The UK has so much to offer in terms of history, culture, activities and days out, so why not take advantage of this by taking a city break in one of the most famous cities in the world?
Liverpool is instantly synonymous with The Beatles, but behind the musical history of ‘The Fab 4’ lies so much more: magnificent cathedrals, sporting venues, theatres, museums, galleries and concert halls to name but a few things. Not much planning is needed – many of the activities can be booked on the day; either with a quick phone call or in one of the tourist offices, and you’ll be surprised by what is actually on your doorstep, or if you’re travelling from further afield – what’s on offer in Liverpool.
Below is a mini guide to city breaks in Liverpool: where to go, what to do, how much it should cost and what to look out for.
One of the best things about Liverpool is that all of the landmarks are within a few miles of each other, so it won’t break the bank to travel to each different attraction. Let’s take a look at what is on offer:
Where to go/what to do
Albert Docks:
Home to many museums, art galleries, bars, restaurants and tours, the Albert Dock has something for everyone. A 10 minutes walk from the city centre, you can get lost in the history of the city here. There’s The Beatles Story, which tells the tale of the Fab 4 as they took the world by storm to become the greatest band of all time. Visitors can now ‘live the history’ as there are many interactive areas to discover the lives, culture and history of the Beatles. Costing £12.95 for adults, and £6.50 for children, the Beatles story takes you through recreations of the famous Cavern club, the Abbey Road studios, helps you understand the hysteria of “Beatlemania” – a must for any music fan.
If music isn’t your thing, check out the Maritime Museum, and learn about the port that was once central to the world’s trade. Hear the story of the Titanic, and explore the Border and Customs Uncovered exhibition, which features artefacts and stories about war, protest, tax evasion and smuggling – including some strange objects used to smuggle contraband into the country. You can also practise loading cargo on the new “Cargo-a-go-go” game. Entry to the museum is free.
There’s also the International Slavery Museum, situated inside the Maritime Museum. Discover the history of the slave trade, split into 3 sections exploring West Africa, enslavement and the middle passage, and the final section encapsulates the continuing fight for freedom. Temporary exhibitions are regularly updated in the slavery museum.
Tate Liverpool is the place to go for all you art lovers, the home of 20th century art in the most visited gallery outside London. Tucked away in a converted warehouse as part of the Albert Dock, the Tate has many special events and exhibitions that can all be taken advantage of for free. There is also an on site café to grab a coffee overlooking the docks.
Alternatively, for those not afraid of heights, get on the Echo Wheel of Liverpool, which stands 60 metres high and gives passengers the chance to take in the wonderful skyline with a 360 degree panoramic view in air conditioned capsules from next to the recently constructed Echo Arena. Cost for adults is £6.37, while children’s admission costs £3.90.
Credit: Mike Barry
Finally, you cannot visit the Albert Dock without riding “The Yellow Duckmarine”, an amphibious vehicle that tours the city before driving straight into the Albert Dock with a dramatic “splashdown”. With live commentary throughout, the ‘Duck’ takes you around the Three Graces, St George’s Hall, the Cathedrals and many other places, before embarking into the water, taking you through the South Docks to Coburg Dock, before ending outside the Albert Dock buildings. Tickets for adults cost £9.95, whilst for children it is £7.95. During school holidays there is an extra £2 charge per ticket.
City Centre:
If you’re looking for a place to stay right in the middle of town, then use a price comparison site such as travelsupermarket.com to find one of the many city centre hotels right in the middle of the action. In the week, there are sometimes offers on rooms, such as stay for 2 nights and get a 3rd free, while there may be the possibility of a free room upgrade on quiet nights of the week – just ask at reception.
The city centre has hundreds of years of culture and history in one place. There’s Mathew Street for all the Beatles fans, featuring many bars and clubs, or for those who want more than just music, why not visit the World Museum and St George’s hall, conveniently situated right next to each other. The museum houses over 1,500 pieces from all corners of the earth, helping to explain Liverpool’s story as a major port. There are also many different exhibitions on, ranging from sports to dinosaur exhibitions, so depending on the time of the year there is always something new and exciting to take in.
St George’s Hall is literally across the road from the museum, so cannot be missed. A grade I listed building, this Neo-Classical masterpiece contains concert halls and law courts, along with being home to a 7,000 pipe concert organ. Visit the cells that used to house prisoners awaiting trial, or marvel at the many statues inside the hall, and get a photo of Prince Albert on his horse outside. Admission to the hall is free for everyone.
Should you require something to eat, there are hundreds of cafes, bars and restaurants to suit all budgets, featuring foods from all around the world. The newly opened Liverpool One shopping complex has something for every taste, from pizzas & Italian, Indian to Mexican or if you want a bit of everything there’s a ‘world buffet’ so head up to the top floor to enjoy the newest, hippest restaurants in town. All menus are on display outside so you’re not in for a shock when the bill comes, but typically you can expect to pay around £15-20 per head if having 3 courses.
Shopping has not been left out either; Liverpool One has over 160 stores, a few minute’s walk from the main street (Church Street) which is still home to many well known shopping names. There’s also Cavern Walks, featuring the designer outlets in which celebrities can often be seen trying on the latest fashions. The Metquarter also provides shoppers with designer boutiques to get their threads from, again just minutes away from the main street.
Head up the other end of town and you’ll find yourself in Europe’s oldest Chinatown, which is now much smaller than it used to be, but is still home to many restaurants and small shops. If you’re lucky to be around for Chinese New Year, then it really is a sight to be seen, the place comes to life in unbelievable fashion with many mythical dragon and lion costumes on display.
Credit: Rightee
The city centre has a very busy nightlife, with bars & clubs for literally any style of music; if you want live bands, chilled out tunes, golden oldies or modern ‘scouse house’ then look no further. Mathew Street has the live bands, usually Beatles tributes, or there is concert square off bold street, which has 6 bars/clubs in a small square with outdoor seats for everyone. There are many Irish bars in the town centre, mainly Shenanigans and O’Neill’s, these two are busy at all times of the day and it is definitely worth heading in either for a drink.
The two cathedrals can also be found within 10 minute’s walk of the city centre, and both within a few minutes of each other, admission is free for you to walk round and take in the breathtaking architecture. Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral (also known as Paddy’s Wigwam) is a catholic cathedral at one end of Hope Street, which features a round stained glass ceiling which must be taken in on a sunny day to appreciate the workmanship involved. There are 4 large bells dedicated to Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, which can be heard ringing in a chord of A Flat on Sundays, as well as before Evening Prayer.
Liverpool cathedral is at the other end of Hope Street, facing Paddy’s Wigwam. After 74 years of construction, the cathedral was opened in 1978, and has managed to survive two world wars. Acting as a centre of worship, the cathedral also offers hospitality events and learning activities.
If you want to watch a live show, there are a couple of theatres (the Royal Court and the Empire), along with the Echo Arena which in recent years has seen superstars from all over the world perform as part of their showpiece tours. The Empire often has pantomimes, comedy nights and live shows from mediums and entertainers, whilst the Royal Court is a small venue usually used for intimate music gigs and stand up comedy performances.
Away from the city centre, if you wish to learn about two of the most well known football teams in the world, head 2 miles out of town to visit the homes of Liverpool and Everton.
Football Stadiums
Situated just a few minutes away from each other across Stanley Park, Anfield and Goodison Park are the stadiums that have been the venue of many great sporting nights spanning many decades. Stadium tours operate daily for both, and last around an hour. Learn the history of two great football establishments which were founded as a result of a dispute between two land owners, and went on to form a passionate rivalry that often splits households twice a year as families often have members supporting each side. The tours cost around £15, and a taxi from the city centre should cost around £5, or the 17, 17C, 17D, 20, 26 and 26C buses run every 15 minutes from Queen’s square.
As you can tell, there are many different activities in this small historic city, which really have to be experienced to be appreciated.
Transport:
The easiest way to get around Liverpool is by using public transport, and the tourist offices offer a “Trio” which allows you to use buses, rail and ferries for a one off fee; which is usually a lot cheaper than paying separately. Each area in Liverpool is split into zones, should you wish to be able to go anywhere, a Trio for a week costs £23.60.
There are many taxi ranks in the city centre, where black cabs wait for fares, and are all metered.
Scouse words
Finally, below are some sayings that you may not have heard before that you may hear in every day ‘Scouse’ – the local dialect spoken by ‘Scousers’.
| Word | Meaning |
| Alright | How are you |
| La | Mate, buddy, pal |
| Bevvy | Drink |
| Is right | Spot on, good |
| Bizzies | Police |
| Divvy | Stupid |
| Ace/Boss | Good, great |
| Fiver | £5 |
| Flim | Another word for fiver, £5 |
| Trabs | Trainers/sneakers |
| Trackies | Tracksuit pants |
| Trainees | Trainers |
| Bezzie | Best friend |
| Chocker | Busy |
| Brassic | Short of money |
| Bifta | Cigarette |
| Buttie | Sandwich |
| Come ‘ed | Come on |
| Chippy | Fish and Chip shop |
| Do one | Go away |
| Hozzie | Hospital |
| Bins | Spectacles/glasses |
| Jarg | Fake |
| Nicker/quid | Pounds. Eg. 20 quid |
| Ta | thanks |
Written by Tony Haslam
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Mon, Aug 23, 2010
Destinations, Europe