It’s well known that Liverpool has some serious musical pedigree, and that it is home to two renowned football teams and a former European Capital of Culture. But despite its rich heritage, Liverpool isn’t a city a stuck in the past. It’s a forward-looking, vibrant and modern destination, which is why it’s been named as one of the coolest UK cities to visit in 2020.
According to online destination guide Big 7 Travel, Liverpool is one of the top seven cities to visit next year due to its thriving food and drink scene and heaps of culture: ‘Liverpool has always been an important English maritime city, known all over the world for their football teams and their famous music exports. Where would we all be without The Beatles?’ said the publication.
‘In recent years the city has been coming alive as a great place to travel to for long weekends, with an abundance of great restaurants, cafes and bars.’
Thanks to regular easyJet services from Jersey, and a summer schedule of direct Blue Islands flights from Guernsey in 2020, Liverpool is within easy reach of Channel Islands residents looking for their next fun-packed city break.
So, enjoy getting lost in one of the city’s many museums and galleries, admire its breath-taking architecture, explore its street-food, and choose from its world-class events, and experience for yourself why it’s one of the UK’s coolest cities.
It’s mad about music
Yes, this is the birthplace of The Beatles, and there are some Fab Four-related attractions well worth visiting, such as The Cavern Club and The Beatles Story, or John and Paul’s childhood homes – there’s even International Beatleweek from 26 August -1 September 2020. But there’s so much more to Liverpool’s music scene.
Liverpool is the home of more number one singles than any other city in the UK, and its heritage includes The La’s, Gerry & The Pacemakers, The Lightning Seeds and Echo & The Bunnymen. Even today, Liverpool’s is at the fore of new music thanks to its awesome venues and music festivals.
Liverpool Sound City 2020, 1-3 May 2020, is the largest international music, digital and film festival and conference in the UK, with previous years seeing the likes of Florence and the Machine, The Maccabees and Ed Sheeran. There’s also the award-winning Positive Vibration Festival of Reggae on 12 and 13 June 2020.
It’s a foodie’s paradise
Liverpool’s cuisine has a truly global outlook, with everything from fine dining to indie bistros, cafes and street food taking inspiration from around the world. The local food scene is also spoilt for choice when it comes to local produce, with Wirral and Formby asparagus, Southport shrimps and Knowsley lamb.
Watering holes range from full-on booming bars and boutique gin joints to old-fashioned pubs with local real ales.
It has incredible art and culture
Liverpool and its surrounding area are home to the nationally-important Walker Art Gallery, World Museum Liverpool and the Lady Lever Gallery, which house some of the UK’s finest treasures. The city also has the country’s oldest oldest standing philharmonic orchestra, a cutting-edge theatre scene and regularly hosts West End theatre productions.
It has world-renowned architecture
Once a central hub of the British Empire, Liverpool has a grand past and the architecture to match. It has more Grade II-listed buildings than any other UK city outside of London and more Georgian buildings than Bath. It even has buildings that date back to the 1500s.
Its waterfront is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
The mighty River Mersey offers some of the the most iconic waterside views in the world. As well as its network of historic docks and canals, the waterfront is lined with magnificent buildings like the famous Liver Building, and world-class galleries and museums like the Tate Liverpool and Merseyside Maritime Museum. Hop aboard a Mersey Ferry for great views or explore the area’s sights and sounds by bike.
Its nightlife is worth shouting about
From super clubs to dance warehouses, cosy pubs and comedy venues to a thriving gay quarter, this city knows how to party. Seel Street – voted the UK’s fourth hippest street – is a favourite with locals thanks to hotspots like Heebie Jeebies, Arts Club and Alma de Cuba, a former Polish church turned Latin dance bar.