In an earlier post I looked at the 5 Reasons to Visit Liverpool . These were the the things that should be done on a first time trip to the city. If you have more time available you may want to dig a little deeper into the city and explore some of the other reasons that make Liverpool such an excellent destination for a weekend or short break.
Bold Street. Bold Street has had something of a resurgence in recent years and has become a hub for independent retailers, restaurants and cafés. It runs from Hanover Street in the city to join Renshaw Street opposite Liverpool’s Bombed Out Church. At the city end is The Lyceum.
Built in 1802 it has been through a number of incarnations including a gentleman club, a library, a cafe and a post office. It was saved from demolition in the early 1970s but sadly the building is currently vacant.
Heading up from The Lyceum the lower part of the street is a fairly traditional shopping street but one past the junction with Concert Street it reveals its independent heart. Some retailers have been on the street for years, both Mattas and News From Nowhere are Bold Street institutions.
They have been joined by a host of others. Leaf is perfect for tea and the Artisane bakery across the street has lovely coffee, bread and patisserie. If you fancy something a little more substantial then Mowgli and Maray are good options but there are plenty of others.
The Baltic Triangle. An up and coming area just outside the city centre. Home to tech start ups, cafés, restaurants and bars it is very much a happening area. The area is also well known as a centre of street art and I have covered this in a previous post (here) .
For coffee try The Baltic Bakehouse, which also has some amazing sourdough bread, on Bridgewater Street or Baltic Creative on Jamaica Street. If you have an hour or so to spare try a game of Ghetto Golf. Grab a drink at the Baltic Social or Gibberish Tap Room (do check opening times as it does seem to change). If you are there at the weekend try the Baltic Market in the old Cain’s Brewery for some excellent street food.
Street Art. If a visit to the Baltic Triangle has whet your appetite there is plenty more to see and the beauty is it is always changing. There are a lot of pieces in Oldham Place and you can even take a graffiti class at Zap Graffiti on Saturday afternoons.
Located close to the Bombed Out Church on Leece Street why not combine the two combine the two. Entry to the gardens around the church is free. For the more adventurous there is more art to be seen in the streets around London Road .
Craft Beer. The rise in the popularity of craft beer has been as big as that for artisan gin. As a result there are some good options in the city. The Dead Crafty Beer Company on Dale Street has 19 taps which change frequently and they hold regular tap takeovers. Across the road is a beer drinking institution, The Ship and Mitre. A pub for real ale aficionados but also with good selection of craft beers. Heading out of town towards the Baltic Triangle is The Baltic Fleet. In the Triangle itself there is The Baltic Social and Gibberish Taproom.
Natural Wine. Paralleling the growth of the craft beer and gin markets has been the interest in natural/biodynamically produced wines. R & H Fine Wines is a wine merchant hidden away on Queen Street, a small alley off Castle street, close to the Town Hall. They have a great selection of interesting wines from around the world and is well worth searching out. Bunch Wine Bar on Berry Street has an ever changing selection of wines available by the glass or bottle. Hidden away in a small courtyard off Hardman Street is the Buyers Club. There is something for everyone here, eight craft beer taps, natural wines, cocktails and food. Its a relaxing chilled out place to spend an hour or two, especially early evening.
