9 awesome things to do in Liverpool, UK (2021 guide)

Mention Liverpool and most traveller’s thoughts instantly turn to The Beatles, the river Mersey or one of the football clubs. However, as we recently discovered, there is a lot more to the UK’s fifth biggest city. We visited in May 2019 and our impression was just how well hip urban hangouts such as the Baltic Triangle or the new Liverpool One retail mall blend seamlessly with some of the most well preserved and historic buildings in the country – in fact, several areas in the city centre have been granted World Heritage Status by UNESCO including the Royal Albert Dock Area and William Brown Street.

Putting Liverpool in the limelight, here is our guide for the top things to do when visiting one of the UK’s top cities:

Top things to do in Liverpool:

1. Baltic Triangle

Our favourite discovery on this trip to Liverpool was the Baltic Triangle, officially known as the ‘Creative and Digital Quarter’ (but we’d more affectionately call it ‘Hipsterville’) – a historic city central area with outdoor bars, cafes and restaurants (plus amazing murals and street-art) spread over several city blocks. A creative playground, half the fun here is simply exploring and wandering around without a map to see what you find.

Every alleyway and warehouse plays host to a hip hang-out, be it an alfresco bar or brewery. We visited one sunny, Saturday afternoon in May and were amazed with just how much was going on – for instance, we stumbled into a retro clothes fair as the sounds of a outdoor ‘horse meat disco’ reverberated next door.

One of our favourite discoveries was The Botanical Garden outdoor bar, which reminded us fondly of Budapest’s ruin bars. A great British gin garden with several bars (including one made out of an old VW camper van) spread over several outdoor rooms and a resident DJ.

We also enjoyed exploring Cains Brewery Village – as well as the Red Brick Vintage Market (lots of small independent trader stalls selling retro clothes, furniture, movie and music merchandise etc), there were so many outdoor bars including Birdie’s Bar (several street-food stalls can be found inside), a themed Peaky Blinders Bar (really!) and the Yellow Submarine Bar.

Your best bet for food (and the busiest part of Cains Brewery Village when we visited) was the Baltic Market Food Market.  

2. Royal Albert Dock

Opened in 1846, the Royal Albert Dock features the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in the whole country. Now a vibrant waterfront area hosting all manner of gift shops, cafes and restaurants, the docks have been transformed in recent years from a derelict, out of favour shipping area to the most visited area in Liverpool by tourists (largely thanks to two recent attractions, Tate Liverpool and The Beatles Story).

The area is free to visit (although some attractions have entry fees) and you’ll be amazed at what you discover in the harbour, from the pop-up food courts to the ‘love locks’ overlooking the Mersey. There are also all manner of sculptures and art pieces, from a Billy Fury statue (LIverpool’s very own Elvis Presley) to the bright rainbow piece next to the historic Piermaster’s House.

Random musing  – for many Brits of our age, the historic Albert Dock will always bring back memories of ‘This Morning with Richard & Judy’, a UK TV show which would broadcast live from all over the dock, including a gigantic floating map of the UK for weather forecasts (now removed).  

3. Ferry (a)cross the Mersey

The world famous “Ferry ‘cross the Mersey” allows you to enjoy views of Liverpool’s World Heritage Waterfront, including the Wirral and Liverpool’s iconic skyline  – although it isn’t mandatory to sing the ‘Gerry & The Pacemakers’ classic hit of the same name as you board, we found it hard not to!

The round trip takes 50 minutes, and there are two stops along the way –  disembark at Seacombe Ferry Terminal to see Spaceport (space and star exhibitions including StarWars memorabilia) plus the U-boat Story exhibition (admission included in the River Explorer Cruise ticket) at Woodside Terminal.

We were delighted by the sight of the ‘Dazzle Ferry’, the Mersey’s very own piece of floating art, commissioned for the recent Liverpool Biennial and designed by Sir Peter Blake, also responsible for The Beatles’s album cover – Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band  – in 1967.

4. The Beatles

Let It Be…known. If you haven’t heard about the Beatle’s association with Liverpool, then where have you been? The birthplace of the ‘Fab Four’, the band’s significance in Liverpool (and UK) music history cannot be understated. We lose track of how many Beatle’s related activities there are, as something new relating to the Fab Four seems to open every month.

There are many Beatles attractions in Liverpool and the best place to start (and free option) is the Beatles statue – a fairly recent addition to the city (unveiled in 2015) and in the shadow of the Liver Building, it was donated by the famous Cavern Club and coincided with the 50 year anniversary of the band’s last gig played in the city.

There is a lot of attention to detail on the group statue – even the acorns in seen in Lennon’s palm were cast from the ones that were picked up outside the Dakota building in New York. Note that is incredibly popular for group photos and selfie snaps so you have to choose your moment to ‘hold their hands’ carefully.

The Cavern Club can be found on the pedestrianised Matthew Street, and was the centre of the rock and roll universe in Liverpool in the 1960, regularly hosting The Beatles in their early years. Interestingly, the actual Cavern Club as advertised no longer exists, so this in fact a replica of the original club (yeah, a bit meh).

It is free to enter during the week, but admission charges apply at the weekend (starting from £2.50 per person in the daytime).

As you can likely tell by now, we aren’t huge Beatles fans so we also thought the £17 admission fee to the The Beatles Experience in Albert Dock was a little steep (although there was a long queue to get in so clearly we are in the minority). We opted to visit the Beatles Shop instead (free admission – soooo many souvenirs to choose from) – in addition, there are several ‘Fab 4’ coffee shops dotted around the city. Die hard fans can also take the Magical Mystery tour (bus) around the city.

5. Liver Building

One of the most recognisable Liverpool landmarks and one of the city’s ‘Three Graces’ buildings (along with the neighbouring Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool Buildings), the Liver Building was opened in 1911 and is most famous for the two Liver Birds on the building’s roof that look out over the city. Legend states that if these two birds were to fly the nest, the city of Liverpool would no longer exist.

If you have a head for heights, a new observation deck opened this year (2019) in the Liver Building. Take a guided tour, see the digital projections in the old clock tower then enjoy incredible panoramic views of the Liverpool skyline.

6. City Centre Shopping / Radio City Tower

Along with the city’s rich history and tourist attractions, the city is host to scores of shopping streets, with all the major retail chains having a presence here (plus some more unusual stores we’d not heard off before, like the Pound Cafe and Pound Bakery).

The newest shopping centre, Liverpool One has over 170 stores and is spread over several floors and themed ‘shopping districts’ – it includes a huge outdoor area, complete with a communal sitting area (more astroturf than most tennis courts!) and pop-up exhibitions.

Smaller markets are dotted all around the city – it is easy to get your bearings as no matter where you are in Liverpool, you can always see and head towards the Radio Tower (also known as St John’s Beacon), Liverpool’s second tallest building and smack bang in the city centre. It is 138m high with several radio stations still broadcasting from it – on the day we visited, there was a charity abseil taking place down the side of the tower. Sadly the former observation deck and top floor restaurant are now office spaces (a missed opportunity).

7. Library – architecture / tourist info

A nice blend of old and new architecture (the original library dates back to 1860), the city centre library has been remodelled in recent years – the architecture and staircases as you enter look like a modern Escher impossible staircase illustration.

We made use of the free Tourist Information centre here (ground floor, on the left as you enter) to pick up a free map of the city, as well as some souvenirs (they stock a wide range of gifts from fridge magnets through to LUFC / EFC merchandise).

8. St John’s Gardens

A stone’s throw away from the hustle of the city and adjacent to the grandiose St George’s Hall, this a glorious green space, with lots of room to enjoy summer picnics or just relax in one of the park benches. Formerly a church and cemetery, the terraced sculpture gardens here contain  listed sculptures and statues from the late Victorian and Edwardian era.

9. Museums and Galleries

The UNESCO listed William Brown Street, one of the UK’s best preserved streets is home to several of Liverpool’s most noted museums and galleries (all free admission) including the World Museum (featuring huge collections covering archaeology, ethnology and the natural and physical sciences), the Walker Art Gallery (one of Europe’s finest collections of paintings, drawings and sculptures) plus the previously mentioned Central Library.

A short walk away, one of the most visited art galleries in the UK, Tate Liverpool opened in a Grade I listed building in the Albert Docks in 1998 . The ‘home of British and international modern and contemporary art in the North’ of the UK, Tate Liverpool has both free to visit permanent exhibitions as well as visiting exhibitions (costs vary – check the Tate Liverpool website for the latest details).

The Museum of Liverpool is located on the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site waterfront, and is the world’s first national museum devoted to the history of a regional city (entry is free).

How to get to Liverpool

With direct trains to Liverpool from London, Birmingham and Manchester and road access via the M6 / M62, Liverpool is easily accessible from most UK international airports and train station hubs. It is also served by Liverpool John Lennon Airport (which is home to a full size replica of The Beatles Yellow Submarine).

Visit the Trainline to compare and buy cheap bus and train tickets.

Getting around Liverpool

Liverpool city centre is fairly compact and flat so walking around is relatively easy.

There is a tourist hop-on, hop-off bus that takes you to all the popular Liverpool spots. Book your ticket online in advance with GetYourGuide.

Uber taxi’s are also available in Liverpool. Download the Uber app to your phone and sign up using the code carolinek9322ue to get your first ride for free!

Liverpool accommodation

Here are some highly rated Liverpool accommodation options for all types of budget:

Backpacker

Some other hostel accommodations that come highly rated include:

YHA Liverpool  / Sleep Eat Love

Mid range

If you are looking for something mid range then these hotels are comfy and have great reviews:

The Nadler Liverpool / Ibis Styles Liverpool Centre Dale Street – Cavern Quarter Hotel / Jurys Inn Liverpool

Treat yourself

Alternatively if you are looking for something more special then treat yourself to a stay at one of these beautiful hotels in Liverpool:

Malmaison Liverpool / Staybridge Suites Liverpool 

Other UK blog posts you might like

• The best day trips from London by train
• Things to do in Whitstable – a day trip from London
• A local’s guide to Bath, UK
• Festive ways to celebrate Christmas in London
• Visiting the Village of ‘Beer’ in Devon, UK
• Exploring Belgravia: a sweet and savoury food tour

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