Cruises from Liverpool

Liverpool is one of England’s major cities, located in Merseyside, in the North West of the country. Its origins date back to 1207 and it became one of the country’s major ports, with ships sailing to and from Ireland and the United States as well as many other destinations.

Liverpool’s docks have become an integral part of the city’s history and culture and there are numerous attractions on the waterfront of interest to visitors. The most well known part is the Albert Dock area, which has the largest concentration of “Grade 1” listed buildings in the country.

The Mersey Maritime museum is located on the north side of the waterfront and documents the history of the docks as well as the men and women who worked there. Liverpool played an important part in migration, for both people immigrating to the US and the Irish migrants who came to Liverpool during the Famine in the 1840’s. According to records at the time, twenty five percent of the city’s population was Irish born. Admission to the museum is free and it is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Also located within the Maritime Museum, is the new International Slavery Museum, which tells the story of Liverpool’s participation in the slavery trade as well as the history of slavery across the globe.

Liverpool is known for its rich variation in architecture and this is evident in the two main places of worship in the city centre. The Anglican Cathedral, situated on the St. James’ Mount, dates back to 1904, but was designed in tune with architecture’s Gothic revival at the start of the 20th Century. The interior of the building also follows the Gothic design, containing elaborate chapels, altars and detailed stained glass windows. Admission to the Cathedral is ₤3 and it is open daily from 8 am to 6 pm - with services held on Sundays.

Roughly a mile away from the Anglican cathedral is the Roman Catholic Metropolitan Cathedral of Liverpool. Sir Edward Lutyens first designed this building in 1930, with the aim of creating a structure unique in architecture, in response to the Anglican Cathedral. These plans were later reduced to a more simple design of the cathedral, which finally went under construction in 1967. The Metropolitan cathedral has a remarkable tent-shaped spire and its roof is the largest of its kind in the world.

Liverpool is best known today as the home of the Beatles and there are many Beatle-related attractions around the city. The Cavern, where the group played their very first shows, is located on Mathew Street, in the heart of the Liverpool’s shopping and nightlife area. “The Beatles Story”, located on the waterfront, charts the career of the group and on display is George Harrison’s very first guitar as well as the ‘Lenses of Lennon’ exhibit, which allows visitors to look through his famous round glasses. The Beatles referenced Liverpool and its surrounding areas in many of their songs and these places have become some of the city’s most popular tourist attractions. Penny Lane, where Lennon and McCartney used to wait for their bus into town, can be found near Sefton Park, about a twenty-minute car journey from the city centre. Strawberry fields is another well known location, which used to be an orphanage run by the Salvation Army and where John Lennon used to attend garden fetes as a child. The grounds are now closed, but the entrance can be found on Beaconsfield Road – only a few hundred yards form John Lennon’s childhood home.

Liverpool is well served by transport. John Lennon Airport provides flights to international destinations and is a 20-30 minute car journey from the city centre. Manchester Airport is also just over an hour away by car. National train services operate from Lime Street Station, which connects Liverpool to major cities in the North, Midlands as well as London.