With its world-class museums and impressive musical past and present, you can see why Scousers have so much to be cheery about it, and why Liverpool has got a reputation as being one of England’s friendliest cities.
While most people have heard of Liverpool thanks to The Beatles, the Fab Four aren’t the only musical giants to leave their indelible mark on the city. A slew of great artists, from Echo & the Bunnymen to The La’s to The Zutons, have turned the amp up to 11 to crank out great tunes for the masses on this side of and across the pond
Fierce footballing rivalries aside, this is a city that’s as welcoming as it is vibrant. From its colorful contemporary art to its party-themed hotels and growing street food scene, you’ll find plenty of things to see and do in Liverpool. So don your favorite Beatles tee and your manual camera and head to this city that will draw you in and keep you coming back for more.
Eat
Liverpool’s food scene is as eclectic and welcoming as its people. Locals relish inviting visitors to taste a bit of the native food. Scouse, which has become a nickname for the populace, is a meat stew that is best enjoyed with a pint or two of beer in the winter. Brought to Liverpool by sailors who had traveled to Scandinavia, the hearty dish consists of mutton or beef and hearty vegetables and is accompanied with bread and cabbage.
Another dish native to the region is toad in the hole. The funnily named Yorkshire mainstay consists of a sausage pie topped with onion gravy. You’ll find locals and tourists savoring toad in the hole at most pubs in the city.
While Liverpool may still be chasing that first Michelin star, it’s not expected to take much longer thanks to the likes of The Art School, which was founded by chef-patron Paul Askew. As well as a taste for local suppliers, it’s home to award-winning chefs and a private dining room that pays tribute to Askew’s late mother and their shared love of Sherlock Holmes.
Following success in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Manchester, Scottish-Italian chef Nico Simeone also decided to bring his concept restaurant, Six by Nico, to Liverpool. If you’re looking for a regular spot that you won’t tire of quickly, this one’s for you—it has a new six-course tasting menu that rotates every six weeks.
For more casual bites, the Baltic Market in the city’s buzzy Baltic Triangle is Liverpool’s first-ever street food mecca and also home to an ever-changing roster of food vendors. As well as nurturing up-and-coming culinary talent, it hosts live bands on Saturday nights, a Sunday farmers and flea market and a lively drinks scene.
Former barrister turned Mowgli founder Nisha Katona wanted to set the record straight about real Indian food. The result is another street food fan favorite where you can enjoy simple, often vegan, dishes inspired by the food she grew up with.Think red lentil dahl and butter chicken.
Play
It’s no coincidence that Liverpool was named the European Capital of Culture in 2008. You don’t have to wander far to come across a world-class museum or gallery.
If you’re into contemporary art, you’ll find the United Kingdom’s “Tate of the North” in a converted warehouse, designed by British architect James Stirling, in the Royal Albert Dock. First opened to the public in May 1988, Tate Liverpool has since become a venue for major European exhibitions of modern art. In 2007, the gallery even hosted the Turner Prize, marking the first time the competition was held outside London. Thanks to its close proximity to the city center by foot and extensive programme of exhibitions, talks and workshops, many of which are free to enjoy, it welcomes 600,000 annual visitors each year. Join the crowds, especially on weekends, and you can admire works of art by the likes of Keith Haring, Yves Klein and Jackson Pollock. Daily guided tours at 2.15 p.m., led by the gallery’s Visitor Engagement Assistants, are also completely free to join and packed with insights and stories behind the collections. The good taste isn’t just reserved for the gallery walls either, there’s a café designed by Sir Peter Blake (known for co-creating The Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover), where you can snack on pecan blondies while enjoying views across the Albert Dock.
Home also to the Maritime Museum, which you’ll find in a warehouse that formerly used to store tea, silk, sugar and spirits, the Royal Albert Dock is one of the North West’s most-visited free attractions. Granted a royal title in 2018 to mark its role in the city’s maritime history, it is home to one of the largest groups of Grade I listed buildings in England and now known more for its bars, restaurants and galleries than its boats. It is also a great place to wander on a sunny day.
Those with more historic artistic tastes will find The Walker Art Gallery home to sculpture, paintings and decorative art dating back as far as the 13th century. It’s not only located in one of the city’s most iconic buildings, the collection, which is regarded as including Liverpool’s most outstanding art for the past 130 years, has its fair share of big-name artists, too—think Rembrandt, David Hockney and Banksy.
If you prefer your McCartneys to your Monets, you’ll find Liverpool’s musical past very much present. The world’s largest permanent Beatles exhibition can be found at Albert Dock and there are nods to The Fab Four all over the city, from the pubs where Lennon and co. used to drink (the Philharmonic Dining Rooms are still one of the city’s most beautiful) to the clubs they used to play in.
The Beatles Story, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2020, follows the band’s rise from humble beginnings to be the world’s greatest band. Helping music fans to retrace the band’s steps are a series of recreations of key locations from their career, including The Casbah Club, The Cavern Club, and Abbey Road Studios. There’s plenty of memorabilia on display too, including John Lennon’s last piano, Ringo Starr’s drum kit, never-before-seen photography and original handwritten lyrics. Make sure to take advantage of the included multimedia guides, too. Available in 12 languages, they’re narrated by John Lennon’s sister, Julia Baird, and feature video interviews with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr.
For the real deal and a nostalgic night out, The Cavern Club still gets top billing as one of Liverpool’s top music venues. A serious contender for the most famous nightclub in the world, the legendary home of The Beatles (the band played nearly 300 gigs here in the 1960s) retains its iconic status among musicians today, attracting the likes of Adele, Oasis and a returning Sir Paul McCartney more than 60 years after The Beatles first performed. You can enjoy live music under its iconic arches seven days a week from 11:15 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and midday Monday to Thursday until late, for £5 per person, which you can pay on the door.
Across its two stages are a selection of artists, from cover bands and tribute shows to unsigned showcase nights. There’s also a souvenir shop where you can pick up all the merchandise you can think of, and some you won’t, from pin badges and postcards to ukuleles.
If music is Liverpool’s first love, football is definitely its second. The long-standing rivalries of Liverpool Football Club and Everton are well known and you’ll see the city turn red and blue come match day. Thanks to managers Bill Shankly, Bob Paisley, Kenny Dalglish, Rafael Benítez and Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool established itself as a major force in domestic and European football, first in the 1970s and 1980s and again in more recent times when it won two further European Cups (in 2005 and 2019) and a nineteenth League title—its first Premier League—in 2020. A LFC stadium tour certainly doesn’t disappoint in terms of silverware then. As well as a very well-stocked trophy cabinet, a tour of Anfield Stadium offers a chance to visit the home team’s dressing room, player’s tunnel, see the city views from the highest level of the Main Stand and stand pitchside. You can also join a 60-minute question and answer session with a Liverpool legend. Former players John Aldridge, Phil Thompson, Jan Molby, Steve McMahon and Bruce Grobbelaar all regularly share their memories and dressing room stories.
If the blood that courses through your veins has a blue hue instead, a tour of Everton’s existing ground, Goodison Park, will allow you to take in the view from the directors’ box, walk along the player’s tunnel to the sound of the club’s Z-Cars anthem and pose for photos on the seat that the manager uses for his post-match interviews. A new £500 million 53,000-seater ground, at Bramley-Moore dock on the banks of the River Mersey, will replace Goodison Park as the club’s home after more than 130 years ahead of the 2024-25 football season. We expect that stadium tour will be worth the wait, too.
Stay
Hope Street Hotel
Since the Hope Street Hotel opened its doors in 2003 it has been a popular retreat for locals and visitors alike. Thanks to its cool Scandi-inspired design and love of wooden furniture, hardwood floors and exposed brick, it looks as relevant and fresh as it did when it first opened. Add to that a 2 AA Rosette award-winning restaurant and it’s easy to see why this hotel has stood the test of time.
The Shankly Hotel
At the other end of the design spectrum sits The Shankly Hotel. Forget cool minimalism, there isn’t a paint color or fabric this self-proclaimed party hotel hasn’t used in its guestrooms. As well as jungle and nautical themes, room highlights include private pools, bars and nightclubs. “Party rooms” with multiple beds can also fit up to 24 guests for adult sleepovers stag and hen dos and birthday celebrations.
Staybridge Suites, An IHG Hotel
Cozy and inviting, the Staybridge Suites, An IHG Hotel, is ideal for anyone wanting a homey feel while they explore Liverpool. Studio suites boast a fully equipped kitchen with dishwasher and the more expansive one-bedroom suites include a living area separated from a large bedroom and bath with tub. All accommodations boast crisp linens, modern furniture, free WIFi and pops of color via throws and coverlets. Guests can enjoy full continental breakfast as well as access to a small fitness studio and daily happy hour at the bar.