Despite its compact centre, there is plenty to see across the wider city of Liverpool, making these five bus tours the best way to get around.
(Photo: Paul Stafford for Travelmag.com)
Liverpool is among Britain’s best-known cities due to the legendary contributions to pop music and football made here over the years. As a result, there are plenty of cultural sights open to visitors, alongside fantastic historical highlights peppered around the city. A variety of Liverpool bus tours exist, from a general city overview to specialist tours catering to fans of the Beatles, whose presence can be felt all across the city. Here are five of the best, taking into account factors like the value for money and quality of the tour guides (where provided).
24-Hour Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
It’s a classic for a reason, and by far the best value bus tour in Liverpool. Some travellers balk and the idea of getting a hop-on, hop-off bus, but there’s no better way of getting around the city’s highlights, such as the Cavern Quarter (home of the famous Cavern Club) and Albert Dock. Buses run between 10am and 4pm, and your ticket is valid for 24 hours. On-board guides add colour to the surrounding streets as you drive between the 14 stops, such as Cain’s Brewery Village, a great place to end your day with its bazaar of street food stalls and alcohol purveyors. From £12 per person.
(Photo: Getyourguide.com)
Beatles Magical Mystery Tour
Everything touched by a member of the Fab Four is worshipped in Liverpool these days. The full Beatlemania rabbit hole experience is provided by the Magical Mystery Tour, which sees top-notch local guides, many of whom have personal connections to the Beatles, regale participants with stories of John, Paul, Ringo and George from their youth, when Liverpool was their whole world. The cheery yellow coach takes you to the childhood homes and haunts over two hours. For an in-depth review of this tour, check out this TravelMag article. From £20 per person.
Liverpool River Cruise and Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour
Many Liverpudlians will insist that you have not experienced the city properly until you take a ferry onto the Mersey River. Gerry and the Pacemakers even sang a song about it and many of the city’s most cherished buildings, both historic and modern, line the famed waterfront. The 50-minute Mersey cruise departs from Pier Head, which is one of the stops along the hop-on, hop-off bus route. 24-hour tickets to this bus tour are also included. All transportation is wheelchair accessible. From £23 per person.
(Photo: Dark Dwarf via Flickr / CC BY-ND 2.0 DEED)
Beatles & Brews Journey Through Liverpool’s Pubs & Melodies
Brewery Bus Tours Liverpool run a fantastic Thursday afternoon trip starting in the city centre and heading out by bus to the very same Penny Lane made famous by the Beatles. At this point, Beatles lore is blended with hops; you’ll visit the same pubs where Lennon supped pints with his friends, when stardom was still just a dream, or The Empress Pub, which features on the cover of Ringo Starr’s Sentimental Journey album from 1970. This tour lasts four hours and ends up at the Philharmonic Dining Rooms in central Liverpool. From £70 per person.
Half-day Peaky Blinders Tour of Liverpool
Yes, it is set in Birmingham, but much of the epic Peaky Blinders TV series was filmed in and around Liverpool, thanks to its well-preserved industrial-era architecture. For fans of the show, this bus tour is the ideal choice on a trip to Liverpool. Over four hours, you will visit various locations featured in the show, such as the homes of characters Polly and Ada, while learning about the real-life characters on whom the series was based. This tour only runs on (most) Saturday mornings. From £37 per person.