You Don’t Have to Love the Beatles to Fall for This City

I spent a week in Liverpool, and it completely rearranged what I thought this city was about.

I went in expecting nothing but an industrial city beyond the Beatles heritage. It was, in fact, a lot of Beatles, but there was much more. What I didn’t expect was to fall for the rest of the city just as hard: the maritime history along the docks, the two cathedrals bookending Hope Street, the sheer number of films and shows shot here, and the historical walking tours that turned out to be some of the best few hours I spent anywhere in the city.

My favorite single experience of the whole week was a walk through the city’s film locations with a guide named Gary, a movie history geek and passionate who’s been doing this for years and has the stories to prove it. That, the dockyard, and a couple of tip-based historical walking tours ended up teaching me more about Liverpool than any museum did.

This guide covers everything I’d recommend beyond the Fab Four: the waterfront, the Georgian Quarter, the tours worth booking, where to eat, and where to stay.

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Liverpool at a Glance

Liverpool sits on the River Mersey in North West England, and it’s the UK’s most filmed city outside London along with one of its most musical. Beyond the maritime history that built the city, there’s a Georgian Quarter with two cathedrals, one of the country’s largest collections of museums and galleries outside London, and a food and nightlife scene that’s grown well past its industrial history. It’s compact enough to see most of the center on foot, and interesting enough that the tours here go well beyond the usual highlight reel.

A Few Interesting Facts About Liverpool

• More UK number one singles have come from Liverpool than any other city in the world, enough that Guinness World Records named it the World Capital of Pop, and that tally doesn’t even lean on the Beatles alone.
• Liverpool’s two cathedrals bookend Hope Street, and the Anglican Cathedral’s bell, nicknamed Big George, is larger than Big Ben.
• The Royal Albert Dock, opened in 1846, was the first building in Britain constructed entirely from cast iron, brick, and stone, with no wood at all, which made it effectively fireproof for the goods stored inside.
• Liverpool held UNESCO World Heritage status for its maritime waterfront from 2004, but lost the title in 2021 after new development along the docks, one of only a handful of sites in the world to ever be delisted.
• Beneath the streets sits a genuine network of tunnels dug in the early 1800s by an eccentric merchant named Joseph Williamson. Nobody has ever fully explained why he built them, and parts are open for tours today.
• Liverpool’s Chinatown, dating back to the 1830s, is the oldest established Chinese community in Europe.
• The Titanic never actually sailed to or from Liverpool, she was built in Belfast, but she was registered here, since her owner, the White Star Line, was founded and headquartered in the city. More on that below.

Where Is Liverpool: Maps

Liverpool sits on the eastern bank of the River Mersey estuary in North West England, about 220 miles from London and under an hour from Manchester.

How to Get to Liverpool

I arrived to Liverpool by ferry from the Isle of Man, which is quite a unique way to get there. I was housesitting on the beautiful island of Man and finally managed to explore it properly, and you should read my guide about that. Even if you are not traveling anytime soon my pictures and stories will take you there with me.

By Train

The train is genuinely the best way to reach Liverpool, not just the default option. Direct services from London Euston to Liverpool Lime Street take as little as 2 hours and 15 minutes, with around 50 trains running the route daily, and Avanti West Coast runs the fastest ones. From Manchester, it’s under an hour. Book in advance for the cheapest fares, since walk-up prices climb fast closer to travel dates.

Keep in mind that you don’t need a car to explore the city and if you want to explore the surrounding you can always rent one from Liverpool for a couple of days.

By Car

As I mentioned before, you don’t need a car for Liverpool. The center is compact and walkable, and Merseyrail and the bus network cover everything else you might want to reach. However, if you are on a road trip and want to make a stop in Liverpool, you will find a lot of parking spaces available, and I would recommend asking your rental or hotel if they offer one included in the rate so you will avoid paying extra.

By Bus

FlixBus runs from London Victoria for around 5 hours and 50 minutes, the budget option if you’re not in a rush.

PRO TIP: Take the train for Liverpool itself and skip renting a car entirely. Parking in the city center costs more than it’s worth for a trip focused on the sights in this guide.

Best Time to Visit Liverpool

Liverpool sits far enough north that you should pack for rain regardless of when you go, but the season still changes the experience.

Summer (June to August) brings the warmest weather and the biggest crowds, plus higher hotel prices, especially if a Liverpool FC or Everton home match lands during your stay.

Shoulder season (April to May, September to October) is where I’d point most people. Fewer crowds, lower prices, and still enough daylight to fit in a full day of sightseeing.

Winter brings Christmas markets to St George’s Quarter and a genuinely atmospheric, if cold and wet, city center.

One date worth knowing regardless of season: Grand National week at Aintree in early April fills every hotel in the city, so check the race calendar before booking if you’re visiting in spring.

I visited at the end of August myself, right at the tail end of summer, and got a good mix of it: still warm enough for long days outside, but with the worst of the July crowds already thinning out. If you can time a trip for late August into September, you get most of summer’s weather without paying peak summer prices.

Best Things to Do in Liverpool

1. Wander Royal Albert Dock

Royal Albert Dock is where most people start, and for good reason. It was my favorite place to go and take some great photos, besides enjoying one of the delicious restaurants. In fact, it’s the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in the country, and today it’s packed with restaurants, shops, and several of the city’s best museums. I spent an easy half day just walking the water’s edge, in and out of buildings, without much of a plan and I kept going back for a walk at sunset after exploring the rest of the city and joining some tours. (more about that later)

2. Ride the RLB360 tour up the Royal Liver Building

For the best view in the city, book the RLB360 tour up the Royal Liver Building, one of the Three Graces on the waterfront. Tours only opened up inside the building fairly recently, and the climb is worth it for the rooftop view over the Mersey alone.

3. Visit the British Music Experience

Inside the Cunard Building, the British Music Experience covers British music history well beyond the Beatles, from Bowie to the Spice Girls, with genuine memorabilia rather than just photos on a wall.

4. Explore Tate Liverpool and the waterfront museums

Tate Liverpool, the Museum of Liverpool, and the Merseyside Maritime Museum all sit within a few minutes of each other at the Dock, and I worked my way through all three over the course of an afternoon. The Maritime Museum is the one I’d prioritize if you’re short on time, since it ties directly into the story of the docks themselves.

5. Take a Mersey Ferry cruise

You may think it can be a very touristy thing to do but a slow cruise along the river is a great way to see liverpool in perspective. I managed to take amazing photos and enjoyed a relaxed ride. The Mersey Ferry terminal is right there, and you can book it last minute, but I would buy the ticket a day in advance just to make sure. Make sure you get the postcard view of the Three Graces from the water, and it’s a nice way to rest your feet halfway through a long day of walking.

6. See St George’s Hall and St George’s Plateau

From the Dock, head inland to St George’s Hall, a neoclassical building that’s hosted everything from concerts to film shoots (Fantastic Beasts and The Batman both used it). The plateau out front is one of the best spots in the city for photos of the building itself.

7. Browse the Walker Art Gallery and World Museum

Both sit right next to St George’s Hall on William Brown Street, and both are free to enter. The Walker Art Gallery has one of the best collections in the country outside London.

8. Shop Liverpool ONE and Bold Street

Liverpool ONE is the shopping complex most visitors end up in at some point, and Bold Street in the Ropewalks neighborhood is the better version for independent shops, international food, and Liverpool’s Chinatown next door.

9. Walk Hope Street and the Georgian Quarter

Hope Street is bookended by Liverpool’s two cathedrals, and the Georgian Quarter around it has some of the city’s best preserved architecture. It’s a slower, quieter part of the city than the Dock or downtown, and I’d recommend giving it a proper hour rather than rushing through.

10. Have cake at Pocket Cafe Bar

Pocket Cafe Bar on Paradise Street, just around the corner from the Liverpool ONE bus station, is a small, cozy spot with seating both upstairs and down and a genuinely good selection of cakes on the counter. It sits right next to a gift shop stocked with local, handmade pieces, so it’s easy to turn a coffee break into an hour of browsing. The upstairs space has changed a few times since it opened, from event space to yoga classes, so don’t be surprised if it looks a little different from one visit to the next.

11. Visit St Luke’s Bombed Out Church

Known locally as the Bombed Out Church, St Luke’s was gutted by an incendiary bomb during the May Blitz of 1941 and deliberately left standing as a roofless shell, a living memorial to the more than 1,900 people Liverpool lost that week. Today it doubles as a creative community space with a garden growing where the pews used to be. It’s a quieter, more sobering stop than most of this list, and worth the ten minutes it takes to really take it in.

12. Climb the tower at Liverpool Cathedral

The Anglican Liverpool Cathedral at one end of Hope Street is enormous, genuinely one of the largest cathedrals in the world, and you can climb the Vestey Tower for a view over the whole city.

13. Step inside the Metropolitan Cathedral

At the other end of Hope Street sits the Metropolitan Cathedral, known locally as Paddy’s Wigwam for its shape. The interior, lit through a crown of stained glass, is worth the visit on its own.

14. Discover the Baltic Triangle

The Baltic Triangle is Liverpool’s answer to Shoreditch or Brooklyn: converted warehouses, street art, and the Baltic Market for street food and live music. It’s a better fit for an evening than an afternoon.

15. Go underground at the Western Approaches Museum

Tucked away on Rumford Street, behind the Town Hall, the Western Approaches Museum is the actual WWII bunker where the Battle of the Atlantic was commanded, preserved almost exactly as it was left in 1945. It’s small, no grand entrance, no crowds, but genuinely one of the most interesting things I did in the city: original map rooms, wartime telephones, and the sense that you’re walking through history rather than a reconstruction of it.

16. Relax in Sefton Park

A short bus ride or a longer walk from the center, Sefton Park has a restored Victorian Palm House and enough green space to properly slow down for an hour. Pair it with Lark Lane next door for cafes and boutiques.

17. Spot Liverpool’s film locations

Liverpool is the second most filmed city in the UK outside London, and once you know to look, you’ll spot it everywhere: St George’s Hall as Gotham City Hall in The Batman, Stanley Dock standing in for 1940s Brooklyn in Captain America, the Queensway Tunnel from a Harry Potter chase scene. I did this properly with Gary from Reel Tours (more on him below), and it’s worth doing the same rather than just spotting locations on your own. You can contact him on Instagram or book directly on Viator.

18. Take an Anfield Stadium Tour

Even if you’re not a football person, Anfield is worth a mention. Home to Liverpool FC, the stadium tour takes you behind the scenes: the changing rooms, the players’ tunnel, and pitch side. It’s one of the most consistently recommended things to do in the city across nearly every ranking guide out there, and it holds up even if you couldn’t name a single player. Book the Anfield Stadium Tour here.

19. Book a History and Heritage Walking Tour

If you’d rather book a guided walk in advance with a set time and a confirmed guide, rather than show up to a tip-based tour and hope for a good one, this history and heritage walking tour covers a similar mix of the city’s story, cathedrals included, with the certainty of a locked-in booking.

Best Guided Tours in Liverpool

Between waterfront walks and museum visits, the four tours I took ended up teaching me more about Liverpool than anything else I did that week.

➡️ Reel Tours with Gary

My favorite single thing I did in Liverpool. Gary, who runs Reel Tours, walks you through the city’s film locations over about two and a half hours, from St George’s Hall’s double life as Gotham City Hall to the streets that stood in for Peaky Blinders’ Birmingham. He’s amazing, genuinely one of the most knowledgeable guides I’ve had anywhere, and it’s the kind of tour where you notice the city differently for the rest of your trip. You can get a feel for his work on Instagram before you book.

➡️ historical walking tours

I also joined a couple of Liverpool’s tip-based historical walking tours, the kind where you pay what you think the tour was worth at the end rather than booking a fixed-price ticket. Mine covered the cathedrals and a good chunk of the city’s general history, and ran a little over two hours. As a rule, plan to tip somewhere between £10 and £15 per person if you enjoyed it, more if your guide earned it.

Or you can check out this affordable historical tour on Viator as well.

➡️ Hop-on hop-off bus tour

A hop-on hop-off bus tour is a good option if your feet need a break or you’re short on time, covering the waterfront and the main city center sights with recorded commentary. – BOOK NOW

➡️ Food and Drink Tour

For a different angle on the city, this food and drink tour takes you through several stops for tastings across an afternoon, a good option if you want Liverpool’s food scene covered in one go rather than piecing it together yourself, especially useful given I never got around to trying scouse myself.

The Magical Mystery Tour, for Beatles fans

This guide is built around everything beyond the Fab Four, but the Magical Mystery Tour bus is worth a mention on its own, separate from the Beatles Story museum this article is deliberately steering around. I did it with Dale, and he’s an amazing guide, so passionate about the Beatles and Liverpool history, one of the best I’ve come across anywhere. If you’re any kind of Beatles fan, follow him on Instagram at @daleliverpool and try to book directly.

I tell you a secret, I am not a Beatles´ fan, particularly, but I found his tour and narration super interesting from a cultural perspective.

Day Trips from Liverpool

Liverpool’s location also makes it a solid base for exploring further out. None of these made it into my own week, so treat this as a shortlist of what’s worth adding on if you have an extra day or two, not a personal account.

Chester

Chester, about 45 minutes away, is one of Britain’s best preserved historic cities: Roman walls you can walk the full loop of, the two tiered Rows for shopping, and a cathedral with roots going back almost a thousand years. It’s an easy one to do without a car, since the train runs direct from Liverpool Lime Street.

Port Sunlight and the Wirral Coast

Port Sunlight, a Victorian model village on the Wirral, doubles as a film location in its own right and pairs well with a stop at Crosby Beach to see Antony Gormley’s cast iron figures staring out at the estuary. Also reachable by train, no car needed.

North Wales and Snowdonia

About 90 minutes away, North Wales covers Conwy Castle and the edge of Snowdonia National Park, and this is where having your own car actually starts to matter, since the train connections are far less direct than the other day trips on this list. If you’d rather not drive, two guided options handle the transport for you: the North Wales Adventure Sightseeing Day Trip, or the North Wales and Caernarfon Castle Day Tour, which swaps in Caernarfon Castle for a slightly different route.

The Lake District

A little further, at around 2 hours, the Lake District rewards a full day with Windermere and the surrounding fells. Same logic applies here: a car makes it far easier to do at your own pace, but if you don’t feel like driving, the Lake District Adventure Sightseeing Day Trip from Liverpool covers it for you.

What and Where to Eat (according to guests’ reviews)

I’ll be honest, I never got around to trying scouse myself, so consider this section built on what locals and repeat visitors recommend rather than my own plate.

Scouse, the beef or lamb stew that gave Liverpudlians their nickname, shows up on menus across the city, especially in traditional pubs. Fish and chips is the other obvious order, particularly if you can find a spot with a waterfront view. For something with more range, Bold Street and the Baltic Triangle’s food markets cover everything from Middle Eastern small plates to genuinely good pizza.

• Ma Boyle’s Alehouse: one of Liverpool’s oldest pubs, serving scouse the traditional way, in a bowl with bread and butter
• Maggie May’s: a long standing local favorite specifically for scouse
• Maray: Middle Eastern small plates on Bold Street and at the Dock, popular with visitors and locals alike

Must-try dishes:

• Scouse
• Fish and chips
• Scouse pie (a matchday favorite)

Liverpool Safety Tips

• Watch your belongings around Lime Street station and other busy tourist spots, same as any major UK city center
• Pack for rain regardless of season, and wear shoes that can handle wet cobblestones in the Georgian Quarter
• A few residential neighborhoods outside the visitor center aren’t worth wandering into after dark, ask locally or check with your accommodation if you’re staying outside the center
• Book match day accommodation and transport early if a Liverpool FC or Everton game overlaps your visit, the city gets busy and lively

Parking Guide

You won’t need a car for anything in this guide, so keep parking brief if you’re driving in anyway. Liverpool ONE has several multi story car parks right in the center, and Q-Park runs a few more around the waterfront.

PRO TIP: If you’re only in town for the sights in this guide, skip renting a car entirely, walking and Merseyrail cover everything you’ll need.

Photography Tips

The Three Graces and Albert Dock at golden hour give you the classic Liverpool waterfront shot, ideally from across the water for the full skyline. Hope Street and Falkner Street in the Georgian Quarter are where the architecture really comes together, especially with the two cathedrals bookending the street. The Baltic Triangle’s street art rewards a slower walk with your camera rather than a quick pass through, and the view from the RLB360 tower gives you the whole waterfront from above if you want the wide shot. If you take the film locations tour, keep your camera out. Gary points out several spots that photograph well even without the film history attached.

Local Festivals

Grand National week at Aintree in early April is the single biggest date on Liverpool’s calendar for visitors, even though the race itself happens just outside the city. Hotels book out and prices climb, so plan around it rather than into it unless you’re going specifically for the race. Liverpool Pride runs through the summer with a parade and city wide events. Christmas brings markets to St George’s Quarter from late November. International Beatleweek in August is the big one for Beatles fans specifically, covered in more depth in my dedicated Beatles guide.

Where to Stay in Liverpool

I use Booking.com or Expedia to compare options across the city before picking a neighborhood.

City Centre / Lime Street puts you closest to the station and within walking distance of everything in this guide. Ropewalks and Bold Street trade a little distance for a livelier, more independent feel, good if nightlife and food matter to you as much as sightseeing. Royal Albert Dock and the Waterfront sits you right next to the museums, with easy access to the water. The Georgian Quarter is the quieter option, better suited to a slower pace and a bit more space between you and the Saturday night crowds. The Baltic Triangle leans creative and a little rougher around the edges, with the food markets and live music to match.

I stayed at Aloft Liverpool by Marriott on North John Street, right in the City Center inside the old Royal Insurance Building, and genuinely loved it. It’s a five-minute walk from Liverpool ONE and the Cavern Quarter, with a stylish, slightly playful design that made the whole stay feel easy.

Budget-Friendly

• YHA Liverpool Albert Dock: dorms and private rooms right at the Dock

Mid-Range

• Aloft Liverpool by Marriott: where I stayed, in the City Centre, set inside a Grade II listed building with a lively bar scene
• Hope Street Hotel: in the Georgian Quarter, close to both cathedrals, this is an adorable boutique hotel. If I go back to Liverpool, this is where I’d would go.

Higher-End

• Titanic Hotel Liverpool: a converted warehouse at Stanley Dock with genuine maritime character

Practical Information

Currency The UK uses the British pound (GBP). Cards are accepted almost everywhere, though it’s worth carrying a little cash for smaller cafes and market stalls.

Language English, though you’ll hear the local Scouse accent everywhere, distinctive enough that it takes a day or two to fully tune your ear to it.

Tipping Tipping in restaurants generally runs 10 to 12.5 percent, and some places add a service charge automatically, worth checking your bill before adding more. For the tip-based walking tours, plan on £10 to £15 per person as a starting point.

Getting Around The city center is walkable enough that you won’t need much else, but Merseyrail connects the wider region and buses cover everything beyond that. Taxis are easy to find around Lime Street and Liverpool ONE.

Internet & Connectivity An eSIM through Airalo is an easy way to stay connected as soon as you land, without hunting for a local SIM.

Emergency Numbers

• Police, fire, ambulance: 999 or 112

Budget & Costs

Accommodation

• Budget hostels: £25 to £45 per night
• Mid-range hotels: £70 to £130 per night
• Higher-end hotels: £150 to £250+ per night

Food & Drink

• Coffee: £2.50 to £3.50
• Pub lunch: £10 to £15 per person
• Sit-down dinner: £20 to £35 per person
• Pint of local beer: £4.50 to £6

Transport

• Merseyrail single ticket: £2 to £5
• Bus single ticket: around £2.50
• Taxi across the city center: £8 to £15

Attractions

• Most major museums (Tate Liverpool, Museum of Liverpool, Walker Art Gallery, World Museum): free entry
• RLB360 tower tour: around £20
• Liverpool Cathedral tower climb: around £10

Is Liverpool Worth Visiting? Final Thoughts

Yes, and a week gave me time I wouldn’t have had on a weekend to actually slow down in the Georgian Quarter, take four different tours, and still have days left over for the docks and Sefton Park. If you’re only planning a couple of days, prioritize the waterfront, Hope Street, and one guided tour, ideally Gary’s.

Before You go: More Pictures of Liverpool