Of Beatles' Fame

If there is a city which is firmly associated with just a few people in the collective imagination of millions of people throughout the world, then it’s Liverpool and the Fab Four, alias the Beatles. Indeed, the quartet is still the major tourist draw card, and you will see plenty of companies – large and small alike – making good money out of it. But, more importantly, enough monuments that should be included in the itinerary of every Beatles fan.

Any serious fan should consider either joining an organized Magical Mystery Tour, or fishing out a copy of specialized guidebook and following the trail on his/her own. The former homes of the band’s members, the place where the original Cavern Club stood, Penny Lane, the memorial to Elinor Rigby, Strawberry Fields, and the like are all included.

What about those not really keen on music? Can Liverpool offer something for them as well? It surely can, but they are – in my humble and honest opinion – unlikely to get as much of a kick out of the town as a Beatles fan can. Still, there is the curious Hope Street – curious because it houses not one, but two magnificent cathedrals (Anglican and Roman Catholic) at its two ends. Which is a first, at least in my travel memory.

Albert Dock is an interesting exploration point, and no serious football (read: soccer) fan should miss a match of the local Premiership teams Everton and Liverpool, at Goodison Park and Anfield Road respectively. Especially if chance (or precise calculation) brings you to Liverpool when the teams are playing each other. Don’t think, however, that getting hold of a ticket is easy. Club museums and souvenir shops are also – quite unsurprisingly – available for you to spend your money in. For horse racing lovers, there’s the Grand National Handicap Steeplechase - British horse race held annually over the Aintree course, usually in late March or early April.

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Liverpool is so strongly connected with the Fab Four that chances are that a sizable proportion of the visitors have been motivated by this. So perhaps it is not entirely surprising that I am dedicating my first tip to the subject.

First of all, though, allow me to mention this: I am not saying there are no guided tours. These exist and are, as far as I am aware of, highly regarded. If you wish to join, contact that local TIC at 709 3285. It's just the fact that I prefer wandering on my own. This requires somewhat more planning than simply buying a bus tour ticket.

You can simply follow the bus tour route or create something of your own, rearranging the order of the places to see or adding some. The list can be as extensive as you wish and is best compiled with the help of a biography of the band, a map, and some local tourist brochures (just to check a house is still in its place) or even a specialized guidebook, for example, Beatles Liverpool by Robin Jones. To simplify matters, here is my little guide:

1. Houses and schools where the houses and schools of the Fab Four stand (or stood, as the case may be).
2. Cavern Club (which is not the original one since that was destroyed in 1973) with the statue of John Lennon, as he was in Hamburg before the band’s rise to fame – looks very much like a museum. You should head to Mathew Street, 2. Keep in mind that it might be closed since groups can rent it to have a party.
3. Penny Lane, a landmark from the namesake song.
4. Strawberry Fields, a former Salvation Army centre. I say former because it closed its doors in January 2005, although it was still open when I went to the city. You can still see the site, though.
5. The Beatles Story is the local museum focusing on the group’s history, complete with old TV clips, music records, and other memorabilia. The entrance fee is somewhat expensive, so this one is better done in conjunction with the Beatles Tour. However, the die-hard fans will struggle to discover something new for them. Or you can save money by getting yourself a combined ticket with Albert Dock and Merseyside Maritime Museum.
6. Town Hall’s portico and balcony, where the Beatles were received by the Lord Mayor in 1964 – one of the first official accolades granted to the band.
7. A visit to one of the many cafés and restaurants named after songs, places, etc.