Birthplace of the Beatles, this down-to-earth port city on the River Mersey impresses visitors with its culture, heritage and warm Liverpudlian welcome. A former European Capital of Culture, Liverpool is also a UNESCO Maritime Mercantile City with beautifully transformed docks and famous waterfront buildings.

Catch an iconic ferry across the Mersey from Pier Head and see Liverpool’s Three Graces, including the Royal Liver Building, from the water. Stroll Albert Dock, home to the excellent Tate Liverpool modern art museum, and celebrate 50 years of the Fab Four at The Beatles Story. Liverpool One, the city’s cutting-edge shopping and leisure complex, and the rebuilt Cavern Club are nearby.

Top restaurants, bars and cafes dot the city. Drink on Lark Lane, club on hip Seel Street and eat artisanal donuts in the Baltic Triangle. Recharge at Sefton Park’s Victorian Palm House, Tudor wonder Speke Hall, or Crosby Beach, with its intriguing iron men. Soccer fans can cheer Premier League giants Liverpool and Everton at Anfield and Goodison Park, and tour the hallowed grounds.