Let's Go Europe 2011: The Student Travel Guide
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Off of Hardman St. (Cultural Quarter). Free Wi-Fi. Free tea, coffee, and toast 24hr. Game room with pool table and free movies. Laundry. Dorms M-Th £15, F-Sa £20, Su £15. Reception 24hr.
COCOON @ INTERNATIONAL INN
4 S. Hunter St.
HOSTEL
0151 709 8135 www.cocoonliverpool.co.uk
In the basement of the International Inn lies the new Budget Pod Hotel. For reasonable prices, couples (or 2 friends) can obtain private hotel-like rooms with HDTVs, blow-dryers, fresh towels, and king beds. However, remember that basement means no windows.
Off of Hardman St. (Cultural Quarter). Tea & coffee making machines in rooms. Safety deposit boxes in all rooms. Games room with pool table. Only doubles available. Free Wi-Fi. Doubles M-Th from £43, F-Sa from £53, Su from £43.
YHA LIVERPOOL
25 Tabley St.
HOSTEL
0845 371 9527 www.yha.org/uk
Otherwise standard and non-descript, this YHA tries to lend itself some character by staying in touch with its local roots, as the hallways and lounge areas play off of Beatles themes (rock ’n roll statues, paintings of the Fab Four) a hallway named after “Penny Lane.” It is located close to main attractions (museums at Albert Dock), but removed from the hustle-and-bustle of the student nightlife areas (about a 15min. walk to the city center). Almost all the dorms have ensuite bathrooms.
Close to Albert Dock. From the Dock, follow Wapping. Tabley St. is off of Wapping, past Baltic Fleet Pub, to the left. You’ll see big signs for YHA. Breakfast in on-site restaurant for £5; restaurant available for breakfast and dinner. Laundry facilities. Free luggage storage. Internet £1 per 15 min. Wi-Fi £8 for 1 day, £15 for 3-day pass. Dorms £16-23; doubles from £41; triples from £52. £3 charge for non-YHA members. Reception 7am-11pm.
HATTERS HOSTEL
56-60 Mt. Pleasant
HOSTEL
0151 709 5570 www.hattershostel.com/liverpool
With an organic vegetable garden, historic Gothic building, barbecue area, big movie screen, and helpful staff, this member of the super-popular Hatters hostel chain tries to add some character and intimacy to a huge residence of about 200 beds. Otherwise nondescript dorm rooms have modern and very clean ensuite bathrooms. Situated close major nightlife, Hatters is only a 5min. walk from the train station. Book in advance for weekends, or for a Cathedral view.
From train station, head south on Lime St., then make a slight left at Brownlow Hill. Right on Mt. Pleasant. Hostel on right. Light breakfast included. Laundry facilities. Internet access in lobby £1 per 15min. Lobby Wi-Fi £5 for day pass. 7-day WiFi access (in lobby and rooms) £15. Free luggage storage. Bike storage. Self-catering. Group bookings (6 or more people) require 15% deposit and should be made 2 weeks in advance. Dorms M-Th £16.50-17.50, F-Sa £17.50-£18.50, Su £16.50-17.50; singles £40-60; doubles £27.50-35; triples £25. Reception 24hr.
EPSTEIN HOUSE
27 Anfield
GUESTHOUSE
07810 100 900 www.brianepsteinguesthouse.com
Epstein House is the beautiful family home of fames Beatles manager Brian Epstein. Plus, Paul McCartney’s father lives on the same road! The house has been converted into a splendid guesthouse. Beatles decor is scattered throughout, and the downstairs lounge area carefully documents Brian Epstein’s life story.
From train station, follow signs to Paradise St. bus station. Take the #26 or 27 bus from Paradise St. bus station to Anfield. Continental breakfast £3, full English breakfast £5. Towels, hairdryers, tea- and coffee-makers ensuite. Parking available. Free Wi-Fi. Private rooms from £20 per person. M-F £34 for ensuite room for 2-3 people.
STRAWBERRY HOUSE
86 Anfield Rd.
HOSTEL
07810 100 900
These spacious dorm rooms are good deals. Enclosed within a small row house, the hostel is intimately small with six rooms, a common kitchen, nice patio area, and large common room. Each room has a combination of bunk beds and double beds for three to six people, TVs, and a basin sink.
Anfield. Reception is in the Epstein House, 27 Anfield Rd. (see above). Head there first to pay and pick up keys. Look out for number 86; there are no outer markings for the hostel. Self-catering kitchen with tea- and coffee-makers. Free Wi-Fi. Common area with TV. Dorms £10-12.
SIGHTS
THE BEATLES STORY
Britannia Vaults, Albert Dock
MUSEUM
0151 709 1963 www.beatlesstory.com
Even the most hardcore Beatles fanatic will learn something new about the biggest band that ever was (or, in the words of Lennon, the band that was “bigger than Jesus”). From the group’s post-war beginnings to the shag haircuts to the solo careers, the audio guide (included in admission price) will escort you through the quartet’s history. You’ll hear the voices of Paul McCartney, Alan William, Cynthia Lennon, and others, giving the experience an authentic feel. Learn about the initial meeting of McCartney and Lennon and Sir George’s near rejection of the Beatles (that would have been a kicker!). Recreations are all the rage here: wander through the streets of Hamburg, where the Beatles had their first overseas tour, discover the Cavern Club of the 1960s. And maybe you won’t be as tripped out as groupies were in the ’60s, but exhibits on Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band will still make for a pretty psychadelic experience.
Albert Dock (Follow signs from city center). Headsets available in multiple languages. £12.50, concessions £8.50. Includes audio tour and admission to 2 sights. Open daily 9am-7pm. Last entry 2hr. before close.
LIVERPOOL ANGLICAN CATHEDRAL
St. James Mount
CHURCH
0151 709 6271 www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk
The UK’s largest cathedral is surprisingly the product of 20th-century handiwork. Completed in 1978, Liverpool Cathedral has the world’s highest and widest Gothic arches, and highest and heaviest peal of bells (you can see them on the tower tour). On Thursday nights in the summer, take a tower tour (£5) at dusk and get spectacular views of the Liverpool cityscape.
From the city center, take Mt. Pleasant St., then right onto Rodney St. Late-night tours of the tower are available Th nights Mar-Oct until 8pm, or until 10pm in July and Aug. Cafe with free Wi-Fi. Free. 2-day attraction pass, tower climb, and a film and audio tour £5, concessions £3.50. Open daily 8am-6pm.
WALKER ART GALLERY
William Brown St.
MUSEUM
0151 478 4199 www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
A display of over six centuries of fine and decorative art means that items like Napoleon’s toothbrush holder and a post-modern espresso coffee maker sit in the same building as pieces by Monet and Degas. Gallery also features a collection of British art from the last several decades, much culled from Liverpool’s own biennial painting competition.
Close to Lime St. Station, off Victoria Rd. Special events and exhibitions offered; check website for details. Free. Open daily 10am-5pm.
MERSEYSIDE MARITIME MUSEUM
Albert Dock
MUSEUM
0151 478 4499 www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
Once upon a time, Liverpool was a small fishing village. Before long, though, it had rapidly developed into one of the most important cities in the British Empire, thanks to its position as a major port and center for exports. Liverpool’s role in the shipping industry had major social effects on the city that often get overlooked. Fortunately, this museum explores not only the history of Liverpool at sea but also the characters who drive forward its evolution as a major sea power. From the recreation of a Liverpool ship’s journey to a Welsh colony in Patagonia (who knew such a thing existed?) to the stories of the Titanic, Lusitania, and Empress of Ireland disasters, to Liverpool as a site in the bombing raids of WWII, the Museum thoughtfully untangles the role of the sea in Liverpool’s story. Meanwhile, the downstairs area offers a unique exhibit on the British Agency of Border and Customs that shows the relevance of Liverpool in the present. Test out your
instincts and judge who is a smuggler and who is a legit traveler.
Albert Dock. Free Wi-Fi. Lockers on ground floor. Free. Open daily 10am-5pm.
INTERNATIONAL SLAVERY MUSEUM
Albert Dock
MUSEUM
0151 478 4499 www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk
Props to Liverpool: rather than deny its strong ties to the slave institutions of the past, the city owns up to them, mourns the evils of its past, and then seeks to move forward in this unique museum. The exhibits here celebrate black heroes and their achievements. Examining the impact of the slave trade on the world and more specifically, the slave-trade capital of Liverpool. (Many of Liverpool’s famed streets were named after residents who were somehow tied to the slave trade—even Penny Lane.)
3rd floor of the Merseyside Maritime Museum. Free. Open daily 10am-5pm.
FACT
88 Wood St.
ART, FILM
0151 707 4464 www.fact.co.uk
Housed in a shimmering metallic building, this state-of-the-art facility features film showings, galleries, and exhibitions of new media arts. There is also a cafe, bar, and lounge area.
Chinatown. Galleries free. Films £7.40, concessions £5.90. Center open M-Sa 10am-11pm, Su 11am-10:30pm. Galleries open M-Tu 10am-6pm, W 10:30am-6pm. Th-F 10am-6pm, Sa-Su 11am-6pm. Ticket office open M-F 5pm until 15min. after start of last screening, Sa 10:45am until 15min after start of last screening.
TATE LIVERPOOL
Albert Dock
MUSEUM
0151 702 7400 www.tate.org.uk/liverpool
This staple of the Albert Docks is part of the legendary Tate institution and features special exhibitions as well as some of the finest modern art in the world. In 2010, for example, a much-heralded Picasso exhibition arrived in town. Permanent galleries feature works from the year 1500 to the present day, including works of Warhol and Pollock. For some years, this was the largest gallery of modern and contemporary art in the UK outside of London.
Follow signs to Albert Dock. Free; some exhibtions have charges. Open Sept-May Tu-Su 10am-5:50pm, June-Aug daily 10am-5:50pm.
VICTORIA GALLERY AND MUSEUM
Ashton St.
MUSEUM
0151 794 2348 www.live.ac.uk/vgm
This beautiful museum is hosted in the Gothic, picturesque old library of the University of Liverpool. The collection ranges from fine art, sculpture, and ceramics to early X-rays, including a fully re-created dentist’s surgery room from the 1930s, dinosaur footprints discovered in this region, hippo skulls, and python skeletons.
From Lime St., continue onto St. Geoge’s Pl. and make a left onto Brownlow Hill. Museum is reddish building with clock tower on the corner with Ashton St. Free guided tours every Tu and That 12:30pm. Free. Open Tu-Sa 10am-5pm.
FOOD
As a university town, Liverpool is blessed with a healthy endowment of cheap eats. Cheap and classy are hardly synonyms, however, and fast-food dumps are practically as common as Beatles posters. Hardman Street (veering off from St. Luke’s Church, leading into downtown) is full of low-priced pizza, kebab, and burger joints that live off business from the large student population living in the area.
EVERYMAN BISTRO
5 Hope St.
BISTRO
0151 708 9545 www.everyman.co.uk
Everyman serves up gourmet, tip-top quality food in a great setting, and is still mighty cheap. The food is all fresh, made from healthy, local ingredients. Customers head up to the front to order and choose from the twice-daily changing menu of scrumptious treats that’s adjusted for the season to take advantage of local produce. The restaurant is always filled with a diverse collection of students, professors, tourists, and locals who come to relish the great quiche and lively atmosphere. Don’t skip out on the delicious desserts, like lemon cheesecake or scones (£1.20-£3.90). Gluten-free and vegetarian options available.
Underneath Everyman Theatre, next to Metropolitan Cathedral. Entrees £7.50-£9. 3 courses £15. Open M-Th noon-midnight, F noon-2am, Sa 11am-2am.
EGG CAFE
16-18 Newington
VEGETARIAN
0151 707 2755
Hidden off of Bold St., this local vegetarian restaurant offers healthy and homemade dishes for reasonable prices. The funky atmosphere (large wooden communal tables, local artwork for sale on display in boxes, and purple walls with vines painted on them) is indicative of its quirky clientele. Main meal menu changes daily but includes tasty dishes like quiche, hummus, and pita. Vegan options available.
Up 2 flights of stairs, Newington is a side street off of Renshaw St. Breakfast served M-Sa until noon, Su until 5pm. Entrees £4.95. Open M-F 9am-10:30pm, Sa-Su 10am-10:30pm.
THE SHIPPING FORECAST
15 Slater St.
PUB GRUB
0151 706 8045 www.theshippingforecastliverpool.com
This self-proclaimed “Alehouse and Eatery” offers good old comfort food in the form of “Pots of Goodness”—like mac and cheese and vegetable goulash (£4.60), traditional pie and mash with creamy mash, peas, and gravy, and homemade burgers (from £4.50). Live music plays most Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights in the downstairs basement music venue area. Charming in a “pub meets club” kind of way.
Advance tickets available on ticketweb.co.uk. Cover free-£10 when music plays. Open M-Th 11am-midnight, F-Sa 11am-3am, Su 11am-midnight.
THE QUARTER
7 Falkner St.
ITALIAN, CAFE, BAR
0151 707 1965 www.thequarteruk.com
This classy cobblestone, street-side cafe offers tasty pasta and stone-baked pizzas for moderate prices. Always abuzz with young professionals, tourists, and students (and even Yoko Ono), the setting is perfect for a sunny meal outside with a glass of wine, plate of ravioli, and good friends. Sandwiches and salads also available.
Near John Moores University; corner of Hope St. Special menus of the day available. Cakes £2-2. 85. Pasta £6-8.75. Pizza £5-7. Open M-F 8am-11pm, Sa 10am-11pm, Su 10am-10:30pm.
BAGELS LTD
40 Brunswick St.
DELI
0151 236 5996 www.bagelsltd.co.uk
Start spreading the news. They call themselves “New York style” bagels, and this may be the closest you’re gonna get in the motherland. Cheap deals: bacon or sausage on a bagel (£2) or tea and a toasted bagel (£1). Notice all the photos of the Statue of Liberty and you’ll feel like you’re state-side.
Ground fl. of India building. Open M-F 7:30am-2:30pm.
CAFE TABAC
126 Bold St.
CAFE, BAR
0151 709 9502 www.cafetabac.co.uk
During the day, Tabac serves a popular breakfast menu, and customers lounge back against their red cushioned chairs, admiring its lighting, funky wallpaper, and stools, all a striking shade of red. At night, the lights go down and the venue transforms into a comfortable, relaxed bar with live performers and weekly film clubs. Check the website for listings.
Edge of Bold St., across from St. Luke’s. Breakfast served 9am-5pm, Lunch and dinner noon-10pm. Free Wi-Fi. Breakfast £3.25-5.50. Sandwiches £4-5. Salads £5.50-6.50. Shots £1-2. Beer £1.80-5. Open M-W 9am-11pm, Th-Sa 9am-11pm, Su 9am-11pm.
SOUL CAFE
114 Bold St.
CAFE, BAR
0151 708 9470
Soul music plus soul food equals a full stomach and an excellent mood. This cheap Bold St. joint offers all-day breakfast (with yummy American-style pancakes), milkshakes, and homemade soups along with other “soul-warming favorites” and light bites. For the occasionally-needed break from Beatlemania, check out the photos and record covers of soul legends like Otis Redding and hum along to the R and B classics playing in the background on Soul FM, the radio station of choice.
Bold St., corner of Colquist St. Breakfast £3-4.50. Sandwiches from £2.50. Open M-W 11am-6pm, Th 11am-9pm, F-Su 11am-6pm.
MAHARAJA
34-36 London Rd.
INDIAN
0151 709 2006 ww
w.maharajaliverpool.co.uk
The first southern Indian restuarant in the northwest of England sticks true to its Keralan roots, mixing delicious spices like cinnamon, ginger, and cloves with curry leaves, black pepper, and garlic to create an appealing taste and distinct flavor. The owners claim that Christopher Columbus sought India in avid pursuit of the spices from Kerala—we don’t doubt it.
2min. walk from Lime Street station. Business lunch noon-2pm. Vegetarian options available. Business lunch £7 (2 or 3 curries, vegetable side dish, rice, and dessert). Entrees £7-14.50.