Liverpool Sightseeing: Pier Head to Hope St

Liverpool’s main sights sit in three clusters: the waterfront at Pier Head, the civic buildings on William Brown Street, and the two cathedrals on Hope Street. All three are within 15 to 25 minutes on foot of each other. Prices are in pounds sterling (GBP).

Pier Head and the Three Graces

The Royal Liver Building (1911), the Cunard Building (1916) and the Port of Liverpool Building (1907) are the trio known as the Three Graces. The Cunard and Port of Liverpool buildings are sights to enjoy from the outside. The Beatles statue by Andy Edwards, unveiled in 2015, stands at Pier Head. For a view from inside, the Royal Liver Building 360 guided tour lasts 70 minutes and is booked on the building’s own tour site, with resellers listing adult prices around GBP 16 to GBP 18.50.

The Museum of Liverpool beside Pier Head is free. The Albert Dock’s brick warehouses are a Grade I listed group and a good walk, but Liverpool lost its World Heritage status in 2021 so the area is no longer on the UNESCO list.

William Brown Street

St George’s Hall is the neoclassical landmark facing Lime Street. Behind it, the Central Library has the Picton Reading Room, and the World Museum and the Walker Art Gallery are both free. Walker opening days are listed as either daily or Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00, so check ahead.

Hope Street and the cathedrals

The Anglican Cathedral is open daily from 10:00 to 18:00, although Sunday morning is for worship. Tower entry closes at 16:30 and the tower is shut on some Sundays for bell ringing. Tower tickets are about GBP 8, with 108 steps after two lifts. The Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King stands at the Mount Pleasant end. Its nave is free, and the crypt carries a small fee quoted at GBP 3 to GBP 6. The Philharmonic Dining Rooms at 36 Hope Street is a listed pub where you can stop for a drink between them.

Sites of remembrance

Some places ask for a quiet approach. St Luke’s Bombed Out Church on Bold Street is a roofless memorial to the Blitz of May 1941, and its garden is free. The Anglican Cathedral holds a memorial window for the 97 people killed in the Hillsborough disaster of 1989, and a memorial stands outside the Anfield Road Stand. Liverpool’s role in the slave trade is told by the International Slavery Museum, which is closed until at least 2028. The Museum of Liverpool is the place to start in the meantime.

Tips

  • Tate Liverpool is a free display at RIBA North on Mann Island, open daily from 10:00 to 17:50, until it returns to the Albert Dock in 2027.
  • The Cavern Club on Mathew Street charges about GBP 6 on the door.
  • The Mersey Ferries River Explorer, at GBP 14 per adult, gives a view of the waterfront from the river.

Read more: Liverpool walking tours and attraction tours .

Official pages: Anglican Cathedral hours , Tate Liverpool , Royal Liver Building 360 . Search for guided options on GetYourGuide .