Liverpool, England

Now living in England means that England is ticked off as one of the places visited and, as with any place I will visit, I am going to share with you some of my favourite places. Liverpool is one. Liverpool is an amazing city and one of the best places I have ever been to or lived in. There is so much going on, so much to do, whether you want music, clubbing, shopping or any other kind of entertainment, Liverpool probably has it all and more. Liverpool won the European Capital of Culture in 2008, and rightly so. Liverpool has so much historical significance, as well as many different ethnic groups living in the city (including Europe’s biggest Chinese community, dating back from the 19th century), meaning that you can find a variety of international restaurants, cuisines and celebrations throughout the year.

Shopping wise, Liverpool is one of the top 5 shopping destinations in the UK. All the top highstreet brands can be found here and, if you wander into places like the Metquarter, you can find designers such as Hugo Boss, Diesel and Armani Exchange. Liverpool One, the newest shopping complex, brags numerous shops and international restaurants, indoor mini golf and a cinema complex. Best thing about the shopping is that all shops are walking distance from each other.

You can also wander around the world famous docks and visit the Tate Liverpool gallery as well as some up market clubs and restaurants. A tour on the Yellow Duckmarine is a must!! This half-bus-half-boat vehicle will take you on a tour of the city streets before plummeting into the Mersey river and sailing around the famous docks, sharing a lot of very interesting information. Tickets range from about £10-£13 for adults, depending on peak hours.

As for music, Liverpool holds the Guinness World Record as the ‘World Capital City of Pop’, boasting top talent like The Beatles, Echo and the Bunnymen and Frankie Goes to Hollywood. Festivals such as the Matthew Street festival and Creamfields prove very popular, and the nightlife is one of the best in the UK.

For Sports fans, Aintree racecourse is where the Grand National, one of the biggest horse racing events in the world, happens every April. Football plans will be pleased as they can visit both Anfield and Goodison park stadiums, home of Liverpool and Everton FC.

So, as you can see, there is plenty to do in Liverpool, with a lot, lot more which I haven’t the space to mention. It is easy to get around and you will meet some of the nicest people around. If anyone plans on visiting the UK, Liverpool is a must and can be reached by a 2 hour train journey from London Euston train station and is incredibly close to Manchester. With easy transport links to most major UK cities and ferries to Dublin, Belfast and the Isle of Man, it would be a shame to miss this city out.