Liverpool is the place where the story of The Beatles began, and it is still possible to walk the streets they walked, stand in the rooms where they grew up and hear live music in the club where they became local heroes. A well-planned Beatles trip takes three days, and the order matters, because several of the best experiences have limited places. Here is a complete plan.
Book the scarce things first
The Beatles childhood homes tour is the hardest ticket, because groups are limited to fifteen and tours can sell out, especially in July and August. It visits John Lennon’s Mendips and Paul McCartney’s 20 Forthlin Road, and tickets cannot be refunded, so book it as soon as you know your dates. Next, book the Magical Mystery Tour and Cavern Club ticket and The Beatles Story, both of which can be reserved online and, in the case of The Beatles Story, changed up to the day before. Strawberry Field tickets can be changed up to a day ahead, so book that early too.
Day one: the story and the bus
Begin at The Beatles Story on the Royal Albert Dock when it opens, and take your time. The walk-through route follows the band from the Quarrymen and the clubs of Hamburg to the Cavern, Beatlemania, Abbey Road and the solo years, and the audio guide is narrated by John’s sister Julia Baird. Afterwards, join the Magical Mystery Tour from Anchor Courtyard. The painted bus visits Penny Lane, the red gates of Strawberry Field, the childhood homes of the four Beatles and the schools they attended, and finishes at the Cavern Club. Stay for the live music in the evening.
Day two: Woolton and the homes
Take a morning tour of the childhood homes, which leaves from Liverpool South Parkway station or Speke Hall, then spend the rest of the day in Woolton. Visit Strawberry Field, the former Salvation Army children’s home that inspired the song, which now has an exhibition and a café. Walk to St Peter’s Church, where John and Paul first met at the church fete in 1957, and look for the grave of Eleanor Rigby in the churchyard. You are in the heart of John’s childhood, and it is quiet and beautiful.
Day three: the Mathew Street trail
Return to the Cavern Quarter and follow your feet. On Mathew Street, find the Wall of Fame, the John Lennon statue outside the Cavern Pub and the pubs where the band drank, including The Grapes. Walk to Stanley Street to see the Eleanor Rigby statue, visit the Jacaranda Club on Slater Street, an early venue for the group, and look at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, the former school that Paul and George attended. At the Pier Head, find the Beatles statue for a photograph. Finish with the British Music Experience in the Cunard Building if you want to put the band in the wider story of British pop.
The Cavern Club
The Cavern is not the original, which was demolished in the 1970s, but the rebuilt club stands near the site and feels right, with live bands playing most days and nights. Entry is included in the Magical Mystery Tour ticket, which is a good way to see it. Go in the evening for the atmosphere, and remember that during the International Beatleweek festival in late summer the arrangements for the tour ticket change, so check before you book.
When to go
The city is busiest in summer, especially at Beatleweek, the long-running August festival with concerts and talks from around the world. If you want smaller crowds, visit in spring or autumn, when the tours run with fewer visitors and prices are lower. Winter is quiet and atmospheric, but days are short, so start early.
Where to stay
Hard Days Night Hotel is the obvious choice, a listed Victorian building with 110 Beatles-themed rooms, the Lennon and McCartney suites and live music in Bar Four at weekends, just two minutes from the Cavern. The Shankly Hotel on Victoria Street is also only four minutes from the club and a good option if football is part of your trip. For river views and an easy walk to the Royal Albert Dock, Pullman Liverpool is five minutes from The Beatles Story and the Magical Mystery Tour departure point. Whichever you pick, a base in or near the Cavern Quarter means you can walk home after an evening of music.
