Things to do in Liverpool

Discover Liverpool

Welcome to Liverpool, we can’t wait for you to explore and enjoy everything our fantastic city has to offer. Below are some of our favourite things to do in Liverpool, so whether you are looking for a relaxing evening at the theatre, want to experience some of the local history or attend a football game, we can help you discover Liverpool, your way.

Live Music Venues

Liverpool is a UNESCO City of Music and you can always find live music somewhere.

We have the M&S Bank Arena where world-famous acts such as Sir Paul McCartney, Coldplay and Beyoncé have performed. We also have many smaller venues where you might find the next big thing.

If you prefer something traditional, we have the Philharmonic Hall, home to the oldest professional symphony orchestra in the UK.

The Beatles and Music Attractions

The famous Cavern Club on Mathew Street is the birthplace of the Beatles and one of Liverpool’s top tourist attractions with its memorabilia and thriving live music scene.

The Beatles Story is a must-do for any Beatles fan. You can also take a specialised tour of the city to see the Beatles’ childhood homes and other famous sights.

The UK’s museum of popular music, The British Music Experience, is also in Liverpool.

Music Events

Liverpool hosts a diverse range of festivals from Liverpool International Music Festival (LIMF) through to the International Festival of Psychedelia, Liverpool International Jazz Festival and Creamfields. We celebrate African culture with Africa Oye and Brazilica brings the carnival to Liverpool.

Theatre

The legendary Everyman and Playhouse theatres are responsible for launching the career of many famous actors.

The Empire is the largest theatre in Liverpool and stages big musicals and spectacular shows, often straight from the West End.

The Royal Court offers a range of long-running plays and one-off nights.

Football

We have two Premiership football teams, Liverpool F.C. and Everton F.C., who have been playing in the city since the late 1800’s. Football fans can do a stadium tour, get tickets for a match or enjoy the atmosphere watching a game in a local pub.

More Sports

England’s ‘Golf Coast’ is in Merseyside where we have 12 of the best golf courses in the UK and players visit from around the world.

The St Helens rugby team ‘the Saints’ is the most successful team in the Rugby League.

Aintree Racecourse hosts the world-famous Grand National where the world’s top jockeys race and the audience compete for the best-dressed award.

Keeping Fit

We have many gyms, swimming pools and sports centres where you can keep fit, play tennis or squash.

For the more adventurous there is the Liverpool Watersport Centre where you can enjoy the River Mersey on a canoe, stand-up paddleboard or sailboat.

Museums

Liverpool has more museums than any other city in the UK outside of London.

The World Museum includes collections about ancient Egypt, space, dinosaurs and geology; it even has an aquarium and a planetarium.

The Museum of Liverpool highlights the city’s social and cultural history whilst the Maritime Museum has exhibitions on maritime history, world trade and immigration.

Art Galleries

The Walker Art Gallery holds over six centuries of fine art and is known as the ‘national gallery of the north’.

Tate Liverpool has one of Britain’s finest collections of modern art.

The Bluecoat is Liverpool’s oldest surviving building and regularly hosts art exhibitions and events.

Cathedrals

On each end of Liverpool’s famous Hope Street is a cathedral. An old Liverpool folk song says “If you want a cathedral, we’ve got one to spare”.

The Metropolitan Cathedral was built in 1967 and its modern structure challenges the typical cathedral design. The Anglican Cathedral was built between 1904 and 1978 and is Britain’s largest cathedral.

Liverpool One

The largest open-air shopping centre in the United Kingdom is located in Liverpool city centre. With over 170 shops, bars and restaurants it contains all of the high street favourites like Zara, Urban Outfitters, the Apple Store, Lego and Disney. Visit the John Lewis department store or the UK’s only Harvey Nichols Beauty Bazaar. After a successful shopping session, you can relax in the park, watch a film in the 18-screen IMAX Odeon cinema or even play some mini golf.

Bold Street

Liverpool’s most bohemian street was called ‘one of the best shopping streets in the country’ in the Lonely Planet guide and we know why. Full of busy independent boutiques, bookshops, art galleries, world food stores and vintage shops. If you need some refreshments there are independent coffee houses, a speciality teashop, Mexican street food, Middle Eastern restaurants and the best vegetarian café in the city.

Designer

If designer clothes are more your thing then Liverpool is the place for you. We have a fabulous selection of designer boutiques all across the city centre. We have a high-end shopping centre, The Metquarter where you can get your Hugo Boss, Cricket and Kurt Geiger before visiting the boutique Everyman cinema.

Cheshire Oaks

Only half an hour’s drive from Liverpool is the UK’s largest Designer Outlet, Cheshire Oaks. There are over 140 stores where you can buy designer outfits, high street bargains, sportswear, beauty products and some of the best British brands including Jack Wills, Burberry, All Saints, Clarks and Mulberry. All stores have up to 60% off and tax-free shopping is available so it’s a great place for a bit of retail therapy with a discount.

Liverpool’s Story

Our great city has always been a modern and exciting place to be. It started off as a small settlement on the River Mersey around 2000 years ago and quickly became one of the world’s key trading posts. By the 19th century, we had the first electric overhead railway and the first wet docks in the world and we were trading around the globe with the West Indies, Ireland, and Europe. By the 19th century, 40% of the world’s trade was passing through the city. Nowadays Liverpool continues to be an international city and has evolved into a modern metropolis with a diverse population and rich culture.

Maritime

Liverpool has an important maritime history that started over 800 years ago, the success of which helped build the city into what it is today. The great wealth generated through maritime trading led to the building of some of the best architecture in the UK. The Albert Docks has the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in the United Kingdom. The ‘Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City’ has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site which includes six areas across the city and some of our most famous landmarks.

Music

Liverpool’s influence on music and pop culture across the world is one of the city’s greatest achievements. Our singers and bands have had more number 1 singles than any other city in the world. We are in the Guinness World Records as the ‘World Capital of Pop Music’ and in 2015 we were named a ‘UNESCO City of Music’. The most successful male and female groups in global music history, The Beatles and the Spice Girls had members from Liverpool. The Beat Music Movement started here in the early sixties and went on to influence many bands around the world.

European Capital of Culture

In 2008 Liverpool was awarded the prestigious title of the ‘European Capital of Culture’. We had a year-long festival to celebrate which featured art, architecture, ballet, comedy, film, food, fashion, literature, music, opera, science and theatre. Our main entertainment stadium The Echo Arena opened its doors for the first time and hosted the MTV Europe Music Awards with performances from Katy Perry, Beyoncé and Kanye West. The slogan used for the bid was “The world in one city” which continues to perfectly describe Liverpool from its beginning until now.

Bars and Clubs

Liverpool’s nightlife is one of the best in the UK. Whether you’re into house music, heavy rock, eighties classics, techno, RnB, indie or pop music there’s always a venue where you can dance the night away. There’s a large choice of cocktail bars such as The Alchemist or the hidden prohibition bar Berry and Rye. We have Salt Dog Slims with hot dogs and steins on the menu, and student favourites like Heebie Jeebies and Electrik. Concert Square has some of the city’s biggest bars and clubs with well-known names such as McCooleys, Modo and Coyote Ugly Saloon.

Traditional Pub Tour

If you prefer a nice cosy pub then Liverpool has a great selection of traditional English pubs for you to visit. In the summer there are some great beer gardens where you can enjoy a refreshing cider in the sunshine and in the winter you can be nice and warm in front of an open fire. We have the Beatles’ favourite pubs like Ye Cracke and The Grapes, the grand Philharmonic with the magnificent dining room and The Baltic Fleet which has been serving beer for around 400 years. New microbreweries are appearing all around Merseyside and their craft beers can be sampled in many pubs around the city.

The Baltic Triangle

This recently developed neighbourhood has become the home of creativity in the city and has recently been voted as one of the ‘hippest areas in the UK’. The old factories and shipping warehouses of the 1800’s have been changed into some of the best bars, clubs, and restaurants in the city whilst keeping their old, raw charm. Just a short walk from the city centre you will find VW campervan food trucks, vintage clothing markets, art fairs, live music, pop-up street food stalls and summer gin gardens.

Beaches

The North West has some of the most beautiful and unspoiled beaches in the UK. You can visit the classic English seaside resort of Southport, eat an ice-cream, stroll around the fantastic shops, and walk along Britain’s oldest iron pier. There’s Crosby Beach, a traditional, quiet seaside town with an unexpected twist. Here you can explore a unique work of art from one of Britain’s most famous contemporary artists, Anthony Gormley. North Wales has some of the best coastal areas for wildlife where you can see seals, puffins and even dolphins if you’re lucky.

London

The international capital city of London is a short 2 hour and 20 minute train journey from Liverpool. Here in the world’s most visited city, the list of famous buildings and places to visit is endless. You can take a boat along the banks of the River Thames to see the world-famous skyline or walk from Buckingham Palace to Westminster to see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. You can shop all day on Oxford Street or watch the street performers in Covent Garden. With such a short journey and regular special offers on the trains, it’s easy to use Liverpool as a base to explore the capital.

Chester

With over 2000 years of history, Chester is as fascinating as it is beautiful. This ancient city is a culture-lovers dream. Inside the best preserved Roman walls you will find an abundance of medieval buildings and the magnificent cathedral. You can take a leisurely walk along the river and the canal or visit the beautiful Grosvenor Park. Shopping fans can enjoy the great mixture of designer boutiques and high-street stores. There are some of the best traditional pubs in the country and you could even take a day trip to the UK’s top zoo.

Manchester

The second greatest city of the North (or so we think) is just a short 40-minute train journey from Liverpool. Football supporters can visit two Premiership football stadiums, those of Manchester United and Manchester City followed by a walk around the National Football Museum. There’s the award-winning Museum of Science and Industry as well as many other museums and art galleries. The Arndale Centre has over 200 shops to visit whilst the Northern Quarter has a great selection of cool independent stores and quirky vintage shops.

North Wales

Wales is less than an hour away from Liverpool city centre where there’s beautiful scenery, beaches, and castles for you to explore. The medieval town of Conwy has an 11th-century castle and from there just a short scenic drive away you have the traditional, Victorian seaside town of Llandudno. Hikers can enjoy Snowdonia National Park with beautiful views and the highest mountain in Wales. With so much to see and adventures to be had it’s not surprising that North Wales was named one of the best places in the world to visit in 2017 by the Lonely Planet.

Lake District

England’s largest national park was the home and inspiration for some of Britain’s most famous writers including William Wordsworth, Beatrix Potter, and Alfred Wainwright. It’s home to both the largest mountain (Scafell Pike) and the largest lake (Windermere) in the UK. You can visit the picturesque town of Bowness, go on a boat cruise across the lake or take a steam train ride through breathtaking scenery. For the more adventurous people as well as some stunning hikes there’s also a whole heap of activities to do such as climbing, water sports, and zip lines. And it’s all less than 2 hours’ drive from Liverpool.

Independent Restaurants & Cafes

For those looking for something a little different Liverpool has a large selection of independent restaurants, cafes and coffee shops. It seems that a new place appears every week so there’s always something new to try. From little French bistros to award-winning Indian street food and pop-up Mexican food vans to upmarket Italian restaurants, eating out in Liverpool is like a culinary trip around the world. We even have our own independent discount card which is accepted in over 110 locations around the city to help you make the most of these fantastic eateries.

Food Markets

The food market trend has been popular in Liverpool with food halls such as Baltic Market, Duke Street Food and Drink Market, and the up-and-coming General Post Office (GPO) which is due to open soon. Canteen style dining offers a unique experience where there’s something on offer for everyone, giving Liverpool’s old favourites and rising stars a place to showcase their menus.

Events

Liverpool hosts an exciting diary of culinary events throughout the year. We have two massive Food and Drink Festivals which promote local produce from around Liverpool and Merseyside. They’re a great way to spend a weekend trying the best artisan food, craft beers and local drinks. The annual Christmas markets in November and December bring European food stalls to all around the city. Throughout the year festivals such as Africa Oyé and Brazilica bring more celebrations and international food to the city.