Liverpool City

Introduction
Ferry across the Mersey to a town with a Fab history and a very bright future. For far too long Liverpool has been dismissed as a city of smart-aleck scallies in shiny tracksuits, and for far too long Scousers have closed ranks and sent their critics packing with two fingers and a clever insult. 'Slagging' is part of the culture and still commonplace, but these days you'll also get a handshake and a warm welcome.

Destination Facts
Time zone: GMT +0
Area: 389.10
Coordinates: 53.25 latitude and -3.0 longitude
Population: 444500
Area codes: 0151

Getting There
In Liverpool, as in the rest of England, April to September is the prime time to be out and about, with pleasant average temperatures of 18 ° C (65 ° F); the shoulder months of March and October aren't too bad weatherwise either. Visitor numbers hit a peak in July and August, and no wonder! August is festival time - it seems every weekend has an event or three to celebrate. Winter (November to February) is as miserable here as in any other windswept port town, and those 4 ° C (40 ° F) temperatures are best avoided.

Getting there and away
Flights from Belfast, Dublin, the Isle of Man and a sprinkling of continental European destinations land at Liverpool Airport, 13km (8mi) south of the city centre. Manchester's airport receives far more international flights, and is directly linked to Liverpool's city centre by coach and rail. National Express coaches run to Liverpool from major British cities such as London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester. Lime Street Station is the end of the line for a number of regular train services from Manchester (1hr) and London (3hr). Liverpool is a four-hour drive from London, via the M6 and M62, and 30min or so from Chester or Manchester. Douglas, on the Isle of Man, is linked to Liverpool's docks by a ferry (4.5hr) or catamaran service (2.5hr), operating every weekend and more frequently in summer. Catamarans also run twice daily to Dublin, and there's at least one daily ferry to Belfast.

Getting around
Merseytravel's all-zone, all-day tickets covering bus, train and ferry travel can be purchased at post offices. Buses are a ubiquitous form of city transport: most leave from Queen Square, east of St George's Hall, and shuttles link Albert Dock with the city centre. The famous ferry service across the Mersey was initiated by Benedictine monks some 800 years ago, making it the world's oldest ferry system. The trip from the Pier Head (north of Albert Dock) across to Wallasey takes 10 minutes and offers the best views in town. A longer look at Liverpool is afforded by the one-hour heritage cruises which run year-round. Liverpool's sole underground rail service links the city's four train stations. The city centre is pretty foot-friendly, and a Mersey Cab shouldn't be too far away if you need one.

Weather
Liverpool gets plenty of rain between July and January but the real winter season, when temperatures fall to 4 ° C (40 ° F), is November through to February. April to September is the most comfortable period in Liverpool with the temperature averaging around 18 ° C (65 ° F).

Places of Interest
For far too long Liverpool has been dismissed as a city of smart-aleck scallies in shiny tracksuits, and for far too long Scousers have closed ranks and sent their critics packing with two fingers and a clever insult. 'Slagging' is part of the culture and still commonplace, but these days you'll also get a handshake and a warm welcome.