How To Spend A Weekend In Liverpool

Got the travel bug? But the bank balance not agreeing with you? Why not head to some of the greatest cities that the UK has to offer? Liverpool is a city packed with culture, fantastic eats, and an epic nightlife. Look no further for the must see sights and the best places to eat, this is the proper and Liverpudlian way to spend a weekend in Liverpool.

Transport

Catch the train to Liverpool Lime Street station and just a 10 minute walk later you’re right in the city centre. Liverpool is some what a compact city; everything is within walking distance, however if you don’t fancy the walk you can catch one of the MerseyRail trains that will take you all round the city.

Friday Night

Drop your bags off and get exploring. First off, a must on your agenda is Camp and Furnace, all the vibes of a festival all under one roof, minus the rain! Every Friday from 6pm the warehouse transforms into “The Night Garden”, buzzing with digital botanicals, live music, craft cocktails and awesome street food. Have other plans on the Friday night? Be sure to check out Camp and Furnace on a Sunday from 12, where they take the classic Sunday lunch to a whole new level.

Friday night is one of the best nights to hit the clubs and bars in Liverpool, its busy enough to get a lively atmosphere, yet not overwhelmingly crowded. Ca Va is the place to start! Tequila, tequila and yes you guessed it more tequila! Whilst the bar may look a little rough round the edges, I assure you it’s actually pretty astonishing. They serve every flavour of tequila you could ever imagine. All served the way tequila should be drank with lemon and salt, and better yet every shot is £1. Other nightclubs worth a visit are Soho, Levels, Baa Bar and The Krazyhouse, all of which are right next door to one another and the majority free entry. So you can simply jump from one club to the next and get a flavour for a variety of clubs.

Saturday

Recovering from a slight heavy head this morning? Start the day by heading over to Bold Street and discover some of the best spots for brunch in Liverpool. Leaf on Bold Street serve super good brunch you wont want to miss, plus the restaurant has a sort of rustic, shabby sheek setting, making it a lovely spot to relax and better still brunch is served till 3pm on weekends. Keep this place in mind as well for their marvellous loaded hummus and sharing platters – it makes a great dinner option too.

Bold Street is a street known for its quirky vintage shops. Independent restaurants serving a whole host of cuisines and being very much off the beaten track. Its where a lot of students go. What’s more, Liverpool’s oldest cafe: Cafe Tabac, opened in 1974, a true hidden gem, has been an atmospheric haunt for over 30 years. Their menu involves burgers, pancakes and I quote legendary espresso martinis. The best part is the small box cinema. They have in the back, they occasionally show screenings of old movies completely free, all they ask is that you purchase some food and drink. Check out their Facebook page here for upcoming cinema nights and other events.

Or wanting more of a cultural movie, be sure to give FACT a look, situated right off Bold Street, The Picture House has screenings of International independent movies with English subtitles, as well as more well known, new movies. Alternatively, FACT have just recently opened a new exhibition The New Observatory; a pretty cool and dynamic showcase of data and how it has such an impact on our lives today.

Shopping

In need of a bit of retail therapy? Liverpool One will cure that and seem a little more familiar to you, opened only a few years back in anticipation of Liverpool becoming the capital of culture in 2008. Nearly 200 high street shops, restaurants and bars occupy the space, including its very own park. Chavasse park is a great spot to chill out and watch the world go by.

Whilst Liverpool One has all the dinner options you could ask for. Sometimes its nice to go find somewhere a little more authentic. The Casa Italia is perfect for this, being a very quaint and traditional restaurant, serving top quality, homemade Italian food. I would strongly recommend indulging in their garlic bread too. It’s no doubt this is best Italian restaurant in Liverpool.

A trip to this city is not complete without discovering what it is most famous for: The Beatles. Go and see where they performed in their early years at The Cavern Club. Live music is a regular here, it plays on a daily basis.

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Sunday Day

Take a trip to the waterfront this morning. Look out over the River Mersey, or you can take a ride on the ferris wheel to see the city from a height. Ponder round the Albert dock; a significant part of the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Maritime Mercantile City. In the past it was famous for trading. Now its more commonly known as a major tourist spot in Liverpool and a must on any Liverpool bucket list. If your a lover of modern art, the Tate gallery within the dock is a certainty. It will really give you a flavour for contemporary art. Check out their upcoming exhibitions here.

If yesterday’s trip to the Cavern club wasn’t enough Beatle juice for you, learn more about the famous band by taking one of the Magical Mystery Tour round Liverpool, and see the key aspects of the band and the city. Want to see even more? The Beatles Story located in the Albert dock is more of an in depth look into the Beatles journey to fame and beyond. Something worth a look even if you aren’t a big Beatles fan anyhow.

The ultimate lunch spot in the Albert dock has to be Revolution de Cuba. Whilst I’m usually more of a lover of small independent restaurants, this is the exception. Latin American tapas is the perfect end to a perfect weekend.

The truth is even a full packed weekend like this one is not enough. There are still loads more to see and do in this city. But this intinary will be sure to tick off plenty of the must see sights on your list.