There is so much to see that you could easily spend a week and not be bored. But if you only have one day in Liverpool, here is my suggestions. But first, a tiny bit of history.
About Liverpool
Liverpool is the tenth largest city in England and is about ninety minutes west of Manchester by train. In 2019, it was ranked fifth most visited city in the United Kingdom. Once a major port, in the 19th century Liverpool was a major departure port for English and Irish emigrants to North America.
The Beatles are considered by some to be the most influential musical group in history. They are partly responsible for making Liverpool famous. And if you only have one day in Liverpool, you definitely want to see where the The Fab Four got their start.
How to get there
I drove into Liverpool with my cousins, but there are plenty of trains, buses, and ride shares from Manchester to Liverpool.
Travel costs:
- Train from Manchester to Liverpool is about £25 round trip; from London, it’s approximately £125.
- Bus from London to Liverpool is takes about 7 hours, so if you go that route you’ll want to spend the night. The cost is about £48.
Upon Arrival
We started off at Royal Albert Dock. It is a tourist spot, but with lots to see and do. If you only have one day in Liverpool, you probably want to spend it here. For starters, Royal Albert Dock is home of the Royal Liver Building–that beautiful, iconic clock tower seen in most of the photos, along with lots of shops, restaurants, museums, and Mathew Street.
Mathew Street is visited by thousands of Beatles’ fans every year. It is home of The Cavern Club, a Beatles’ store and museum, several pubs, and a wall decorated with Arthur Dooley’s sculpture entitled, “Four Lads Who Shook the World.”
Where to eat
The following restaurants are within walking distance of Royal Albert Dock:
- The Smugglers’ Cove – A pirate-themed bar that serves deli boards, barbecue meats, and rum cocktails. They have a brunch, kids menu, and prices are reasonable. I haven’t eaten here but they average 4.3 star rating.
- Lunyalita – serves Spanish and Catalan food. This is where we ate and it was a memorable meals. The three of us ordered two tapas apiece, cocktails, tea, and skipped dessert and paid about £100. All the tapas were unique and delicious. I’d love to find a place like this in San Diego. 4.4 star rating.
- Maray Albert Dock – lots of veggie options and interesting-sounding dishes. 4.8 star rating and here is one of the reviews:
“Awesome place. The food is out of this world. Really simple dishes which are prepared well. I rolled my eyes and groaned in rapture several times. Some unique and punchy taste sensations on this menu. Staff were just lovely…”
They also have McDonald’s, if you want a quick, budget-friendly meal.
Other things to do…
- Ghost Tour. If you want to experience some fun and a bit of history, Shiverpool delivers. Cost is £16.50 per adult.
- Boat trip on Daytrippers Lots of options for places to see. I didn’t manage this on my day in Liverpool, but might do it next time.
- The Liverpool Castle. Once again, this isn’t something I visited (Honestly, I spent my day getting my photo taken in front of the Cavern club) but it sound great.
- Visit Liverpool’s oldest pub still in operation. Ye Hole in Ye Wall has been around 1726.
- Soccer anyone?
Where to stay
I never spent the night in Liverpool.
-
Prestige STAY Aparthotel – Mathew Street SGT Peppers. An entire one-bedroom apartment with great ratings (9.0), beautiful photos, walking distance to Prince Albert Dock and the Cavern Club. All for $74 USD!
- Premier Inn Liverpool – Prince Albert Dock. I really like staying with Premier Inns. The rooms are comfortable and nice, the breakfast is delicious, service is terrific, and the price is reasonable. For example, a one-night stay in mid June is about $50 USD
- Eat Sleep Love Hostel – Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a fan of hostels. Eat Sleep Love Hostel is about a ten-minute walk from Price Albert Dock. It has mostly good reviews, and if you want a room to yourself, you’ll pay about $45 per night. If you don’t mind a dorm room, you’ll save $20.
Overall
Liverpool is a great place to visit on several counts: it’s one of the more affordable cities in the UK, there’s lots to do, plenty of great restaurants, and quite historical–especially if you are a Beatles fan like me. I can’t wait to go back. But next time I’ll stay longer than one day.
