Liverpool Travelers Recommend

Liverpool boasts such a range of cultural and historical attractions, it can be tricky to know where to start. From historical tours to dining in modern districts, here are our top tips for getting the most out of your visit to this vibrant city.

Day 1: City Orientation

Begin your visit gaining an overview of Liverpool and exploring its iconic landmarks. Book a combination package to check off a number of top city experiences at a pace that suits you, or explore by foot, bike, or hop-on hop-off bus on a comprehensive sightseeing tour to avoid the hassle of advance planning. After a busy day, relax on a ferry across the Mersey, then indulge with dinner and drinks in trendy Ropewalks or the up-and-coming Baltic Triangle district to experience the city’s famous nightlife.

Day 2: An Alternative Perspective

Spend your second day discovering a different perspective on the city’s unique heritage, with a range of cultural tours and experiences available. Book ahead for the The Beatles Story to avoid disappointment, or learn more about the hometown of the Fab Four on a citywide Beatles tour. If you’re a football (soccer) fan, head to Anfield Stadium for a behind-the-scenes look at Liverpool’s team, while television fans can discover filming locations for the British series “Peaky Blinders.” Explore after dark to discover Liverpool’s ghostly legends and delve into the city’s hidden past.

Day 3: Above and Beyond

Gain insight into Liverpool’s cultural legacy while beating the crowds with a morning visit to one of the city’s many national museums. After lunch, take a break from the bustling streets and get out into nature in one of Liverpool’s public parks, or absorb aerial views of the cityscape from elevated vantage points such as Radio City Tower. Adventurers can take advantage of efficient transport links to easily explore wider North West England. Round off your visit with a comedy show to see the famous Scouse wit in action.

Home to UNESCO-listed landmarks, Anfield Stadium, and the Beatles, Liverpool boasts a unique mix of historic and cultural attractions that can be tricky to cover in limited time. Here are our top tips for experiencing the best of Liverpool in just 48 hours.

Day 1: The Tourist Experience

**Morning:**Begin by orienting yourself in the historic city on a sightseeing tour. Opt to zip between landmarks by bike or bus, saving time and foot fatigue, or book a private excursion for a more personalized experience.

**Afternoon:**After an active morning, unwind on a Mersey cruise to absorb views of the maritime city, benefiting from convenient hop-on hop-off service to explore at your own pace. Take advantage of money-saving combinations that include a river cruise with other experiences or attractions.

**Night:**Round off your day of discovery with an evening tour of the city’s lively bars and pubs for an intimate experience of Liverpool’s famous nightlife. Or, if you’re still curious about the city’s hidden history, enjoy after-dark exploration to hear stories of Liverpool’s most haunted spots.

Day 2: The Local Experience

**Morning:**It’s time to gain insight into Liverpool’s most famous export. Whether you’re a die-hard Beatles fan or just casually curious, you have options. Head into the suburbs on a comprehensive tour, or benefit from combination packages that include access to The Beatles Story, as well as other city highlights.

**Afternoon:**Check off another cultural highlight on an afternoon visit to one of Liverpool’s iconic football (soccer) grounds. If you’re in town on match day, book ahead to avoid disappointment. Otherwise, enjoy behind-the-scenes access on a stadium tour. Alternatively, spend your afternoon exploring Liverpool’s national museums for insight into its rich cultural heritage.

**Night:**Kick back after a busy two days and experience the famous Liverpudlian sense of humor firsthand at a comedy show, or conclude your visit with a taste of locally sourced fare in one of the city’s fine-dining establishments. 

From its famous football clubs to its maritime past, Liverpool boasts a unique cultural heritage that draws visitors from all over the world. With some planning, it is possible to tick off several top city experiences in just 24 hours. Here’s how.

Morning: Sightsee in the City

Liverpool’s history-steeped streets are easily explored in a morning, with several options to suit your interests. Customizable hop-on hop-off tours allow flexible exploration, while sightseeing tours avoid the hassle of advance planning. The city’s landscape is interlinked with its cultural heritage, with tours offering general sightseeing along with a more Beatles-focused itinerary, ideal for Fab Four fans.

Afternoon: Dive Into Culture

Widen your perspective with an afternoon spent exploring Liverpool’s cultural landmarks. The city is home to many free-to-enter museums and galleries, including the Tate Liverpool and the Museum of Liverpool, ideal for culture vultures. Footie fans can gain intimate access to world-famous Anfield Stadium, with advance booking recommended to guarantee entry, while music aficionados can get their teenage kicks at The Beatles Story or British Music Experience. If photography is more your thing, ascend the Radio City Tower or Liverpool Cathedral’s Vestey Tower to capture sweeping Merseyside panoramas.

Night: Wind Down, Merseyside Style

After a busy day of sightseeing, wind down on an evening ferry across the Mersey and absorb views of the Maritime Mercantile City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, by dusk. Afterwards, experience Liverpool after dark on a nightlife tour of popular city bars and pubs or catch a comedy show to witness the famous Scouse wit firsthand. If you’re not ready to hang up your sightseeing boots for the evening, nighttime ghost tours offer eerie insight into the historic city’s forgotten corners.

As the hometown of the Beatles, Liverpool is studded with sites connected to the Fab Four. From their old homes and hangouts to museums devoted to the beloved band, see below for a rundown of Liverpool’s must-see Beatles sights. 

The Cavern Club

This humble underground venue is where the Beatles got their start, playing here a total of almost 300 times before exploding onto the scene. Nowadays, Beatles fans come here to see where it all began and to listen to live performers, including Beatles tribute bands, do their thing. 

The Beatles Story

Spread across two venues located at the Albert Dock and Pier Head, the award-winning Beatles Story exhibition is devoted to the four local heroes. Displays include rare photographs and authentic memorabilia including the original Strawberry Field gates. Also here are re-creations of key locales associated with the icons, including one of Abbey Road Studios and another of the Cavern Club. 

The Beatles’ Childhood Homes

Of the many shrines to the Beatles found in Liverpool, the suburban childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney are among the most popular. Both are in south Liverpool—John’s at 251 Menlove Avenue (known as Mendips) and Paul’s at 20 Forthlin Road—and managed by National Trust, who offer tours to pop-culture fans. Ringo’s childhood home in the Dingle area of Liverpool, and George Harrison’s birthplace and early childhood home in the suburb of Wavertree, are not open to the public.

Penny Lane

The real-life Penny Lane, made famous by the 1967 song of the same name, was familiar terrain to the band members, with John Lennon and Paul McCartney often meeting here before getting the bus into town. A key pilgrimage site for Beatles aficionados, the street and surrounding area still boast some of the sights—including the barber shop—mentioned in the lyrics.

Home to haunted streets where tormented ghosts and poltergeists roam, Liverpool is spooky place to be after nightfall if the stories are to be believed. Here are a few ways to explore the dark side of haunted Liverpool.

Top Haunted Sites

• James Street Station started welcoming rail passengers in 1886 and has seen numerous fatalities over the years, but the one paranormal sight that is still often discussed is the ghostly soldier who allegedly alights at the site of a long-disused platform.

• Liverpool Cathedral is widely believed to be among the most haunted places in England, with more than 58,000 bodies in the ancient graveyard.

• Adelphi Hotel sits on the site of a former Victorian hotel and rumors of ghost sightings have been circulating for decades. Paranormal investigators including Tom Slemen have labeled it the most haunted hotel in Britain.

• Rodney Street is a ghostly avenue where visitors have reported up to 40 ghost sightings—including glimpses of the Lady in White and the infamous Lantern Jaw.

• St. Andrew’s Cemetery is known as the final resting place of a Victorian man named William Mackenzie, who allegedly sold his soul to the devil in a last-ditch effort to win big.

• The Epstein Theatre boasts a long and chilling history of hauntings dating back centuries.

• The Queensway Tunnel was built between 1925 and 1934, and 17 workers lost their lives during the construction—but who is the ghostly female hitchhiker supposedly still causing accidents there to the present day?

Liverpool’s Haunted History

Tales of Liverpool’s haunted history span the centuries, from the gas-lit streets of the Victorian era to the brutal Napoleonic Wars and beyond. Landmarks such as 16th-century Speke Hall and Georgian Hope Street echo with rumors of brutal murders and restless spirits, and many of the alleged sightings tie in with official recorded history.