Liverpool

Liverpool, home of the Beatles and Cream club nights, has been chosen as the European Capital of Culture for 2008. This title is well deserved: it has more art galleries, museums and listed buildings than any other UK city (bar London). Liverpool is an aesthetically pleasing city, with stunning architecture and sculpted masterpieces scattered throughout the city centre.

Attractions

There is a lot to see and do in Liverpool. The Liverpool Tate and Walker Art Gallery are both excellent centres for fine and contemporary art and sculptures. Music lovers may enjoy one of the 'Magical Mystery Tours' which run in the city. These bus tours show all of the important parts of Liverpool in relation to the history of the Beatles.

Liverpool has a great deal of stunning architecture, which is well worth seeing. The Anglican Cathedral is an imposing and beautiful building, well worth the uphill walk! Georgian architecture is prevalent here, a walk through Rodney street will show many fine examples of this. For those wanting to get out of the city, a visit to Speke Hall or Croxteth Hall will prove a relaxing day out, in beautiful buildings surrounded by picturesque countryside.

Shopping

There are several areas for shopping in Liverpool. St John’s has a range of high street shops interspersed with designer stores. The famous Cavern shopping centre is home to many international designer stores and smaller independent boutiques.

For something more comparable to London’s Camden, try Quiggins centre, where a range of alternative boutiques sell clothing and other goods. The most mainstream is Clayton Square, which contains most standard high street clothing stores for men and women, and other mainstream departmental stores and music shops.

Nightlife and Eating out

With an emphasis on trendy bar culture than traditional pubs, Liverpool is home to an extensive range of bars, making it the place to be for younger generations. Albert Dock and the Water Street are home to the coolest bars and clubs, so head here for a big night out. For those not so into the clubbing scene, Liverpool has some fine theatres and cinemas. Restaurants of the highest standards can be found on Hope Street, and The Philharmonic (an excellent traditional pub) is also located here. A myriad of good Chinese restaurants can be found in Liverpool’s Chinatown.

Tourist Information

Queens Square CentreQueens SquareLiverpoolL1 1RGTel: 0845 601 1125info@visitliverpool.comwww.visitliverpool.com

Airport

Eight miles from Liverpool city centre is the Liverpool John Lennon Airport. This airport has regular flights to and from a host of European destinations.