Liverpool in England is a city in the midst of a, long awaited, renaissance. Once one of the world’s busiest sea ports Liverpool has had many influences over the years which have helped mold the city into the diverse and cosmopolitan city of culture it is today. The city of Liverpool celebrated it’s 800th birthday in 2007 and it’s rich history is often celebrated in music and arts.

Liverpool is a musical city and it is extremely well known as being the birthplace of the world famous band the Beatles and for the Beatles fan the city now offers a wealth of attractions such as the Magical Mystery Tour, the, award winning, Beatles Story, the Casbah Coffee Club (now a Grade 2 listed building) and the summertime Mathew Street Festival. However Liverpool has produced many music acts over the years and the city continues to produce highly successful musicians on a regular basis but few stand any chance of reaching the levels of success achieved by John, Paul, George and Ringo in the 1960’s onwards.

Maybe the incredible number of nightclubs, restaurants & cafes (which often feature live music) and other music venues has created the atmosphere conducive to encouraging musical creation and performance. It certainly helps make the city’s nightlife one of the liveliest scenes in the United Kingdom which is enhanced by a number of amazing theaters. The Royal Court and Empire theaters often host performances by the world-famous pop acts. The Playhouse and Everyman theaters offer excellent plays from the classics to productions by exciting new writers and directors, and the cafe’s are a favorite meeting place of the artists of Liverpool.

Walking around Liverpool is an enjoyable experience, a popular destination is the waterfront Albert Dock complex in which you will find a host of visitor attractions including the superb Tate gallery which displays contemporary art from 1900 onwards. The Walker Art Gallery is one of Europe’s finest with an incredible collection ranging from medieval masterpieces to the latest artistic creations and all housed in a jaw-dropping neo-classical building. Another architectural masterpiece is home to the World Museum Liverpool, the museum can easily take a full day to explore and it is free to enter, yes, no admission fee!

Maybe the two most dominant features of Liverpool are the River Mersey and the city’s cathedrals.

The Anglican Cathedral looks far older than the Metropolitan Cathedral (Roman Catholic ) which opened in 1967 but although work on the Gothic style Anglican Cathedral started in 1904 it’s final completion was not until 1978. Admission to the Metropolitan Cathedral is free but a donation is expected and admission to the Anglican Cathedral is from about £3.50.

The River Mersey is Liverpool’s lifeblood and the historic waterfront is home to The Three Graces. The Tree Graces are The Royal Liver Building (the roosting place of Liverpool’s famous Liver Birds), The Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building and together they help make the cities skyline recognizable around the world. It is from the Pier Head that you catch the ferry across the Mersey made famous by the song by Gerry and the Pacemaker’s.

Gerry & The Pacemakers recorded the song “You’ll Never Walk Alone” which is the well known anthem of Liverpool Football Club. Liverpool F.C. is one of England’s most successful team and the only comparable club is nearby Manchester United and an intense rivalry exists between the two clubs. However Liverpool F. C.’s (the Reds) closest Premier League rival is the city’s other soccer club Everton Football Club (the Blues). Everton is also one of the country’s top five clubs most successful clubs and the rivalry between the Reds and the Blues is displayed when the two clubs meet at the Merseyside derby.

Liverpool, England, is a friendly and inviting city that continues to grow in popularity as a vacation destination. The city continues to add more visitor attractions each year and the number of hotels in Liverpool have increased to meet the demand. Possibly the best Luxury hotel is Liverpool’s internationally famous Adelphi Hotel which dates back to 1826 and the Edwardian style building is set right in the very heart of Liverpool.

Wherever you decide to stay you are almost guaranteed to have a most wonderful vacation and most visitors can’t wait for another opportunity to visit this most incredible city.

Andrew Kelly was born and brought up in Liverpool until he moved to a remote island in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland in 1991. He now writes extensively for travel related web sites.