Located in northwest England, Liverpool has plenty to offer visitors with its championship winning football team, fine art museums and thriving entertainment scene. This port city is also known for being the home of the Beatles. John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr all grew up in Liverpool, which seems like the working hand of fate. From Penny Lane to the Cavern Club, millions of fans flock to Liverpool each year to walk in the footsteps of the Fab Four. Check out the Beatles guide to Liverpool.
“Liverpool is full of the kind of people who go out on a Monday, and couldn’t care less about Tuesday morning.” – George Harrison
Courtesy of Marketing Liverpool
The Beatles Story
The Beatles Story tells the history of the Beatles from formation to separation. Located near the UNESCO World heritage waterfront at the Royal Albert Dock, the museum takes visitors on an immersive journey through the lives, times, culture and music of the Beatles. The Beatles Story’s permanent collection features authentic memorabilia, such as original instruments, clothing, John Lennon’s spectacles, Ringo Starr’s drum kit, rare album sleeves, never-before-seen photography and original handwritten lyrics. Free audio guides provide information, pictures and video interviews narrated by Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr and John Lennon’s sister, Julia Baird.
Courtesy of Marketing Liverpool
The Beatles’ Childhood Homes
The Beatles’ Childhood Homes Tour takes visitors inside Mendips, the childhood home of John Lennon, and 20 Forthlin Road, the childhood home of Paul McCartney. The National Trust, an independent charity for environmental and heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, offers the only tour that lets visitors get a peek of the interiors. These two small houses in suburban Liverpool are where John and Paul grew up, practiced their music and wrote some of the first Beatles songs, including Please Please Me, I Call Your Name and She Loves You. It is strongly recommended to purchase tickets in advance. Note, the houses are closed for winter conservation work until March 4, 2020, and the weekly schedule varies depending on the season.
Mendips – Photo by C. McCain
Fab 4 Taxi Tours
If you’re looking to avoid a large coach bus tour, check out the Fab 4 Taxi Tours for a personalized way to experience all the major Liverpool sites connected to the Beatles. Drivers act as personal tour guides sharing interesting stories and trivia about the city and band. In between stops, visitors are encouraged to sing along to their favorite Beatles songs. The tour includes visits to the childhood homes of all four band members (exteriors only), Penny Lane (and barber shop), Strawberry Field, Eleanor Rigby’s tombstone and the location where John and Paul were said to have first met in 1957. Tours range in length from 2 to 5 hours, and drivers make pick-ups at most downtown hotels. The tour price is based on the car hire, not per person, so it’s the same price for passengers one through six.
Photo by C. McCain
Philharmonic Pub
Known as ‘the most ornate pub in England,’ the Philharmonic Pub, located in Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter, is a great place to stop for a pint after a long day of sightseeing. This Nicholson’s Pub was constructed between 1898 and 1900 by architect Walter W. Thomas, and it was designed to be a stylish gentlemen’s club. According to the BBC, the Philharmonic Dining Rooms is the first purpose-built Victorian pub in England to be given Grade I status. The Phil is located just a stones-throw away from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, as well as the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, a school founded by Paul McCartney and Mark Featherstone-Witty. It’s location makes it a long-time favorite with concert-goers, artists and musicians alike.
Courtesy of Historic England
Paul McCartney would frequent the Phil as a young man and even performed there on occasion. And, in 2018, he made a triumphant return for a surprise show filmed by the Late Late Show with James Corden. Paul preformed A Hard Day’s Night, Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da, Love Me Do, Back in the USSR and Hey Jude. Check out the full video, including Carpool Karaoke with Paul and James driving around the streets of Liverpool.
The Cavern Club
The Beatles performed at the Cavern Club in Liverpool 292 times between February 9, 1961 and August 3, 1963. Today, fans can relive the early days with the Cavern Club Beatles, a convincing tribute band. This group of local musicians has mastered the iconic look and sound of the Beatles. Throughout the year, the Cavern Club Beatles play an ‘all – era’ theatre-style show on Saturdays in the Cavern Live Lounge, as well as a more relaxed show on Fridays. During the summer, they perform a ‘greatest hits’ show on Sundays. It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance, especially for the Saturday evening performance.
Photo by C. McCain
Hard Days Night Hotel
Located in the heart of Liverpool, Hard Days Night Hotel is the world’s only Beatles-inspired hotel. This Millennium property is housed in a Grade II building from 1884. All 110 guest rooms are individually designed around the contours of the original building, and the décor features specially commissioned Beatles-inspired artwork.
Courtesy of Hard Days Night Hotel
Check out the hotel’s lounge for a final drink after a show at the neighboring Cavern Club. The Lounge and Bar features one of the hotel’s ‘must see’ images, a photo taken on Childwall Fiveways of the Merseybeat groups of the 60s, which includes the Beatles. Guests can also view artifacts, pictures, books and poems associated with the Beatles.
If you liked The Beatles Guide to Liverpool, check out other articles about Europe.
