Next year Liverpool will be the European Capital of Culture but with so much to offer it would be a shame to wait until then to visit this vibrant city.

Liverpool may be famous for the Beatles and football but it has much more than that to offer.

For shopping fans, the city is a must. The newly opened Met Quarter features some of the most stylish shops in the North West including All Saints and Miss Sixty. And if you want to follow in the footsteps of the footballers wives then you need to head to Cricket, Liverpool’s most famous designer store and mingle with the likes of Colleen McLoughlin and Alex Curran.

If it’s music you’re after then you can’t go far wrong in the music capital of the North West. With venues like the Carling Academy and Barfly, you can catch some of the hottest bands around. And Liverpool is not short of talent with bands like The Zutons and The Coral emerging in the last few years.

Of course, Liverpool hasn’t forgotten the Beatles. Mathew Street and the Cavern Club are still hugely popular. If you visit in August, you could stumble upon the world famous Mathew Festival (Bank holiday weekend) celebrating Merseybeat and all thing Beatles.

The city also boasts some of the best restaurants in the North West. Alma de Cuba and the Sir Thomas Hotel are regular haunts of the Liverpool glitterati so go star spotting and get some tasty food while you’re at it.

If you’re looking for culture then the city has more than enough museums and galleries to please. Highlights are the Maritime Museum, Museum of Liverpool Life, the Tate Gallery and the recently refurbished World Museum.

Finally, you cannot visit Liverpool without visiting the docks. The Albert Dock is just a fifteen-minute walk from the city centre and features restaurants and bars, one-of-a-kind shops and fabulous view across the River Mersey.

Russ Pooley
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