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Mark Ford, Founder of Plus1 Travel
Great to have you here searching for Liverpool travel tips. In this article I will share with you the in’s and out’s of the city, how to best get around, where to stay and how to make the most out of your experience, hang on!
Liverpool is located in the northwest of Britain and rises from the coastal plains of West Lancashire, where the River Mersey meets the Irish Sea. Whether it be the winds of trade, war, or travel, this city’s fortunes have been tied to the ocean for over 800 years. In the 19th century, Liverpool was Britain’s trading gateway to the world, creating an enormous wealth that was ploughed back into the city’s skyline. In Liverpool, every brick, gable, and spire, is a proclamation of the city’s industry and optimism. Right in the heart of Liverpool, by the banks of the city’s beloved River Mersey, is Pier Head.
Just behind Pier Head, rises the city’s crown, The Three Graces. Named after the Greek goddesses of charm, beauty and creativity, these three buildings stand as a testament to both Liverpool’s former trading might, and the city’s eternal love of beauty. One of the best views of The Three Graces is from the Museum of Liverpool, which traces the ways that maritime trade, music and sport has shaped the city. From Pier Head, a great way to explore Liverpool’s waterfront is aboard an iconic Mersey Ferry, the riverboats which inspired the famous song.
Liverpool is served by John Lennon Airport and is located just under 9 miles away from the city. When looking for Liverpool travel tips and how to best get from the airport, it’s safe to say that due to the short distance into town it becomes a smooth ride to get from the airport to Liverpool.
Bus
The AirLink 500 bus goes from the airport into the centre of Liverpool. The journey takes around 25 minutes, with a single ticket cost of
Liverpool bus
£3.00. There are also the 80A, 82A and 86A buses which run between the city and the airport. Journey time is around 20 minutes, with buses running every 15 – 30 minute from Liverpool Airport. An adult ticket is £2.10. The Arriva 86A from Liverpool city centre to Liverpool Airport via Liverpool South Parkway is in service 24 hours a day, as is the Stagecoach 86 which runs via Liverpool One and Penny Lane.
Taxi
A taxi to Liverpool’s city centre takes around 20 minutes from the airport, and costs around £18.00. If you haven’t booked in advance, there is a black cab taxi rank situated outside the terminal entrance. All taxis can take up to 5 passengers and are also wheelchair accessible.
Pre-booked private hire taxis will collect you from one of the car parks.
Train
There are no trains running directly from the airport, the closest train station to Liverpool Airport is Liverpool South Parkway station, which is located 2 miles away. You can get to the train station by bus or taxi. To get to the heart of Liverpool from Liverpool South Parkway, alight at Liverpool Lime Street station. Direct journeys take around 10 minutes, and a single off-peak fare costs £3.40.
When searching for Liverpool travel tips, the local transport in Liverpool City Region prides itself on its accessibility making travel around the area easy for all. However you’re planning to experience Liverpool, here’s a few advice on how to get around the city.
Train
Liverpool’s metro system is called Merseyrail and trains run frequently throughout the day across 68 stations in and around the Liverpool area. There are four city centre underground stations – Lime Street, Liverpool Central, Moorfields and James Street.
Downtown Liverpool
Tickets are simple to get, with Day Savers for individual day travel and the Merseyrail Family Ticket if you’re all travelling together. There’s an option to buy your ticket online and it will be emailed straight to you so just jump on the train and enjoy your journey!
Bus
The buses travel in and around Liverpool, they’re green, convenient and cost-effective way to conveniently explore your destinations. The bus network is managed by Merseytravel, and there are two main city centre bus terminals – Liverpool ONE and Queen Square. Most buses are fully accessible, with various ticket options ensuring the very best value travel.
Bike
Liverpool is a compact, neat city centre and it is easy to get around by bike. There’s cycle parking nearby most venues which is shown on the Liverpool Cycle Map. There’s a CityBike bicycle hire scheme that is also available in the city centre. Just sign up, collect and drop off a bike from any one of the many street stations. Bike & Go also allows you to hire a bike from participating train stations for a daily fixed rental charge.
Ferry
Take the world-famous ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’ with Mersey Ferries. You can visit their range of attractions along the Liverpool and Wirral riverside, or enjoy a trip along the magnificent Manchester Ship Canal.
Taxi
Grabbing a taxi in Liverpool is a quick and easy way to get around, whether you need to get to an attraction outside the city centre or across town. Liverpool Lime Street Station has a taxi rank just outside if you wish to jump into a black cab, that can be hailed across the city. Just look for the orange light and you’ll know if they’re taking passengers. Or call one of the trusted local companies, the most popular one is called Com Cabs.
Looking deeper into Liverpool travel tips this city has really everything you could wish for as a tourist. Outstanding museums, stunning
Albert Docks
architecture and a vibrant nightlife. The city is blessed with history wherever you look and is known as a great world maritime centre. The best places to stay in Liverpool are the areas around the waterfront and by the city centre. These two parts have the most amounts of tourist attractions with brilliant museums, wonderful Grade II listed buildings, glamorous night clubs, old school traditional pubs, top notch hotels and various great restaurants.
Waterfront
Albert Dock is a decent place to shop as well as for nightlife with some of the city’s best restaurants, pubs and hotels are found here. The area is also a popular place for celebrities, so be sure to have your camera out ready. Museums and art galleries are some of the best in the UK and possibly in Europe, which display a variety of modern and contemporary art that has been done by local, regional, national and international artists. All which have fun and interactive exhibitions on their own individual topics. At the riverfront you will also find different cruises and trips that can take you along the river, giving you the best sights of the city and is very popular at night.
Recommended Hotel: Staybridge Suites Liverpool
City Centre
At night, the city centre really comes alive and is one of the best to go out in as you will find many comedy shows on and a whole host of pubs, nightclubs and restaurants. The most amount of hotels are found in the city centre, that range from guesthouses to four star hotels, which are currently the most luxurious in Liverpool. One of the most popular attractions is St George’s Hall with its neoclassical style, it’s one of the finest of its kind in Europe. Near the hall is the World Museum, which contains many artefacts to do with the UK and the world
Liverpool
with a great Egyptology collection. The Bluecoat is one of the oldest buildings in the city centre, which dates back to the early 18th century and is home to various art galleries and exhibitions. Other wonderful landmarks include the Cathedral, Liverpool Town Hall, Victoria Gallery and Museum.
Vauxhall
Just to the north of the city centre is the area of Vauxhall. It offers tourists a quieter area to retreat to, which has some good shopping areas and art galleries. Pubs and restaurants are in abundance with various delicious cuisines covered and there is a big selection of good hotels to pick from.
Thanks to all of the regeneration that’s taken place in the last twenty years, there’s not only lots to see and do when searching for Liverpool travel tips. There’s now a strong selection of restaurants and eating experiences to rival anywhere else in the UK. These days, walk down main street in the city center and you’ll find Indian, Chinese, Italian and Thai restaurants all right there in front of you.
Scouser
The word Scouser actually comes from food. Brought to Liverpool during the nineteenth century by Scandinavian sailors was a dish called lobscouse, which we turned into our own favorite meal; scouse. It’s basically a meat stew which is quite heavy on classic British vegetables too. Maggie May’s Community Café is where you should go to get the best, real and authentic scouse.
Lancashire Hotpot
Lancashire hotpot has earned its place as one of the most popular british foods. It’s a very basic dish that sort of resembles a kind of meat
Chinatown Liverpool
and vegetable stew, pretty similar to a scouse except it’s topped with sliced potatoes. And while Liverpool isn’t in Lancashire you can still get a good hotpot if you know where to look. Try the gastro-pubs around the city center such as Thomas Rigby’s for Lancashire hotpot, it’s easy to find.
Chinese food
Liverpool actually has the oldest Chinatown in Europe. There are a lot of good restaurants around crammed into this compact area that you just have to try. Most of the tourists tend to go to Liverpool One or somewhere a bit more central, so you’ll most likely be able to enjoy a fairly authentic experience without huge crowds. There are lots of delicious restaurants here – give Chilli Chilli a try if you want to try an authentic Chinese restaurant with a bit of a spicy kick.
Indian food
Indian food is another local favorite that’s getting more and more popular. It’s quite well known that the nearby city of Manchester has some of the best Indian food in the UK. But Liverpool has a strong selection of good Indian restaurants to choose from. Mowgli Street Food is a place that has taken the city by storm lately. Being such a success with the first, a second restaurant was opened up on Water Street a couple of years back. Often regarded as two of the best restaurants in Liverpool for great tasting food. Check out if you love indian food, who doesn’t?
From their humble beginnings all through to the height of their sensational career, as well as their solo careers and John and George’s deaths, this is the most comprehensive Beatles exhibition you just have to visit in Liverpool. The award-winning attraction tells the story of
Beatles Statue in Liverpool
four lads from Liverpool who went from nothing to form one of the successful bands in the world.
Albert Dock is one of Liverpool’s most aesthetically stunning attractions and it should be right at the top of any visitor’s list. The Dock a World Heritage Site waterfront and it also houses the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in the country. A number of Liverpool’s most popular attractions can be found here and it’s something you can’t miss when in Liverpool.
Liverpool’s monumental and stunning cathedral opened in 1978 and is the largest in the UK. And actually the fifth largest in the world, making it a national treasure. The cathedral boasts a number of record statistics such as having the UK’s largest organ, the world’s widest and tallest gothic style arches and not to mention the absolutely spectacular views of the city from its tower.
Tate Liverpool is a British and international contemporary and modern art gallery located near Albert Dock. Past exhibitions have included
Walker Art Gallery
Jackson Pollock: Behind the Spots, Transmitting Andy Warhol and Mondrian and his studios, as well as part of the Liverpool Biennale. With a regularly changing exhibitions reel, you’ll be sure to find something of interest here if you’re a fan of art and culture.
Liverpool’s World Museum is one of the best in the country. This museum specialises in sciences and human cultures, with a planetarium,
aquarium and various space exhibitions on rotation. Furthermore, it’s completely free to enter which absolutely makes it one on the list that simply has to be experienced.
Walker Art Gallery is a great way to spend an afternoon, with one of the largest public collections of art in the country outside London, this
Anfield
gallery boasts a rather large collection of drawings, paintings and sculptures from as far back as the 13th century.
The Cavern Club on Mathew Street Is a must-visit for any Beatles fanatic or music lover in general. Though the Club isn’t the original Cavern from the 60’s, it’s still an incredibly popular tourist attraction and showcases a wealth of Beatles memorabilia. Local bands also play here on a daily basis.
Bonus: Football at Anfield
As of 2020, Liverpool FC is dominating world football running head on to get the first clubs first Premier League title this year. Visit Anfield to take in the incredible atmosphere as the team delivers an amazing adrenaline pumping football.
Accreditation: Flying The Nest
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Mark Ford – Founder of Plus1Travel.com – For More Travel Tips > Go Here