Getting there

Liverpool is about two hours from London. If you don't want to drive, trains leave regularly from London's Euston Station, depositing you in the center of Liverpool. You don't even have to go into London: Catch a flight into Manchester, 45 minutes from Liverpool, or take a domestic flight into Liverpool's John Lennon Airport.

Where to stay

We loved the Hope Street Hotel, a small, simple and well-situated establishment housed in what was once a manufacturing plant for Rolls-Royce carriages. It's the place where many musicians stay when in Liverpool. The staff remains outgoing and helpful whether or not you're a star (hopestreet hotel.co.uk).

Where to eat

Liverpool is full of inviting pubs — the Ropewalks area of town (where the ropemakers for ships were concentrated) is known for its particularly varied collection of pubs and other nightlife (facebook.com/ropewalks).

Our digs were a quick walk to what turned out to be my favorite place for a pint. I fell in love with The Phil because it was John Lennon's establishment of choice. The Philharmonic Dining Rooms, its official name, was built as a gentlemen's club in 1898. The faculty of design at Liverpool University College was commissioned to do the interior, and the resulting rooms full of art nouveau, stained glass, chandeliers, carved fireplaces, and a legendarily swank men's WC, are worth experiencing (nicholsons­ pubs.co.uk).

Maggie May's is another mecca of dining, serving up the best example of scouse, a dish revered in and pretty much endemic to Liverpool. Scouse was introduced by Norwegian sailors who came to the port in the 19th century; the Norwegians called it labskause, their word for stew, and it soon became a common meal for the working class. The inexpensive meal was made with either mutton, lamb or beef with vegetables that were slow cooked to tenderize the meat. Scouse was so popular here that the word eventually was used to describe the local accent, and Liverpudlians eventually were called Scousers. And they're proud of it. Anyway, you'll find scouse on many pub menus in Liverpool, but Maggie May's is generally considered top of the scouse scene. Vegetarians don't get left out in the cold, either. Ask for blind scouse, the meatless version (maggie maysoriginalscouse.co.uk).

Attractions

National Museums Liver­pool is an organization of seven museums: the World Museum, Museum of Liverpool, Merseyside Maritime, Walker Art Gallery, International Slavery Museum, Lady Lever Gallery and Sudley House, a Victorian merchant's house. Information on all is at liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.

FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) is Britain's leading media arts center. Its cool, minimalist building comprises three galleries, a garden-y cafe, a bar and four film screens (fact.co.uk).

Albert Dock is where you'll find a smorgasbord of restaurants and bars, galleries, and other cultural attractions. The dock has one section of the massive "Beatles Story" attraction (beatlesstory.com), housed in an underground warren of exhibits jammed with memorabilia; original instruments and letters; and re-creations of storefronts and sites important to Beatles history.

Sprawled out in red brick with orange trim, you can't miss the Tate Liverpool (tate.org.uk/visit/tate-liverpool), home to the Tate's collection of modern art.

Pier Head is home to the Three Graces, the Fab Four bronze, the Museum of Liverpool, the International Slavery Museum and a small herd of Superlambanana (the statues, no live ones). The other venue of the "Beatles Story" is on this section of waterfront along with a gift shop offering more than any Beatles fan could dream of There's a 4-D movie about the Beatles, a cafe and temporary exhibits.

The Cavern Club, on Mathew Street, has two stages and showcases live music every night. The club also supports Beatles-related activities, including the de rigueur Magical Mystery Tour, a two-hour bus tour leaving from Albert Dock and taking in the Beatles' childhood homes and schools as well as places featured in the lyrics, like Penny Lane and Strawberry Fields. The tour finishes at the Cavern Club and includes admission to that night's show (cavernclub.org).

MORE INFORMATION

visitliverpool.com.