists with ties to Liverpool (from Elvis Costello to Echo & the Bunnymen). And, of course, you’ll see plenty of Beatles mania, including their famous suits, the original stage from St. Peter’s Church—where John Lennon was performing the first time Paul McCartney laid eyes on him (located in the theater), and an eight-minute film on the band (also requires ticket from information desk; if you don’t have one, ask if there’s space for you to scoot in).
Finally, in the Skylight Gallery, look for Ben Johnson’s painting The Liverpool Cityscape, 2008, a remarkable and fun-to-examine melding of old and new art styles. At first glance, it’s a typical skyline painting, but Johnson used computer models to create perfect depictions of each building before he put brush to canvas. This method allows for a photorealistic, highly detailed, but completely sanitized portrait of a city. Notice there are no cars or people.
The Three Graces—Three towering buildings near the Museum of Liverpool, remnants of a time of great seafaring prosperity, are known collectively as Liverpool’s Three Graces: the double-clock-towered Royal Liver Building, with spires topped by the city’s mythical mascot, the “Liver birds”; the relatively dull and boxy Cunard Building; and the domed Port of Liverpool Building, which strains to evoke memories of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. A 2002 plan to create a Fourth Grace—a metallic, glassy, and yellow blob called The Cloud—never panned out, and that site is now home to the Museum of Liverpool (described earlier). While you can see the Three Graces from along the embankment—which is also lined with monuments to important Liverpudlians—the best views are from across the River Mersey (see here for details on riding the ferry; note that the Pier Head ferry terminal also hosts some exhibits from The Beatles Story).
The narrow, bar-lined Mathew Street, right in the heart of downtown, is ground zero for Beatles fans. The Beatles frequently performed in their early days together at the original Cavern Club, deep in a cellar along this street. While that’s long gone, a mock-up of the historic nightspot (built with many of the original bricks) lives on a few doors down. Still billed as “the Cavern Club,” this is worth a visit to see the reconstructed cellar that’s often filled by Beatles cover bands. While touristy, dropping by in the afternoon for a live Beatles tribute act in the Cavern Club somehow just feels right. You’ll have Beatles songs stuck in your head all day anyway, so you might as well see a wannabe John and Paul strumming and harmonizing a close approximation of the original (open daily 10:00-24:00, later Thu-Sat; live music daily from 14:00, cover charge Thu-Fri and Sun after 20:00 and Sat after 14:00, tel. 0151/236-9091, www.cavernclub.org).
Across the street and run by the same owners, the Cavern Pub lacks its sibling’s troglodyte aura, but makes up for it with walls lined with old photos and memorabilia from the Beatles and other bands who’ve performed here. Like the Cavern Club, the pub features frequent performances by Beatles cover bands and other acts (no cover, opens at 11:00, otherwise similar hours to the Club).
Out front is the Cavern’s Wall of Fame, with a too-cool-for-school bronze John Lennon leaning up against a wall with bricks engraved with the names of musical acts that have graced the Cavern stage.
At the corner is the recommended Hard Day’s Night Hotel, decorated inside and out to honor the Fab Four. Notice the statues of John, Paul, George, and Ringo on the second-story corners, and the Beatles gift shop (one of many in town) on the ground floor.
Both of these museums are just a five-minute walk from the train station.
▲Walker Art Gallery—Though it has few recognizable works, Liverpool’s main art gallery offers an enjoyable walk through an easy-to-digest collection of European (mostly British) paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts. There’s no audioguide, but many of the works are well-explained by posted descriptions.
Cost and Hours: Free, £2 suggested donation, daily 10:00-17:00, William Brown Street, tel. 0151/478-4199, www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.
Visiting the Museum: The ground floor has an information desk, café, children’s area, small decorative arts collection, and sculpture gallery focusing on British Neoclassical works from the 19th century. The sculpture gallery has many works by John Gibson, a Welshman who grew up in Liverpool, and later studied under the Italian master Antonio Canova. Gibson’s Tinted Venus was considered scandalous to Victorian mores because of the nude sculpture’s lifelike pinkish tint.
Upstairs is a concise 15-room painting gallery, plus special exhibits. For a chronological spin, from the top of the stairs head straight back to find room 1, with a famous Nicholas Hilliard portrait of Queen Elizabeth I (nicknamed “The Pelican,” for her brooch). In the adjacent room 3 is another well-known royal portrait, of Henry VIII by Hans Holbein, as well as bombastic Baroque works by Rubens and Murillo. Room 4 features a Rembrandt self-portrait, while room 5 focuses on 18th-century English painting, including canvases by Gainsborough, Hogarth (find the painting of the great actor David Garrick in the role of Richard III), and lots of George Stubbs. Rooms 6-8 showcase a delightful array of Pre-Raphaelite works, among them Millias’ evocative portrait of Isabella (room 6). You’ll find some Turners (a mushy landscape and a more sharp-focus Linlithgow Castle) in room 7. For a counterpoint to the lyrical, mystical Pre-Raphaelite works, step into room 9, with very literal Victorian narrative paintings depicting slices of English life, such as Sadler’s Friday (showing Dominican monks feasting on fish) and Yeams’ And When Did You Last See Your Father? On this chilling canvas, showing a scene from the English Civil War, authorities are slyly interrogating a naive, cherub-like boy while his family watches from behind, terrified that the child will reveal where his father is hiding.
Room 10 makes the transition to the 20th century and Impressionism, while modern British art dominates the rest of the gallery. In room 11, Bernard Fleetwood-Walker’s Amity shows a pair of chaste but (apparently) sexually charged teenagers relaxing in the grass.
World Museum—This catch-all family museum offers five floors of kid-oriented exhibits. You’ll see dinosaurs, an aquarium, artifacts from ancient Greece and Egypt, a planetarium and theater (get free tickets at the info desk in the lobby for these), and more.
Cost and Hours: Free, £2 suggested donation, daily 10:00-17:00, William Brown Street, tel. 0151/478-4393, www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.
Liverpool has not one but two notable cathedrals—one Anglican, the other Catholic. (As the Spinners song puts it, “If you want a cathedral, we’ve got one to spare.”) Both are huge, architecturally significant, and well worth visiting. Near the eastern edge of downtown, they’re connected by a 10-minute, half-mile walk on pleasant Hope Street, which is lined with theaters and good restaurants (see “Eating in Liverpool,” later).
Liverpudlians enjoy pointing out that they have not only the world’s only Catholic cathedral designed by a Protestant architect, but also the only Protestant one designed by a Catholic. With its large Irish-immigrant population, Liverpool suffered from tension between its Catholic and Protestant communities for much of its history. But during the city’s darkest stretch of the depressed 1970s, the bishops of each church—Anglican Bishop David Sheppard and Catholic Archbishop Derek Worlock—came together and worked hard to reconcile the two communities for the betterment of Liverpool. (Liverpudlians nicknamed this dynamic duo “fish and chips” because they were “always together, and always in the newspaper.”) It worked: Liverpool is a bold new cultural center, and relations between the two faiths remain healthy here. Join in this ecumenical spirit by visiting both of their main churches.
▲Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King (Catholic)—This daringly modern building, a cone topped with a crowned cylinder, seems almost out of place in its workaday Liverpool neighborhood. But the cathedral you see today bears no resemblance to Sir Edwin Lutyens’ original 1930s plans for a stately Neo-Byzantine cathedral, which was to take 200 years to build and rival St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. (Lutyens was desperate to one-up the grandiose plans of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, who was building the Anglican Cathedral down the street—described next.) The crypt for the ambitious church was excavated in the 1930s, but World War II (during which the crypt was used as an air-raid shelter) stalled progress for decades. In the 1960s, the plans were scaled back, and this smaller (but still impressive) house of worship was completed in 1967.
Cost and Hours: Cathedral—free entry but donations accepted, daily 8:00-18:00 (until 17:00 on Sun in winter)—but after 17:15 only people attending Mass are allowed inside; crypt—£3, Mon-Sat 10:00-16:00, closed Sun, last entry 45 minutes before closing, enter from inside church near organ; visitors center/café/gift shop—Mon-Sat 10:00-17:00, Sun 11:00-16:00; Mount Pleasant, tel. 0151/709-9222, www.liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk.
Visiting the Cathedral: On the stepped plaza in front of the church, you’ll see the entrance to the cathedral’s visitors center and café (on your right). You’re standing on a big concrete slab that provides a roof to the humongous Lutyens Crypt, underfoot. The existing cathedral occupies only a small part of the would-be cathedral’s footprint. Imagine what might have been—“the greatest building never built.” Because of the cathedral’s tentlike appearance and ties to the local Irish community, some Liverpudlians dubbed it “Paddy’s Wigwam.”
Climb up the stairs to the main doors, step inside, and let your eyes adjust to this magnificent, dimly lit space. Unlike a typical nave-plus-transept cross-shaped church, this cathedral has a round footprint, with seating for a congregation of 3,000 fully surrounding the white marble altar. Like a “theater in the round,” it was designed to involve worshippers in the service. Suspended above the altar is a stylized crown of thorns.
Spinning off from the round central sanctuary are 13 smaller chapels, many of them representing different stages of Jesus’ life. Each chapel is different. Explore, tuning into the symbolic details in each one. Also keep an eye out for the exquisite bronze Stations of the Cross by local artist Sean Rice.
The massive Lutyens Crypt (named for the ambitious original architect)—the only part of the originally planned cathedral to be completed—doesn’t quite match the church. But it’s interesting to explore its huge vaults and vast halls, visit the treasury, and see an exhibit about the cathedral’s construction.
▲▲Liverpool Cathedral (Anglican)—The largest cathedral in Great Britain, this gigantic house of worship hovers at the south end of downtown. Tour its cavernous interior and consider scaling its tower.
Cost and Hours: Free, £3 suggested donation, daily 8:00-18:00; £5 ticket includes tower climb, audioguide, and 10-minute “Great Space” film; film—Mon-Sat 9:00-16:00 (last showing), Sun 12:00-14:30 (changes possible depending on services); tower—Mon-Sat 10:00-16:30 (last ascent) except April-Oct Thu until sunset and sometimes as late as 22:00, Sun 12:00-14:30 (subject to services, can be open later; St. James Mount, tel. 0151/709-6271, www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk.
Self-Guided Tour: Over the main door is a modern Risen Christ statue by Elisabeth Frink. Liverpudlians, not thrilled with the featureless statue and always quick with a joke, have dubbed it “Frinkenstein.”
Stepping inside, pick up a floor plan at the information desk, go into the main hall, and take in the size of the place. When Liverpool was officially designated a “city” (seat of a bishop), they wanted to build a huge house of worship as a symbol of Liverpudlian pride. Built in bold Neo-Gothic style (like London’s Parliament), it seems to trumpet with modern bombast the importance of this city on the Mersey. Begun in 1904, the cathedral’s construction was interrupted by the tumultuous 20th century, and not completed until 1973.
Go to the big, circular tile in the very center of the cathedral, under the highest tower. This is a plaque for the building’s architect, Sir Giles Gilbert Scott (1880-1960). While the church you’re surrounded by may seem like his biggest legacy, he also designed an icon that’s synonymous with Britain: the classic red telephone box. Flanking this aisle, notice the highly detailed sandstone carvings.
Take a counterclockwise spin around the church interior. Head up the right aisle until you find the model of the original plan for the cathedral (press the button to light it up). Scott was a very young architect, and received the commission with the agreement that he work closely under the wing of his more established mentor, George Bodley. These two architects’ visions clashed, and Bodley usually won...until he died early in the planning stages, leaving Scott to pursue his own muse. If Bodley had survived, the cathedral would probably look more like this model. As it was, only one corner of the complex (the Lady Chapel, which we’re about to see) was completed before Giles changed plans to create the version you see today.
Nearby, the “whispering arch” spanning over the sarcophagus has remarkable acoustics, carrying voices from one end to the other. Try it.
Continuing down the church, notice the very colorful, modern painting of The Good Samaritan (by Adrian Wiszniewski, 1995) high above on the right. The naked crime victim (who has been stabbed in his side, like the Crucifixion wound of Jesus) has been ignored by the well-dressed yuppies in the foreground, but the female Samaritan is finally taking notice. The canvas is packed with symbolism (for example, the Swiss Army knife, in a pool of blood in the left foreground, is open in the 3 o’clock position—the time that Jesus was crucified). This contemporary work of art demonstrates that this is a new, living church. But the congregation has its limits. This painting used to hang closer to the front of the church, but now they’ve moved it here, out of sight.
Proceeding to the corner, you’ll reach the entrance to the oldest part of the church (1910): the Lady Chapel, with stained-glass windows celebrating important women. (Sadly, the original windows were destroyed in World War II; these are replicas.)
Back up in the main part of the church, continue behind the main altar, to the Education Centre, with a fun, sped-up video showing all of the daily work it takes to make this cathedral run.
Circling around the far corner of the church, you’ll pass the children’s chapel and chapterhouse, and then pass under another modern Wiszniewski painting (The House Built on Rock). Across from that painting, go into the choir to get a good look at the Last Supper altarpiece above the main altar.
Continuing back up the aisle, you’ll come to the war chapel. At its entrance is a book listing Liverpudlians lost in war. Battle flags fly high on the wall above.
You’ll wind up at the gift shop, where you can buy a ticket to climb up to the top of the tower. The cathedral’s café is up the stairs, above the gift shop.
Hope Street—The street connecting the cathedrals is the main artery of Liverpool’s “uptown,” a lively and fun-to-explore district loaded with dining and entertainment options. In addition to well-respected theaters, this street is home to the Philharmonic and its namesake pub (see “Eating in Liverpool,” later). At the intersection with Mount Street is a monument consisting of concrete suitcases; just down this street are the high schools that Paul, George, and John attended (for details, see “The Beatles in Liverpool” sidebar, earlier).
Liverpool hops after hours, especially on weekends. The most happening zone is the area called Ropewalks, just east of the downtown shopping district and Albert Dock. Part of the protected historic area of Liverpool’s docklands, the Ropewalks area has been redeveloped over the last few years and is now filled mostly with trendy pubs, nightclubs, and lounges—some of them rough around the edges, others posh and sleek. While this area is aimed primarily at the college-aged crowd, it’s still worth a stroll, and has a few eateries worth considering.
The “Eating in Liverpool” section, later, lists several pubs good for either a drink or a meal. Liverpool also has a wide range of watering holes best for serious drinkers and beer aficionados. The food at these places, all in the city center, is an afterthought, but they’re a great spot for a pint: The Ship and Mitre, overlooking an off-ramp at the edge of downtown, has perhaps Liverpool’s best selection of beers—with 40 types on tap—as well as frequent beer festivals; it can get very crowded (133 Dale Street, tel. 0151/236-0859, see festival schedule at www.theshipandmitre.com). Thomas Rigby’s has hard-used wooden floors that spill out into a rollicking garden courtyard (21 Dale Street). Around the corner and much more sedate, Ye Hole in Ye Wall brags that it’s Liverpool’s oldest pub, from 1726. Notice the men’s room on the ground floor—the women’s room (required by law to be added in the 1970s) is upstairs (just off Dale Street on Hackins Hey). A few blocks over, right in the heart of downtown and surrounded by modern mega-malls, is The Globe—a tight, cozy, local-feeling pub with five real ales and sloping floors (17 Cases Street).
Your best budget options in this thriving city are the boring, predictable, and central chain hotels—though I’ve listed a couple of more colorful options also worth considering. Many hotels, including the ones listed below, charge more on weekends (particularly Sat), especially when the Liverpool FC soccer team plays a home game. Rates shoot up even higher two weekends a year: during the Grand National horse race (long weekend in April) and during Beatles Week in late August—avoid these times if you can. Prices plummet on Sunday nights.
$$$ Hope Street Hotel is a class act that sets the bar for Liverpool’s hotels. Located across from the Philharmonic on Hope Street (midway between the cathedrals, in an enticing dining neighborhood), this stylish and contemporary hotel has 89 luxurious rooms with lots of hardwood, exposed brick, and elegant little extras (standard Db-officially £190, but often £120-160 Fri-Sat and £87-107 Sun-Thu; fancier and pricier deluxe rooms and suites available, breakfast-£10, elevator, free Wi-Fi, parking-£10/day, 40 Hope Street, tel. 0151/709-3000, www.hopestreethotel.co.uk, sleep@hopestreethotel.co.uk).
$$$ Hard Day’s Night Hotel is the ideal splurge for Beatles pilgrims. Located in a carefully restored old building smack in the heart of the Cavern Quarter, its decor is purely Beatles, from its public spaces (lobby, lounge, bar, restaurant) to its 110 rooms. But what could have been a tacky travesty is instead tasteful, with a largely black-and-white color scheme and subtle nods to the Fab Four (standard Db-£105-150, deluxe Db-£20 more, prices can spike dramatically during peak times, especially busy for Sat weddings in their own wedding chapel/reception hall, breakfast-£10 if you pre-book, air-con, elevator, free Wi-Fi, Central Building, North John Street, tel. 0151/236-1964, www.harddaysnighthotel.com, enquiries@harddaysnighthotel.com).
$$ Aachen Guest Accommodations has 17 modern, straightforward rooms in an old Georgian townhouse on a pleasant street just uphill from the heart of downtown (Sb-£45-55, Db-£49-75, Tb-£95-115, rates depend on demand—higher price is usually for weekends, includes breakfast, free Wi-Fi, 89-91 Mount Pleasant, tel. 0151/709-3477, www.aachenhotel.co.uk, enquiries@aachenhotel.co.uk).
$$ Best Western Feathers Hotel, nearly next door in a stately old Georgian building, has tight hallways and 81 small rooms with mod decor and amenities (Db-£64-74 Sun-Thu, £89-99 Fri, £139 Sat, includes breakfast, no elevator and six floors, free Internet access and Wi-Fi, parking-£10/day, 115-125 Mount Pleasant, tel. 0151/709-9655, www.feathers.uk.com, feathershotel@feathers.uk.com).
$$ Sir Thomas Hotel is a centrally located hotel that was once a bank. The lobby has been redone in trendy style, and the 39 rooms are comfortable. As windows are thin and it’s a busy neighborhood, ask for a quieter room (Db-£65 Sun-Thu, £89-99 Fri-Sat on non-event weekends, little difference between “standard” and “superior” rooms, one stately “luxury” room with heavy decor-£129, includes breakfast, elevator, free Wi-Fi, 10-minute walk from station, 24 Sir Thomas Street at the corner of Victoria Street, tel. 0151/236-1366, fax 0151/227-1541, www.sirthomashotel.co.uk, reservations@sirthomashotel.co.uk).
$$ Premier Inn, which has 186 pleasant, American-style rooms and a friendly staff, is inside the giant converted warehouses on the Albert Dock; many rooms have exposed brick from the original structure (Db-£68-121, averages £70-75 on weekdays, check website for specific rates and special deals, breakfast-£8.25, elevator, pay Wi-Fi, discounted parking in nearby garage-£7.50/day, next to The Beatles Story, tel. 0151/702-6320, www.premierinn.com). There’s also a second, downtown $$ Premier Inn with 165 rooms. While it’s farther from the Albert Dock sights, it’s just a 10-minute walk from the Lime Street train station and handy to downtown (Db-£53-121, Vernon Street, just off Dale Street, tel. 0151/242-7650). Both locations can fill up quickly on weekends. A third location may open in 2013 on Hanover Street.
$$ Holiday Inn Express has a branch at the Albert Dock, next door and nearly identical to the Premier Inn described above. Its 135 rooms are a smidge more basic—and cheaper—than the Premier Inn’s; you might as well check both hotels’ websites to see which has the better deal going (Db-generally around £70 Mon-Fri, £125 Sat, £58 Sun, includes buffet breakfast, pay Wi-Fi, nearby parking-£7.50/day, beyond The Beatles Story at the Albert Dock, tel. 0844-875-7575, www.exliverpool.com, enquiries@exliverpool.com).
$ International Inn Hostel, run by the daughter of the Beatles’ first manager, rents 100 budget beds in a former Victorian warehouse (Db-£36-45, bed in 2- to 10-bed room-£15-20, includes sheets and towels, all rooms have bathrooms, guest kitchen with free toast and tea/coffee available 24 hours, free Wi-Fi, laundry room, game room/TV lounge, video library, 24-hour reception, café next door has pay Internet access, 4 South Hunter Street, tel. & fax 0151/709-8135, www.internationalinn.co.uk, info@internationalinn.co.uk).
In the hostel’s basement is the $$ Cocoon Pod Hotel, offering 32 small, no-nonsense, modern rooms for people who have outgrown hosteling. As all the rooms are underground, there are no windows, which can make it feel a bit stuffy, though very quiet (except on weekends, when the hotel attracts some rowdy stag and hen parties). Choose either two twins or a king (Sb or Db-£43 Sun-Thu, £53 Fri-Sat; 1- and 3-bedroom apartments from £65; same location, amenities, and contact info as hostel; 2-night minimum on weekends; www.cocoonliverpool.co.uk). From the Lime Street Station, the hostel/Cocoon Pod are an easy 15-minute walk; if taking a taxi, tell them it’s on South Hunter Street near Hardman Street.
Liverpool has an exciting and quickly evolving culinary scene; as a rollicking, youthful city, it’s a magnet for creative chefs as well as upscale chain restaurants. I’ve arranged my listings by neighborhood. Consider my suggestions, but also browse the surrounding streets. This is a city where restaurant-finding is a joy rather than a chore.
Hope Street, which connects the two cathedrals, is also home to several excellent restaurants. The Quarter, HOST, and 60 Hope Street—which cluster near the corner of Hope and Falkner streets—are owned by brothers.
The Quarter serves up Mediterranean food at rustic tables that sprawl through several connected houses. It’s trendy but cozy. They also serve breakfast and have carryout coffee, cakes, pasta, and sandwiches in their attached deli (£4-7 starters, £7-10 pizzas and pastas, chalkboard specials, Mon-Fri 8:00-23:00, Sat 9:00-23:00, Sun 9:00-22:30, 7 Falkner Street, tel. 0151/707-1965).
HOST (short for “Hope Street”) features Asian fusion dishes in a casual, colorful, modern atmosphere (£4-6 small plates, £8-11 big plates, daily 11:00-23:00, 31 Hope Street, tel. 0151/708-5831).
The Side Door is a tight, upscale, and inviting little one-room bistro with a constantly changing menu of highly regarded modern English food. While this place is pricey, their “pre-theatre menu” is a good value (£17-19 two-course meals, £19-21 three-course meals, available before 19:00; open Mon-Sat 12:00-14:30 & 17:30-22:00, Sun 12:00-16:00, 29a Hope Street, tel. 0151/707-7888).
60 Hope Street has modern English cuisine made with “as locally sourced as possible” ingredients in an upscale atmosphere. While the prices are high (£8-9 starters, £19-30 main dishes), their early-bird specials are a good deal (£16 two-course meals, £19 three-course meals). The specials are available at lunchtime and until 18:30 (or by request if you call ahead and book); on Friday and Saturday evenings, specials are served all night in the more casual basement bistro (Mon-Fri 12:00-14:30 & 17:00-22:30, Sat 17:00-22:30 only, Sun 12:00-14:30 & 17:00-20:00, reservations smart on weekends, 60 Hope Street, tel. 0151/707-6060).
Chinatown: A few blocks southwest of Hope Street is Liverpool’s thriving Chinatown neighborhood, with the world’s biggest Chinese arch. Lots of enticing options dishing up Chinese grub line up along Berry Street in front of the arch and Cornwallis Street behind it. Among these, Yuet Ben is one of the most established (Tue-Sun 17:00-23:00, until 24:00 Fri-Sat, closed Mon, facing the arch at 1 Upper Duke Street, tel. 0151/709-5772). Or you can line up with the Liverpudlians at Tokyou, featuring tasty £5 noodle and rice dishes (Cantonese, Japanese, Malaysian, etc.), with service that’s fast and furious (daily 12:30-23:30, 7 Berry Street, tel. 0151/445-1023).
The Philharmonic Dining Rooms, kitty-corner from the actual Philharmonic, is actually a pub—but what a pub. This place wins the “atmosphere award” for its old-time elegance. The bar is a work of art, the marble urinals are downright genteel, and the three sitting areas on the ground floor (including the giant hall) are an enticing place to nurse a pint. This is a better place to drink than to eat—at certain times (Wed-Fri evenings and all day Sat-Sun), food is served only in the less-atmospheric upstairs (£4-10 pub grub). John Lennon once said that his biggest regret about fame was “not being able to go to the Phil for a drink” (open for drinks daily 11:00-24:00, corner of Hope and Hardman streets, tel. 0151/707-2837).
The Fly in the Loaf has a classic pub exterior and interior, with efficient service, eight hand-pulls for real ales, and good food (£3-4 sandwiches, £6-7 meals; open Sun-Thu 12:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-24:00; food served Tue-Sat until 19:00, Sun until 17:00, no food on Mon; 13 Hardman Street, tel. 0151/708-0817).
While primarily a nightlife zone (see “Nightlife in Liverpool,” earlier), this gentrified area also has a smattering of unique restaurants—including one in a former church, and another in a former police station.
Alma de Cuba fills the former Polish Catholic Church of St. Peter’s with a trendy bar (downstairs, in the nave and altar area) and restaurant (upstairs, looking down into the nave). While the food (an eclectic international mix) is an afterthought, the “hedonists’ church” atmosphere is nothing short of remarkable, at least to those who don’t find it all a bit sacrilegious (£3-7 starters, £10-18 main dishes; food served daily 12:00-17:00 & 18:00-21:30, Fri-Sat until 23:00, bar stays open later; live music Thu from 22:30, live DJ with flower-petal shower and samba dancers Fri-Sat from 23:00, gospel brunch with small gospel choir Sun 13:30-17:00; Seel Street, tel. 0151/702-7394).
Liverpool One Bridewell pub fills a circa-1850 police station with a lively pub atmosphere. Downstairs, past the bar, several jail cells have been converted into cozy seating areas, while another bar and dining area sprawl upstairs (£7-9 pub grub; open Sun-Thu 12:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 12:00-24:00; food served daily until 21:00, 1 Campbell Square, Argyle Street, tel. 0151/709-7000).
On Duke Street: A range of big, modern, popular, chain-feeling restaurants—Japanese, Mexican, Italian, and more—line up along Duke Street in the heart of the Ropewalks area (concentrated on the block between Kent Street and the Chinatown arch). While not high cuisine, these crowd-pleasers are close to the nightlife action.
Delifonseca is a trendy delicatessen with two parts. In the cellar is the picnic-perfect deli counter, with prepared salads sold by weight, a wide range of meats and cheeses, and made-to-order £3 sandwiches. Upstairs is a casual bistro serving British, Mediterranean, and international cuisine (£7-10 sandwiches and salads, £10-13 chalkboard main dishes). While not cheap, the food here is high quality (both open Mon-Sat 8:00-21:00, Sun 10:00-17:00, last orders in the bistro around 21:30 Fri-Sat, 12 Stanley Street, tel. 0151/255-0808).
Liverpool One: This shopping center, right in the heart of town, is nirvana for British chain restaurants. The upper Leisure Terrace has a row of some popular chains—including Café Rouge (French), Wagamama Noodle Bar, Gourmet Burger Company, Pizza Express, and more—all with outdoor seating. If you want to dine on predictable mass-produced food, you’ll have a wide selection here.
The eateries at the Albert Dock aren’t high cuisine, but they’re handy to your sightseeing. A slew of trendy restaurants come alive with club energy at night, but are sedate and pleasant in the afternoon and early evening. For lunch near the sights, consider the café in the Tate Gallery (£3-4 sandwiches and soups, £6-9 main dishes, daily 10:00-17:30 except closes at 16:30 Nov-March).
Note that many connections from Liverpool transfer at the Wigan North Western Station, which is on a major north-south train line.
From Liverpool by Train to: Blackpool (hourly, 1.5 hours), Keswick/Lake District (train to Penrith—roughly hourly with change in Wigan and possibly elsewhere, 1.75-2.25 hours; then bus to Keswick—see here), York (hourly, 2.25 hours), Edinburgh (hourly, 3.5-4 hours, change in Wigan and possibly also Lancaster or Preston), Glasgow (1-2/hour, 3.25-4.5 hours, change in Wigan and possibly elsewhere), London’s Euston Station (hourly direct, 2 hours, more with changes), Crewe (2/hour, 45 minutes), Chester (2/hour, 45 minutes). Train info: tel. 0845-748-4950, www.nationalrail.co.uk.
By Ferry to Dublin, Republic of Ireland: P&O Irish Sea Ferries runs a car ferry only—no foot passengers (2-3/day, 8-hour trip, prices vary widely—roughly £150 for car and 2 passengers, overnight ferry includes berth and meals, 20-minute drive north of the city center at Liverpool Freeport—Gladstone dock, check in 1-2 hours before departure, tel. 0871-664-4777, www.poirishsea.com). Those without cars can take a ferry to Dublin via the Isle of Man (www.steam-packet.com), or ride the train to North Wales, and catch the Dublin ferry from Holyhead (www.stenaline.co.uk).
By Ferry to Belfast, Northern Ireland: Ferries sail from nearby Birkenhead roughly twice a day (8 hours, fares vary widely, tel. 0871-230-0330, www.stenaline.co.uk). Birkenhead’s dock is a 15-minute walk from Hamilton Square Station on Merseyrail’s Wirral Line.