City stop: Liverpool
Known for its liver birds, UNESCO World Heritage Site status and legendary musicians, Liverpool’s cultural merits are many and varied. The legacy of centuries of enterprise has shaped the city’s fortunes, its waterside position the main cause of its success, even today.
Canal Boats at the Albert Dock in Liverpool. Photo: Copyright Mark McNulty/VisitEngland Images
During the 18th century the port boomed on the proceeds of the transatlantic slave trade; the town, as it then was, expanded with steady prosperity, and fortunes created a city.
Statue of John Lennon from The Beatles in Liverpool. Photo: Copyright VisitEngland Images/Mark McNulty
Today the port enjoys a far more placid role, centred around tourism, with regular ferries to Ireland, the Isle of Man and along the Mersey river. The Mersey Ferry plies a course along the famous river from the city’s Pier Head to the Wirral peninsula, offering a perfect view of the waterfront attractions, while Gerry Marsden’s song Ferry ‘cross the Mersey rings out on deck. The entertainment continues on dry land with excellent shopping at the Liverpool One centre, world class art galleries and museums to explore, the magnificent Albert Dock, and The Cavern Club, where the ‘Fab Four’ aka The Beatles first started out in the early 1960s. Dig a little deeper around the city to unearth some unlikely hidden gems too, from ancient Egyptian accoutrements to cherished art and design.
Getting there: By car, Liverpool is accessible via the M6, M62 and M57. By train, the city’s Lime Street station is served by First TransPennine Express; Merseyrail, LondonMidland and Virgin Trains
More information:
Tel: 0151 233 2008; www.visitliverpool.com
