Unless you come from a different planet entirely, a planet without music perhaps, you will know that Liverpool is the birthplace of The Beatles. You could probably also hazard a guess that Liverpool has one or two attractions based on The Fab Four themselves! Actually there are more than one or two!

Here is a guide to The Beatles Attractions in Liverpool. Enjoy…..

Britannia Pavilion
Albert Dock, Liverpool, L3 4AD
Tel: 0151 709 1963
The Beatles Story
White Feather Exhibition

The Beatles Story is the original Beatles-themed visitor attraction situated within the historic Albert Dock on Liverpool’s famous Waterfront, it is a truly unique attraction designed to take visitors on “an enlightening and atmospheric journey into the life, times, culture and music of the Beatles”.

Visitors are guided by audio (played through headphones and recorded by John Lennon’s sister Julia) through many different sets which together tell the story of four of the most famous people to ever come out of Liverpool. Watch out (or rather listen out) for John Lennon’s recording of ‘Imagine’ in the White Room - extremely poignant!

I would love to say that the attraction was open ‘Eight days a week’ but it’s not so I can’t! What I will say is that even if you’re not a die hard Beatles fan its well worth a visit to both this attraction and it’s newly opened second home The Beatles Story Pier Head.

Georges Parade
Liverpool L3 1DP
(Within the new Mersey Ferries terminal building)
Tel: 0151 709 1963
The Beatles Story

Such is the success of The Beatles Story Albert Dock that the attraction has now expanded into a second site also situated in Liverpool’s attractive waterfront area. Here you will find many new attractions, not least being the spectacular 4D journey through the music of The Beatles. Fab4D opened in July 2009 and uses the latest 3D technology and 4D special effects (as seen in Monsters Vs. Aliens) to envelop visitors in a fantastic virtual world exploring the influential music of The Fab Four.

Beatles Story Pier Head is also where you can catch the world premiere of White Feather: The Spirit of Lennon. This exclusive exhibition runs from 17 June 2009 to 31 December 2009 and gives a rare insight into John Lennon’s extraordinary life. It includes interviews with Julian and Cynthia Lennon, a great collection of family photos not to mention items from Lennons' unseen collection of memorabilia.

A shuttle bus takes visitors between the two exhibition sites or alternatively you can take a ten minute walk and take in the sights of the historic waterfront edging the magnificent city of Liverpool.

10 Mathew St
Liverpool, L2 6RE
Tel: 0151 236 1965
The Cavern Club

Situated in Matthew Street, Liverpool, The Cavern Club has played a fine host for many great artist and bands (not least The Beatles).

The club opened its doors in January 1957, initially as a jazz club. It was slowly taken over by blues bands and beat groups who played that inimitable style of rock and roll which later became know as Mersey Beat! The Beatles made almost 300 appearances at the club between 1961 and 1963.

The club closed in 1973, and a myth was perpetuated that a car park had been built in its place. This was definitely a myth; the truth being that the Cavern was a basement club. Only the warehouses situated on top of the club were knocked down.

A remodelled club re-opened in 1984, occupying some 75% of the original site and retaining the same address ’10 Matthew Street’. Live music, however, did not resume until the 1990s.

In 1999 Paul McCartney performed his last gig of the century at the Cavern, branding the club ‘the most famous club in the world’. Eight years later in 2007 Liverpool hosted a celebration of 50 years of the Cavern Club.

The Cavern Club is one of Liverpool’s finest venues; very much a grass roots, back to basics, sticky-floor type venue (with an AMAZING sound system!). The atmosphere has to be experienced to be believed!

8 Haymans Green
Liverpool, L12 7JG
Casbah Coffee Club

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Beatles only ever played The Cavern (well actually you wouldn’t!) but, for many, The Casbah Coffee Club is considered the true launch pad of The Beatles. In fact some of their very early first live performances were held here. This fabulous venue has been closed for many years but is now open for 1 hour tours for anyone wanting to know where it really began. This unique basement club is crammed with everything from instruments and hand drawn posters to microphones and amps. Take a look at the silver stars on the ceiling of the bar area – they were painted by the lads themselves or seek out John’s name carved into the wall. Inspiring stuff.

These tours fill up extremely quickly so it’s best to book well in advance. Information regarding days/times as well as details of how to book are available on the website.

Liverpool, L18

Penny Lane in South Liverpool was immortalised by the Beatles song of the same name. Released as a double A-side with Strawberry Fields Forever in 1967, the song was rated #449 out of 500 by Rolling Stone magazine in 2004. It has been said that this duo of songs was probably the groups greatest ever single.

The actual Penny Lane named after James Penny, an 18th Century slave trader, is now a favourite landmark in Liverpool and a must-stop on any Beatles tour of Liverpool. Street signs for Penny Lane have been a constant target of theft by over-zealous Beatles fans and for a while the council stopped replacing them, instead opting to paint the street name on the sides of buildings. In 2007, the council developed a ‘more robust’ version of the street sign and the famous street sign is now once again proudly displayed. They aren’t that robust however and are still stolen at a rate of almost one every month!

Penny Lane is largely a residential area but you will find the infamous Penny Lane Wine Bar at the Allerton Road end. An understated venue with some great choices in food and drink and chilled out regulars!

In the song Penny Lane by the Beatles, the ‘shelter in the middle of the roundabout’ is referred to. This shelter is actually a building on Allerton Road, not quite Penny Lane but just opposite! It was originally a public toilet block (nice) but later became Sgt Peppers Bistro (ring any bells?). It has closed and reopened as a Bistro a few times over the years and is currently (and sadly) closed. Incidentally the hairdressers where John Lennon used to get his hair cut are just over the road!

251 Menlove Ave, Liverpool, L25 7SA
20 Forthlin Rd, Liverpool, L18 9TN

National Trust: 0870 900 0256‎
National Trust Beatles Attractions

Two of the most popular attractions for Beatles fans visiting Liverpool are the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney.  Both sites are now owned by the National Trust and have been preserved to represent an authentic version of how the houses would have looked in the 1950s and 60s.

Mendips is the childhood home of John Lennon and is situated in Woolton in South Liverpool. This house has the honour of being the location where some of the very early hits by the Beatles were written. On visiting the house fans can listen to an actual lodger reminisce about life with the young Lennon. There are fascinating photographs, documents and other memorabilia to satisfy the most inquisitive of fans.

20 Forthlin Road in Allerton, South Liverpool is the childhood home of Sir Paul McCartney. He lived in the terraced house with his brother Michael. As with Mendips the house is authentically furnished as it would have been during the 1950s and 60s. The house also played host to The Beatles as they wrote and rehearsed some of their earliest hits. One of the main attractions here are the numerous family photographs which are on prominent display.

No trip to Liverpool would be complete without a visit to each of these homes. Both enable fans of The Beatles to experience a unique insight into the life and times of John Lennon and Paul McCartney and the very origins of possibly the greatest group there ever was.

Grave: St. Peters Church, Woolton
Statue: Stanley Street, Liverpool

Eleanor Rigby is one of the most outstanding songs written by The Beatles. Primarily written by Paul McCartney it was originally released on the 1966 album Revolver. It remains one of The Beatles most recognizable songs with its haunting lyrics about death and loneliness.

Opinions vary on where the idea of the song title came from. Some say that Paul recalled the name having seen it on a grave at St. Peters church in Woolton, Liverpool; others that Paul got the inspiration from the name of his co-star, Eleanor Bron, in the movie Help! The name ‘Rigby’ may have come from a shop store front in Bristol. It seems more likely to have been the grave because Paul and John Lennon actually met at a church function at St. Peters.

Either way, people still flock to see the grave which is still standing today in Liverpool and also the statue of Eleanor Rigby in the City Centre. Dedicated to ‘All the lonely people…”, this haunting statue was created in 1982.

Woolton, Liverpool

Strawberry Fields was a Salvation Army Children’s Home in Woolton in the South of Liverpool. Made famous by The Beatles hit ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’ in 1967 (a double A-side with Penny Lane), it was announced in January 2005 that the home would close its doors in May 2007 following a change in approach to child care. It was preferred that children in care be looked after within foster homes rather than within large institutions.

In fact the Home did not make it that long and closed later that same year. The building was a favourite childhood haunt of the young John Lennon and had previously been saved from closure when Lennon’s widow Yoko Ono made a cash donation to save the building in 1984.

The site was saved from complete abandonment at the eleventh hour by the opening of a 24-7 Prayer Room, operated in association with the Salvation Army. This was good news for the City of Liverpool since the site is still a Mecca for fans of The Beatles from all over the globe.

The site hit the headlines in 2000 when the famous wrought iron gates were stolen by thieves and later sold on to a scrap metal site owner. The said owner was said to have become suspicious upon hearing of the theft on the local news. Thankfully he called the police to return the gates, having purchased them in good faith, and they were restored to their former location.

The site has been immortalised by Lennon’s song and has since lent its name to many businesses and sporting events. There is also a memorial called Strawberry Fields inside Central Park in New York. This particular site is a personal tribute to Lennon following his untimely death at the hands of a disturbed fan in 1980.

Liverpool 2 (City Centre)
Mathew Street
Mathew Street Festival

It goes without saying that any self-respecting Beatles fan will include a trip to Mathew Street as part of their Liverpool itinerary. After all, it is home to The Cavern Club and the starting point for The Beatles Magical Mystery Tour! Don’t forget to look up, else you will miss the iconic statues of The Beatles placed high above your heads!

Look out for John Lennon close to the original entrance to the Cavern Club and the bronze statue ‘Four lads who shook the world’ – Mother Liverpool holds three babies (John, George and Ringo) whilst the fourth depicting Paul has grown wings and flown away. An obvious nod to the band Wings that Paul formed after The Beatles.

Take a look at the official Mathew Street website for a selection of 4 webcams that give you a great view of the area.  There's also a Venues Directory and gallery with some really great pictures.

Don't miss the annual Mathew Street Festival when the area becomes alive with the sound of music (not that sort of music!) and plays host to around 300,000 guests over the August Bank Holiday weekend.  Rock on!

Liverpool John Lennon Airport
Liverpool, L24 1YD
Tel: 0870 129 8484
Liverpool John Lennon Airport

The Yellow Submarine monument in Liverpool started life as an exhibition for the (now closed) International Garden Festival in 1984. A representation of the submarine featured in the animated film Yellow Submarine, some 51ft long and painted in vivid yellow, this particular monument is hard to miss! After the Festival site was closed, the submarine was moved to Chavasse Park where for many years it welcomed visitors to the city of Liverpool. However its deteriorating condition and the onset of the new Liverpool One complex built in the Chavasse park area meant it was removed for renovation until 2005 when it found its current home at the Liverpool John Lennon Airport.

Incidentally this airport was the first in the UK to be named after an individual. The new airport logo includes the famous self-portrait drawn by John and the strapline ‘above us only sky’ is taken from the song ‘Imagine’. A 7ft bronze statue of John Lennon by local sculptor Tom Murphy was unveiled by Yoko Ono in 2002.

10 Mathew Street
Liverpool, L2 6RE
Tel: 0151 236 1965
Magical Mystery Tour

The Magical Mystery Tour is organised by the infamous Cavern Club and is quite simply a must for anyone for enjoys music and offers the perfect introduction to the City of Liverpool.  This 2 hour tour takes in the history of John, Paul, George and Ringo throughout their childhood and later years with stops at Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road, as well as the inspiring sights of Penny Lane and Strawberry Field.

Led by a fully qualified Beatles guide, the tour comes to an end at the Cavern Club where you can exchange your ticket for an exclusive souvenir of your trip.

Private tours for groups of 30+ visitors are available which includes the hire of The Magical Mystery Tour Bus or if you fancy something a little more in-depth you can opt for the full day Beatles Extravaganza tour.

Various, Liverpool

The city of Liverpool is fit to bursting with a great number of fantastic pubs and venues. Many of these venues have some incredible links with The Beatles. So take a deep breath, get some money out the ATM and go forth and drink! If you want to see where the boys drank, played and even helped to paint, take some time out to visit….

The Philharmonic
36 Hope Street, Liverpool

Ye Cracke
13 Rice Street, Liverpool

Jacaranda
21 - 23 Slater Street, Liverpool

Welkin
Whitechapel, Liverpool

The White Star
2 Rainford Gardens, Liverpool

Flanagan's Apple
18 Mathew Street, Liverpool

The Grapes
25 Mathew Street, Liverpool

Rubber Soul
Mathew Street, Liverpool

The Cavern
8 - 10 Mathew Street, Liverpool

The Boothill Saloon
Argyle Street, Birkenhead

North John Street
Liverpool, L2 6RR
Tel: 0151 236 1964

A newcomer to the list of Beatles attractions in Liverpool having opened in early 2008, The Hard Day’s Night Hotel is located in the ‘Beatles Quarter’ of the city close to the Cavern Club.  A luxurious 4 star hotel in a classic, Grade II listed city centre building and a must for every Beatles Fan!

Deluxe rooms start at around £105 per night or guests can choose the total opulence of either the Lennon or MacCartney Suites at around £650 per night (includes Champagne and breakfast for two).

A simply fabulous nod to The Fab Four.

And there you have it...a comprehensive guide to The Beatles attractions in Liverpool. 

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