Things to Do in Liverpool

Take a trip back in time and across the river from Liverpool to see the U-Boat Story. As you explore an authentic WWII German submarine recovered in 1993"”now a museum boasting interactive displays, accessible viewing windows, and wartime artifacts, including an Enigma machine"”gain insight into onboard life and discover the crew's fate.

Peruse the cross-sections of a wartime U-Boat to uncover the mysteries of the sunken German submarine. This unique museum includes original film archives and an up-close encounter with sections of the U-534. Opt to combine your visit with a ferry across the River Mersey and save on admission prices with some cruise tours. If you have limited time, choose an all-inclusive package to see the museum along with other Liverpool highlights all in one day. You can also take advantage of hop-on hop-off services that allow a customizable itinerary and personalized pace.

The U-Boat Story is located at Woodside Ferry Terminal in Birkenhead, on the Wirral. Situated opposite Liverpool Pier Head, the sight is best accessed by water, with many ferry cruises stopping at the port. You can also take the Merseyrail from Lime Street to Hamilton Square and walk five minutes to the museum, or drive via the Queensway Tunnel.

The museum is open daily, except December 25, December 26 and January 1. The outdoor section is exposed to strong winds, so visiting during the warmer months may be preferable. The sight is popular with school groups; on weekdays arrive early or later in the afternoon to avoid crowds.

The U-534 was kept complete as part of the Warship Preservation Trust until 2006. When the collection closed, the vessel was dismantled in order to move it safely. Previously it had been difficult for everyone to access the submarine due to its tight passages and stepped access, so it was decided to display it in four sections to allow all visitors the opportunity to see inside the historic craft.

This Beatles-centric museum is stuffed full of Fab Four memorabilia, from George Harrison’s first guitar to John Lennon’s orange-tinted glasses. Exhibits trace the journey of Liverpool’s hometown heroes and the rise of Beatlemania, and include a full-scale replica of the famous Cavern Club and a walk-in yellow submarine.

Visitors can explore the Beatles Story exhibitions with the aid of a free Living History audio guide, which tells of the band’s rise, from their humble beginnings to the height of their dizzying fame. The venue’s Discovery Zone, which features interactive exhibits and a giant piano, is specially geared toward children. 

Entrance tickets for the Beatles Story are often included on Beatles-themed tours departing from both from London and Liverpool, along with other Beatles attractions such as Penny Lane, the Cavern Club, and the Magical Mystery Tour bus.

The Beatles Story is situated on Albert Dock, part of the Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City UNESCO World Heritage Site. The venue is about a 20-minute walk from Liverpool Lime Street train station, and just 5 minutes from Liverpool One Bus Station. C4, C5, and CityLink buses all stop at Albert Dock.

The Beatles Story is busiest on weekend afternoons. The museum is quietest midweek. If you want to avoid the weekend rush, go in early morning (9 or 10am) or late afternoon (4 or 5pm) on Saturday or Sunday.

The Beatles Story is just one of many attractions in Liverpool with connections to the Fab Four. Fans may also want to visit the Cavern Club, where the young Beatles played gigs; the Casbah Coffee Club, where The Quarrymen—an early Ringo-free version of the band—played; and Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road, the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

Visit the modernist Metropolitan Cathedral and gain insight into Liverpool's religious history as you explore its crypts, treasury, and unique structure. As you take in its unusual circular design, learn about the Catholic cathedral's close relationship with its Anglican sister on the other end of Hope Street, or attend a service or concert for an immersive experience.

The cathedral, completed in 1967, was based on design by Frederick Gibberd, but proposed designs date back to 1853. In 1933, building began on Sir Edwin Lutyens' vision for a massive church, but only the crypt, which remains today, was built. Visit for the architecture or to attend the annual Beer Festival. See the church and other Liverpool highlights via the hop-on hop-off bus, and combine a visit with one to the cathedral's Anglican neighbor.

The Metropolitan Cathedral is about 10 minutes' walk from central Liverpool. Bus No. 25 stops at Brownlow Hill, next to the cathedral. The cathedral has a paid parking lot available to all visitors, with marked disabled spaces. Hop-on hop-off bus tours also stop nearby.

The cathedral is open daily, though as an active church it holds regular services throughout the day, which visitors are welcome to attend. It also hosts many concerts throughout the year, including carol concerts in December. The annual beer festival, held in the crypt, is a popular event.

Bishop David Sheppard and Archbishop Derek Worlock hold a special place in Liverpool's heart. The two religious leaders worked together during the sectarian divide of the 1970s and 1980s. Affectionately nicknamed "fish and chips" because they were "always together and never out of the papers," their work is commemorated via the Sheppard-Worlock Statue on Hope Street, the road that unites the two cathedrals.

Escape the city and journey into space on a visit to Liverpool's Spaceport science center. Explore the universe via interactive displays, take a ride on Explorer 1, and marvel at the mysteries of the cosmos in the planetarium on a family-friendly day out.

Spaceport offers an immersive experience for children and adults, with attractions including a panoramic dome theater, computer-generated observatory, space ride, and Star Wars exhibition. You can visit Spaceport independently or take advantage of the flexible hop-on hop-off riverboat services that offer a visit combined with a cruise along the Mersey.

Spaceport is located next to the Seacombe Ferry Terminal in Wallasey, across the River Mersey from Liverpool. Regular public ferries travel from Liverpool Waterfront. Visitors can also catch the train from Lime Street to Hamilton Square Station in Birkenhead, then take the 409 bus, or drive via the Queensway or Kingsway tunnel. Parking is free at Seacombe Ferry Terminal.

Spaceport is open every day except Monday, with extended weekend opening hours. The museum is popular with school groups, so arrive early in the day or later in the afternoon on weekends for your best chance to avoid the rush.

Across the river from Spaceport, Liverpool's World Museum also has a planetarium, with a number of different daily showings for all ages. With extensive collections from ancient Greece, ancient Egypt, and the natural and physical sciences, the museum is another family-friendly option worth exploring.

Famous as the stage where the Beatles made their debut in 1961, Liverpool’s Cavern Club has become a place of legend, hosting not only the Fab Four, but the Who, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, Queen, Elton John, and many more household names. The influential club remains one of Liverpool’s top live music venues to this day.

 

Beatles tours of Liverpool often make a stop at the legendary Cavern Club, and Magical Mystery Bus tour participants receive free entrance the evening of their tour. While Beatles fans are often content to enjoy a drink at the historic venue, the best way to experience the Cavern Club is to attend a gig. Live music performances take place daily at the main stage, the Cavern Live Lounge, and the Cavern Pub. 

The Cavern Club is located on Mathew Street in central Liverpool, a short walk from Albert Dock and the Beatles Story. The nearest train station is Liverpool James Street and the closest parking is at the Liverpool ONE shopping center, each a 5-minute walk from the venue.

The Cavern Club is open every day and night of the week, with later closing times Thursday to Saturday. From Monday to Wednesday, admission is free; on weekends arrive early to avoid the queues. Beatles fans should visit on a Saturday, when the Cavern Club Beatles perform a tribute to the iconic band.  

Starting out as a jazz club in 1957, the Cavern Club became famous around the world thanks to the Beatles, who played almost 300 gigs there between 1961 and 1963 before becoming a global phenomenon. After the club’s 1960s heyday, it closed down in 1973 and was demolished. A new Cavern Club rose on the original site in the 1980s and has since become one of the most popular Liverpool venues of the 21st century, featuring acts such as Jessie J, Adele, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys, and even Sir Paul McCartney. 

Discover a symbol of Liverpool and gain insight into the city’s history with a visit to the National Heritage-listed Liverpool Cathedral. As the largest religious building in Britain, the Anglican cathedral boasts neo-Gothic architecture, distinctive artwork, and a 328-feet (100-meter) tower that provides sweeping views across River Mersey.

 

To fully appreciate Giles Gilbert Scott’s famous design, visitors can opt to ascend the bell tower for panoramic vistas or simply explore the peaceful interior, looking out for installations by notable artists, including Tracey Emin. If you’re tight for time, some tours offer a city overview package that includes the cathedral along with other top attractions. For brave souls, other tours offer after-hours insight into some of the city’s spookiest spots, including the cathedral graveyard.

 

 

Liverpool Cathedral is just under a mile (1.3 kilometers) from Liverpool Lime Street. The walk from the city center is about 30 minutes. Bus routes 82 and 86 serve the cathedral, taking around 15 minutes from Liverpool One Bus Station. Some tours offer hop-on hop-off bus services, stopping near the cathedral.

 

The cathedral is an active place of worship, and therefore visitor access is restricted during services. Interested members of the public are welcome to join the congregation for the service; otherwise, it’s best to avoid Sunday morning visits.

 

Liverpool Cathedral’s architect, Giles Gilbert Scott, also designed the UK’s famous red telephone boxes, as well as London’s Battersea Power Station, among other notable landmarks. His work mixed modernism with Gothic features and created well-known structures out of otherwise functional buildings, all of which are still well worth a visit.

At 138 meters (452 feet), Radio City Tower is a prominent feature of the Liverpool skyline, and its observation platform provides aerial views of the city and beyond. Built in 1969, the tower began life as St. John’s Beacon—a ventilation shaft topped with a revolving restaurant—and is now a regional communications tower.

 

Admire views of this centrally located landmark as you sightsee in the city, or opt to ascend to the 121-meter (400-foot) gallery to gain an overview of Liverpool; advanced booking is available. Once you’re on the platform, you can speak with informative guides, peek in at live radio shows, or simply absorb panoramas as you gaze out over Merseyside, looking for far-off Blackpool and perhaps even distant Snowdonia.

 

Entry to the tower is on Houghton Street, just a few minutes from both Liverpool Central and Liverpool Lime Street stations, as well as the Queen Square bus stop. St. John’s Shopping Centre on Lime Street has parking spaces with a per-hour charge.

Clear weather brings the best views, with visibility stretching as far as North Wales on particularly good days. Otherwise, head up just before sunset during the darker months to see the distant sights, and then enjoy the atmospheric descent of dusk over a wintry Liverpool.

 

Technically, Liverpool’s tallest building is the 140-meter (459-foot) West Tower, which has a fine-dining restaurant on its 34th floor. However, Radio City Tower has a 10-meter antenna on its roof, taking the structure to 148 meters (453 feet) and pushing it just higher than its skyscraping competitor, depending on your perspective!

Liverpool’s Royal Albert Dock, formerly an important industrial center, is now home to popular attractions including Tate Liverpool, Merseyside Maritime Museum, and The Beatles Story. Explore its cobbled paths to gain insight into the city’s heritage, marvel at its architecture, or simply unwind in one of the dock’s many bars or restaurants.

Albert Dock received its Royal title in 2018 in recognition of its maritime history. The former warehouses are now home to attractions such as The Beatles Story, where many Beatles tours visit as part of a comprehensive itinerary. City sightseeing tours also typically stop here, including hop-on hop-off services and bike tours. Learn more about the quay’s history at the Merseyside Maritime or International Slavery Museums, or discover the stand-up scene at Liverpool’s Comedy Central.

Royal Albert Dock is 20 minutes’ walk from central Liverpool. The nearest station is James Street, served directly from Lime Street. The C4, C5, and Citlink buses also stop here. The dock also has a safe and secure car park, which charges an hourly fee.

Come rain or shine, there is always something to see on the quay. The museums close in the evening, though bars and restaurants remain open until late. Summer brings festivals and open air performances to the dock, while winter offers Christmas markets and festive decoration.

At its opening in 1846, the Albert Dock was considered a revolutionary architectural feat. It was the first warehouse in Britain to be fireproof (meaning that it had no wooden parts). Made from brick, stone, and cast iron, the structure was also home to some of the first hydraulic cranes, used to move heavy cargo from the Far East. In its heyday of the early 19th century, 40% of world goods flowed through its ports.

Running right through the heart of the city, the Mersey River is the lifeblood of Liverpool, and the city’s iconic ferries have sailed its shores for more than 800 years. One of Liverpool’s most renowned tourist activities, a ferry ride across the river offers spectacular views along the waterfront. 

Mersey Ferry services include cross-river commuter transport and trips along the Manchester Ship Canal to Salford Quays in Manchester, but the most popular choice for visitors is a 50-minute Mersey River explorer cruise. If you’re sightseeing in Liverpool, you can also combine a boat cruise with a hop-on hop-off, open-top bus tour, tickets to attractions like the Spaceport or U-Boat Story, or a visit to the Liverpool Cathedral Tower.

Mersey Ferries depart regularly from the Pier Head Ferry Terminal, next to the famous Liver Building on the Mersey River waterfront. The ferries sail across the water to Birkenhead Woodside Ferry Terminal and Seacombe Ferry Terminal on the Wirral Peninsula. River cruises can be boarded from any of the three ports.

Mersey Ferries run all year round, although times vary throughout the year. During the peak summer months, opt for an early morning departure if you want to avoid the crowds.

Taking a ferry cruise across the River Mersey is such a strong Liverpool tradition that it was immortalized in the 1964 Gerry and the Pacemakers song “Ferry Cross the Mersey.” A smash hit on both sides of the Atlantic, it remains one of Liverpool’s most popular anthems, covered by numerous artists over the years including Frankie Goes to Hollywood, Burton Cummings, Pat Metheny, and even Sir Paul McCartney, as part of a fundraising effort for the Hillsborough disaster in 1989.

Take time out from the bustling city streets with a visit to the Walker Art Gallery, home to a diverse collection of artwork that spans eight centuries. Peruse masterpieces by artists, such as Monet, Rembrandt, and David Hockney, and enjoy an experience in the Big Art for Little Artists gallery, a hands-on space designed for young children.

 

Noted for its neoclassical facade and entrance sculptures, the Walker Art Gallery is a popular stop on cycling tours that provide an overview of the city. For those who want a closer look at the rich interior, flexible hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tours allow the opportunity to explore at your own pace. Visitors can also opt to combine a visit with a cruise along the Mersey, or a journey to the Liverpool Cathedral’s bell tower.

 

 

The Walker Art Gallery is situated centrally, just a few minutes’ walk north of Lime Street Station, and northeast of Queen Square bus station, on William Brown Street. Due to traffic congestion and expensive parking in the city center, visitors traveling by road often opt for a tour that includes a convenient hop-on hop-off service.

 

The gallery opens daily year-round, except Christmas and New Year bank holidays. Morning is the optimal time for a tranquil stroll through the collection, before the lunchtime crowds arrive. Weekends in the city center are often lively, while midweek brings a quieter vibe.

 

Walker Art Gallery is situated on William Brown Street, protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its uniquely high concentration of public, listed buildings. Gain further insight into the city’s culture with a visit to neighboring landmarks, including St. John’s Gardens, St. George’s Hall, and the Liverpool Empire Theatre.

Anfield Stadium, home turf for Liverpool Football Club, is hallowed ground for fans of the Reds. The 54,000-capacity venue not only hosts matches, but also contains the Liverpool FC Story, a museum chronicling the club’s history, and the Steven Gerrard Collection, comprising memorabilia relating to the former captain.

To explore inside Anfield Stadium, you can either purchase a match ticket or join an LFC stadium tour. Tickets are typically in high demand, particularly for important Champions League and FA Cup matches. Often the best option is to book a tour package, which may include additional extras such as a prematch buffet or halftime refreshments. 

To go behind the scenes, take a self-guided Anfield Stadium tour. With the aid of a multimedia audio handset, tour the press room and the Kop, climb to the highest level of the main stand, peek behind the doors of the home and away teams’ dressing rooms, and walk through the players’ tunnel. Admission to the interactive Liverpool FC Story museum and the Steven Gerrard Collection is included.

Anfield Stadium is situated on Anfield Road in Liverpool. To get there from the city center, take the 26 from Liverpool One Bus Station, 17 from Queen Square Bus Station, or the 917 from St. Johns Lane. On match days, beginning three hours prior to kickoff, the 917 express bus service runs from St. Johns Lane to Anfield every 10 minutes. 

If you want to see Anfield at its busiest and buzziest, go on a match day. If you want space and time to explore without crowds, opt for a midweek morning tour. Shorter 45-minute tours, led by tour guides, are available on match days up to four hours before kickoff, but do not include access to the dressing rooms or press room. 

Of all the features of the stadium, few are as well known to English football fans as the This Is Anfield sign. Hung above a set of stairs leading to the pitch, the sign was intended to intimidate visiting teams. Up until recently, it was tradition for Liverpool players to touch the sign as they came out onto the pitch.

Pier Head serves as the ferry departure point on the River Mersey and as a Liverpool symbol, marked by buildings known as the Three Graces, the most famous of which is the Liver Building, with its Liver Birds. Pier Head, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also home to memorials, the Museum of Liverpool, and Mersey Ferries landing stage.

There are multiple ways to experience Pier Head. Absorb riverside views of the landmark from a cruise, or get a close-up look at its memorials on a city bike tour. Be immersed in the historic pier’s atmosphere as you walk the streets, before catching a ferry across the Mersey. Take advantage of combination tickets to see it alongside other Liverpool attractions, or opt for a flexible hop-on hop-off tour to explore at your own pace.

Many tours offer transportation as part of city sightseeing itinerary. Pier Head is a 20-minute walk from central Liverpool. The nearest train station is James Street, with direct services from Lime Street. The 14A bus stops there directly from the city center. Free street parking is limited.

Pier Head is striking at any time of year, but sunset tours offer particularly charming views of the Three Graces against a dusk backdrop. Main attractions, such as the Museum of Liverpool, close around 5pm, and the last Mersey Ferry departs at 6:40pm.

Look out for the Superlambanana sculptures outside the Museum of Liverpool. The design, a cross between a lamb and a banana, pays homage to the city’s port history, as both were historically common cargoes. Beginning at Tate Liverpool, the sculptures spread through the city during its time as the European Capital of Culture, and have since been found as far away as Wales.