Day Trips from Manchester

In Brief. The  Maritime  and  International Slavery  museums share a large warehouse along one side of the Albert Dock in  Liverpool's Waterfront . The maritime museum covers two complete floors, including exhibitions on The Titanic, The Battle of the Atlantic and commercial shipping, especially where there is a Liverpool connection. The more modern International Slavery museum covers African culture, the slave trade and its connection to industries in the north of England, and for more recent times the legacy of slavery and modern slavery. There's a lot to take in. The museum building. What's Here? The obvious way to approach this museum is probably to start on the ground floor with a history of Liverpool Docks, and work your way up. This is what I did, but I don't recommend it, as by the time you reach the International Slavery Museum there is the risk that you will have had your fill of museums for the day. The Maritime Museum is huge, and covers a variety of...

In Brief. Visitors to Liverpool can pay homage to The Beatles in a variety of ways. Sites associated with the band and their songs can be visited on tour busses, and photographs can be taken with their statue at the waterfront. The highest profile visitor attraction is  The Beatles Story  at The Albert Dock, which includes recreations of places associated with the band and its members, accompanied by an informative audio guide.  This is somewhat complemented by Liverpool Beatles Museum , near the Cavern Club, which contains more conventional displays and memorabilia, from clothes to cufflinks. The Fab Four What's Here? More than 50 years after they split up, The Beatles still top polls as the Greatest Rock Band of All Time , and are thus deserving of ongoing recognition in their home town.  For a day trip, the journeys to and from Liverpool are also a good chance to revisit some Beatles albums (I went with Abbey Road and returned to Sgt. Pepper, but of course there ...

In Brief. The Liverpool Waterfront, on the tidal River Mersey, is one of the most recognisable urban spaces in the UK. Though stripped of its World Heritage status because of unsympathetic modern developments, the core of the current waterfront area around the Albert Dock both preserves and repurposes historical landmarks and hosts a variety of cultural venues that enable a rich and varied visit. The Three Graces beyond the Museum of Liverpool What's Here? This is a destination that combines a collection of things to look at (notably the Three Graces from the early 20th Century and the surviving Victorian Docks), and things to go inside (such as Tate Liverpool, The Museum of Liverpool, The Maritime Museum, The International Slavery Museum and The Beatles Story). A colourful ferry heads across the Mersey. One way of combining looking at with going inside is on The Mersey Ferries,  which offer a 50 minute cruise with a single stop in Birkenhead on the south bank of the Mersey. This c...