Royal Albert Dock & the Waterfront, Liverpool

Royal Albert Dock & the Waterfront, Liverpool (must see)

Albert Dock, a historic complex of docks and warehouses on the banks of the Mersey river, is Liverpool’s biggest tourist draw, attracting over 4 million visitors each year. It was built in the 1840s and designed by local architects Jesse Hartley and Philip Hardwick. The new dock was ground-breaking in two ways – one of the first dock complexes to allow direct unloading of cargo into warehouses, it was also the first UK development not to use wood in its construction. The complex was crucial to Liverpool’s rapid development as a global trade port, with ivory, sugar, silk and tobacco stored in its five vast warehouses.

The dock ceased to function for trade purposes after the outbreak of WWII, instead becoming a base for Royal Navy ships. In the post-war era, Albert Dock fell into disuse, before a redevelopment plan was drawn up in the 1980s. The dock itself was regenerated and hosted the Tall Ships Race in 1983, bringing a million tourists into the city. Gradually, the historic warehouses around the water were renovated and used for a wide range of new attractions. They now host a Maritime Museum, the world’s only dedicated Beatles museum, and Liverpool’s Tate Gallery.

Albert Dock houses the largest collection of Grade I listed buildings in the UK and is the jewel of Liverpool’s historic waterfront area. Immediately west of the dock, you will find the Pier Head, a peninsula jutting into the river which houses the Three Graces – three of Liverpool’s most famous buildings, including the Royal Liver building. The ornamental birds on the Liver building have become a symbol for the city’s university, council, and eponymous football team, Liverpool FC.

Why You Should Visit:
Industrial heritage, museums (some are free entry), art galleries, countless shops, bars & restaurants – a focal point of Liverpool.
The only problem with this place is, it is too big to discover in a single day.

Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Liverpool. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.

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Royal Albert Dock & the Waterfront on Map

Sight Name: Royal Albert Dock & the Waterfront
Sight Location: Liverpool, England (See walking tours in Liverpool)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:

Walking Tours in Liverpool, England

Create Your Own Walk in Liverpool

Create Your Own Walk in Liverpool

Creating your own self-guided walk in Liverpool is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Beatles Tour in Liverpool, Part I

Beatles Tour in Liverpool, Part I

The hometown of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Star, Liverpool is called “The Beatles Capital” for a reason. The city saw the dawn of the Fabulous Four's musical career and is brimming with Beatlemania: Beatles-themed bars, restaurants, hotels, and other places associated with the iconic band.

The Beatles Story, an immersive museum, chronicles the Fab...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.4 Km or 2.1 Miles
Liverpool Historical Sites Walking Tour

Liverpool Historical Sites Walking Tour

For a city steeped in history and culture as much as Liverpool, it is only natural to have many historical sites illustrative of its glorious past. Three of Liverpool's most remarkable buildings, collectively known as the Three Graces of Liverpool, are situated in the Pier Head. These include the Royal Liver Building, the Cunard Building, and the Port of Liverpool Building.

The...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.3 Km or 0.8 Miles
Beatles Tour in Liverpool, Part II

Beatles Tour in Liverpool, Part II

Liverpool is permeated with The Beatles who seem to be everywhere! There are so many places associated with the band in the city: childhood homes, schools, bars... Some of them are rather unassuming, at a glance, and thus can be easily overlooked.

George Harrison's Birthplace, located at 12 Arnold Grove, is where the lead guitarist of The Beatles was born on February 25, 1943. Despite its...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 4.1 Km or 2.5 Miles
Liverpool Introduction Walking Tour

Liverpool Introduction Walking Tour

Famously, the hometown (aka the “capital”) of the Beatles, Liverpool is more than just the Fab Four. Closely associated with the arts, music, culture, and architecture, as well as industrial innovation, the city is renowned for its multitude of historic landmarks, world-class sport arenas and shopping/entertainment. The abundance of art galleries, national museums and listed attractions in...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.6 Km or 2.2 Miles
Beatles Pub Crawl

Beatles Pub Crawl

Alright, so you're in Liverpool, the hometown of The Beatles, and you're thirsty. There are lots of pubs in Liverpool, all different in character, with some claiming that The Beatles drank or played there at some point.

Indeed, the lads performed in many small venues throughout the city, but the joints they usually played were not the ones they liked for their drinks. Now, if...  view more

Tour Duration: 1 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Beatles Tour in Liverpool, Part III

Beatles Tour in Liverpool, Part III

Now that you have been to a good number of spots around Liverpool associated with The Beatles, it is high time to explore the “early days” of the Fab Four in their hometown and see where it all started.

One such place is Strawberry Field, immortalized in their song "Strawberry Fields Forever." It was a Salvation Army children's home, and although the original building no...  view more

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.3 Km or 3.3 Miles