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Things to do in Liverpool

Liverpool is packed full of arts, culture, and history. It is most famous for being the birthplace of the Beatles, the most musically influential and commercially successful band in popular history.

Liverpool is the fifth largest city in England and, thanks to regeneration projects spanning the last century, has in recent years become a buzzing cultural hub. The city is famous worldwide for its legendary football clubs, Liverpool and Everton FC, as well as its rich music heritage, being home to a range of impressive artists such as the Beatles, Cilla Black, and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Lots of the city’s recent regeneration efforts have been put towards new shopping and residential areas, transforming the whole look and feel of the city centre.

Thanks to Liverpool’s maritime history based around its ports and docklands, the city also boasts a rich multicultural diversity. Home to the oldest Chinese community in Europe, the city hosts an impressive Chinatown area. Liverpool is also a UNESCO World Heritage City due to the important role it played in the growth of the British Empire during the 18th and 19th centuries, contributing to its renowned historic status. There are so many things to do in Liverpool that when you visit you’ll never want to leave this fascinating city!

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History of Liverpool
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The Beatles Story
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Arts and Culture
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Shopping, Eating and Drinking

Things to do in Liverpool

History of Liverpool There are several impressive museums exploring Liverpool’s rich and fascinating history that you should visit on your trip. Due to the city’s strategic location at the mouth of the River Mersey where it meets the Irish Sea, in the past Liverpool was a major port for freight cargo, not to mention slaves and emigrants, during the reign of the British Empire. The International Slavery Museum reveals the city’s past involvement in the triangular slave trade through remarkable multimedia displays and documented personal experiences which confront, head-on, the city’s involvement in these inhumane practises of the past.

For a more positive spin on the city’s illustrious history you should visit the Merseyside Maritime Museum. Here you can learn about the story of nine million emigrants as they travelled to Australia and North America, as well as explore a life-size model of a typical ship that they would have journeyed on. The Museum of Liverpool focuses on the city’s more recent cultural history, including exhibitions on the famous Beatles and Liverpool Football Club. Finally on our list is the Western Approaches Museum, which is the perfect place to visit for those interested in political history, as it documents Liverpool’s strategic role as the nerve centre for Allied operations during World War Two.

The Beatles Story

No trip to Liverpool would be complete without embarking on a Beatles tour of the city! The first stop on your list should be The Beatles Story on Albert Docks, where there is an exhibition which tells the story of the Beatles from their very earliest days through to their later international tours. From here you can embark upon a Magical Mystery Tour, where a two-hour bus journey will take you to see landmarks such as Penny Lane and Strawberry Field, to mention just a few.

You won’t want to miss out on a visit to The Cavern Club, the official birthplace of the Fab Four when they played their first gig in 1961. As well as a popular tourist attraction, the club still functions as a live music venue, so you might even get to catch a show on your visit here too. Another high profile venue connected to the band is the Casbah Coffee Club, which has been given a blue plaque by English Heritage and is now a Grade II listed building. This tourist attraction features some original 1960s artefacts and artwork to really take you back in time to the Beatles era.

Arts and Culture

The Royal Albert Dock is a beautiful waterfront destination to visit for a spot of culture on your trip to Liverpool. This UNESCO World Heritage Site features the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in the UK, ideal for anyone interested in architecture. The dock’s main attraction is without a doubt the Tate Liverpool gallery which houses a world-class collection of modern and contemporary artworks to delight any art lover.

For another example of some impressive architecture you should go and visit the neo-Gothic Liverpool Cathedral – Britain’s largest church and the world’s largest Anglican cathedral. You can climb the tower for unparalleled views across the city and beyond, sometimes even seeing as far as Blackpool. Another great cultural hub is the Walker Art Gallery, the foremost national gallery of Northern England. Here you can browse an outstanding collection of art and sculptures, as well as enjoy some family-friendly fun with some interactive exhibits and games.

Shopping, Eating and Drinking

After soaking up all the cultural delights that Liverpool has to offer you’ll probably be desperate for a bit of good old retail therapy. The place to go for shopping is definitely Liverpool ONE; this massive development has 170 retail outlets as well as restaurants, bars, and a multiplex cinema to keep you entertained for hours on end.

If you’re looking for somewhere to grab some food you’ll struggle to choose from the eclectic range of culinary delights you can find here. From Spanish to Japanese to traditional English gastropub, you’re sure to find something to suit everyone’s tastes. You’ll also be overwhelmed by the variety of options when looking for somewhere to have a few drinks – Red Door is a lovely cocktail bar which often has DJs playing, or there’s Bierkeller for a fun Bavarian-style night out. Liverpool is famed for its nightlife so you’re sure to find something fun to do, whatever night of the week.