What do you think of when you think of Liverpool, England? Run down? Sketchy? The Beatles? I honestly didn’t have an opinion of Liverpool but had heard from people over the years that it wasn’t the ‘must see’ place when traveling overseas. I am SO GLAD that my fiancé’s favorite Football (soccer for you Americans) team is Liverpool F.C. because this made Liverpool a must see city.
When to visit
Though our stay was only about 18 hours, here are just a few reasons you must make a stop in Liverpool.
1. The Food
Though we only ate two meals while in Liverpool, but The Brunch Club is amazing! We stumbled across it on our walk to the waterfront. The restaurant has a lot of exposed brick and wood table tops (great for Instagram photos). I became obsessed with Eggs Royals on this trip which is: Severn and Wye smoked salmon, toasted muffin, soft poached egg, hollandaise sauce. Basically a smoked salmon eggs Benedict. Make sure you try the coffee here as well. The other place we ate was The Sandon which had great traditional English pub fare. It was conveniently located next to Anfield Stadium.
2. Sports
If you are a Football (soccer) fan, you MUST watch a live match. As I mentioned earlier, this was the main reason we came to Liverpool. Football fans are one of a kind and are so devoted to their team. It was amazing being in such a cool atmosphere. A few things I noticed:
- There isn’t a bad seat in the house. No, seriously. This stadium wasn’t tall, so even the “cheaper” seats gave you a good view without the players looking like ants.
- You can’t drink beer in your seats. This was something I was not ready for. The walkways become VERY crowded before and during half time because everyone is chugging beers.
- Seats are so tiny. Be prepared to get cozy with the person in front of you. I am only 5’3″ and my knees were resting on the persons back in front of me.
- Once you are in the stadium, you are confined to your own block. Aka. You can’t wander around the entire stadium.
- Like I mentioned, these fans are loyal. The entire stadium was singing the Liverpool fight song.
- You hear a lot of “bloody hell”
3. The History
I’m sure some of the opinions you may have of Liverpool stem from its history. Can you believe that Liverpool dates all the way back to 1207. Liverpool was mainly used as a trading city and at one point had 7 miles of docks.
This was probably my favorite part of the visit. The buildings at the waterfront are beautiful and there is enough to see to spend half a day here. If you have time, check out the Beatles Story, Magical Mystery Tour, Tate Liverpool, Merseyside Maritime Museum, International Slavery Museum and if you are traveling with kids, check out Mattel Play! The one place at the Dock that I regret not checking out was The Pump House. It was transformed to be a traditional pub.
5. Beatles
One of the biggest things to come from Liverpool was the Beatles. When you are in Liverpool, you will see Beatles museums, shops and memorabilia everywhere! The Beatles emerged from the Cavern, a nightclub that was part of the city’s musical scene in the 1960s.
6. The Festivals
We happened to be there the weekend there was a waterfront festival going on. There were a bunch of street vendors and things to see. It made checking out the waterfront that much more fun. There are a ton of events always going on in Liverpool. Check this site for other scheduled festivals.
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