As you may already know, I live really close to Liverpool City Centre. The cross-river bus actually stops outside my house making it really easy to cross the Mersey and head over the city whenever we want to. I did, for a short time, work in the city centre. So you would think, with living so close that I would know all the best little spots to visit away from all the major tourist attractions Liverpool has to offer, wouldn’t you?

Actually, you would be wrong. I have never actually explored the city and moved away from where I know. Liverpool is an amazing city and has so much to offer it’s easy to see why so many people book hotels in Liverpool for a short break. But for me, living so close it is easy to miss a lot of what makes Liverpool one of the best cities in the UK to visit.

A Tourist in Liverpool

What if I was to go off the beaten track? Visit parts of Liverpool I had yet to experience? Would I find some true hidden gems outside of the Liverpool One shopping destination and the Albert Dock where I visit regularly? When I was asked to explore Liverpool and discover what it has to offer for locals and visitors, it was a case of “challenge accepted”.  

Armed with some spending money, it was time to see exactly what Liverpool City Centre has to offer! With my sister, and reviewing sidekick, of course.

I left the car at home and we took the bus over to the city centre. We started our day making our way out of the shopping precinct and towards the Albert Dock. There is so much to see in the city centre it is really easy to get sidetracked and spend more time than you planned there.

Where to Go when you Visit Liverpool.

We had previously decided to try and stay away from the more tourist-centric attractions but for what we had in mind, we did need to take a trip on what is possibly one of the most touristy things to do in any city. We hopped on the City Explorer Tour Bus. A staple in any big city that attracts tourists, the buses are designed to be an easy way to show people around and introduce you to places you could have otherwise missed.

They are also the buses we see when we visit Liverpool City Centre but have never actually been on. Our route was to include 13 stops on the hop-on, hop-off tour. Tickets are £11 per adult, £6 for children age 5 – 15, with family tickets available for £30 and are valid for 24 hours from the time of purchase.

The tour takes in the following;

1. Albert Dock.
2. Canada Boulevard (Pier Head/Ferries)
3. Lord Street (Liverpool One/Cavern Quarter.
4. William Brown Street (Museums & Galleries).
5. Queens Square Bus Station.
6. Brownlow Hill (Adelphi Hotel).
7. Mount Pleasant (Metropolitan Cathedral).
8. Hope Street (Philharmonic Pub)
9. Upper Duke Street (Anglican Cathedral)
10. Berry Street (St Lukes – Bombed Out Church)
11. Great George Street (Chinese Arch).
12. Great George Street (Cain’s Brewery Village)
13. King’s Parade (Conference Centre)

It was definitely the perfect way to check out the area around our usual stomping ground. It gave us so many ideas as we took in the university, churches, cathedrals, LIPA and other places to check out. The tour was so much fun though, the tour guides have some great info on the city to boost your knowledge.

You get to see the Liverbirds, the ferry terminals (which bring you over the river to where I live) and museums that line the famous waterfront as well as some amazing historical buildings showing you the history of the city as well as some newer sights and landmarks too like the Adelphi Hotel and Chinese Arch – which is pretty impressive!

Baltic Triangle. 

The bus tour took us past Cain’s Brewery which is no longer a functioning brewery but currently home to the Baltic Market and many independent retailers of handmade products, food and drink and a whole host of businesses. It is also where you will find the Peaky Blinders Bar too if you are a fan of the show.

This is somewhere I have wanted to visit for a while but literally had no idea where it was. It took us about 15 minutes to walk from the Albert Dock where we left the tour. I wasn’t disappointed at all. There is so much to see here. From various shops in the shopping market to different bars and food stalls, it is like a smaller food festival.

We were spoilt for choice but ended up grabbing some Salt and Pepper Chips with Chicken from the Pattinson’s concession. If you are visiting Liverpool, you have to try salt and pepper anything. It is something most people love up here and is always a delight. We definitely weren’t disappointed at all. To wash it down with my sister had a glass of lemonade as the range of non-alcoholic drinks didn’t appeal to her whilst I went for a Prin and Tonic Gin Cocktail. I could tell it was going to be a fun day already!

Liverpool Cathedral.

After leaving the Baltic Triangle, we decided to take a walk and see where we ended up. This is a strategy we applied when in London a couple of years back but have never actually done in Liverpool. The sight of one of Liverpool’s many impressive church buildings as we made our way into an unknown area, became a point to walk towards to find our bearings. As great as the bus tour is, there are so many places to see if you decide to walk around. I had no idea there were so many impressive buildings around the city.

We eventually found ourselves at the Liverpool Cathedral and decided to take a walk around the grounds and inside the building. We were blown away just walking in the doors! It is free to enter but donations are appreciated and services still run whilst visitors are coming in and out so keep in mind to respect the building and keep the noise to a minimum if you visit during a service.

Hope Street.

After leaving the cathedral, we wandered back up towards Hope Street, which again we drove along on the bus tour. Home to LIPA, The Philharmonic and the Philharmonic Pub, there is a lot going on up here. This is a place I know of, but never know how to get too as silly as that sounds so I have never visited before.

Look at these gorgeous doors at 60 Hope Street!

We also came across a makers market in a car park opposite a gorgeous restaurant with diners eating brunch outside! It was absolutely an Instagram friendly place to eat. We wanted to stop here and have a bite to eat but it was very busy, so we decided to move on.

This is when we came across The Florist on Hardman Street just off Hope Street. It looked beautiful from the outside but inside was even better. It was stunning. If the drink menu was as impressive as the decor, we were definitely in for a treat here.

We weren’t disappointed at all. I indulged in the most amazing gin cocktail. An Elderflower Cucumber Cooler made with Hendrick’s Gin and my sister went with a mocktail, Juniper Garden. Both were perfect. We settled into a small window table by the entrance with our drinks. From here, we partook in some people watching and selfies as we enjoyed our drinks and took a rest from our day. If you are visiting Liverpool, or even looking for somewhere new to visit in Liverpool, I highly recommend you pay a visit here. A real hidden gem.

Ending our Day.

The day wasn’t going to last forever and neither was our spending money. Aware we had to be home soon, we took one last walk around the city centre after jumping back onto the tour bus. Heading towards Hanover Street and up Bold Street, we stopped off in  Coyote Ugly, the bar chain based on the film of the same name – who doesn’t love that film? Then we headed to find something to eat.

In the mood for a Chinese, we headed to China Town and back. Taking in the many restaurants and bars we had never known existed until that day. Eventually, we made our way back to Hanover Street and to Tai Pan. Just outside Liverpool One, not far from Central Station it is located next door to a Premier Inn. Tai Pan is our favourite all you can eat Chinese Buffet on the Liverpool side of the river. We are never disappointed and, for us, it was the perfect end to a great day.

Before long it was time for home and back to reality. We always have the best time when we visit Liverpool and this was no different. Quite possibly the best trip over the water for us! We can’t wait to explore the city some more another time!

The spending money was gifted by Hotels.com,  to visit Liverpool but all views are my own.