Traditions & Culture in Liverpool

Liverpool, the European Capital of Culture for 2008, rose to prominence in the 18th and 19th centuries as an international port - at one stage approximately 40 per cent of the world's trade passed through the city's docks. However, it is now arguably more famous for being home to the Beatles and football clubs Liverpool and Everton. Testament to this holiday information is the fact that travellers can book flights to a Liverpool airport named after John Lennon.

Given its history as a port, Liverpool has a diverse population and caters for a wide range of religions - it houses one of the oldest mosques in Britain, several synagogues, a mandir and two cathedrals. Its most recognisable features are the three graces of Liverpool's waterfront - the Royal Liver Building, the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building - although there are several other neo-classical buildings to be admired, not least in the 'cultural quarter'. This part of the city, which encompasses the area around William Brown Street, includes the William Brown Library, Walker Art Gallery and World Museum Liverpool - all of which are notable for their imposing architecture. Locals are called Liverpudlians, but are more likely to be known as Scousers - a name which derives from a local dish called scouse, a type of stew.

Things to do in Liverpool

The tourism industry in Liverpool has assumed greater prominence in recent years, particularly following the decline of the city's docks and manufacturing industries in the 1980s. This resurgence owes much to the continuing appeal of the Beatles and the crowning of Liverpool as the 'city of pop' - owing to the fact that more number ones have emerged from the city than any other in the UK - by the Guinness Book of Records in 2001. Many tourists head for a Liverpool holiday specifically to explore the home of the Fab Four, and the Cavern Club is a good place to start on any holiday guide. The venue started as a jazz club and had evolved into a platform for skiffle groups before blues bands and beat groups started appearing in 1960. The Beatles made 292 appearances at the Cavern in 1961 and 1962 before moving onto bigger things - clearing the way for the likes of the Rolling Stones, Cilla Black and Elton John to follow in their footsteps. Other places of cultural interest near to Liverpool hotels include the Tate Liverpool, the modern art centre of the Tate in the north of England, and Liverpool University's Victoria Building, notable for its Audubon display, which is the second-largest outside of the US.

Weather in Liverpool

The weather in Liverpool is, unfortunately, rather akin to that which you would expect in the UK - which means summers are mostly warm with average temperatures of 20C and winters are cold and wet with average temperatures of 4C.

Destination Check List for Liverpool

Liverpool has a population of 435,500.

The city is on GMT/UTC time.

The official currency is the pound.

English and Welsh are the official languages spoken.

The city's international dialling code is +44.