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

If you approach the waterfront via Gower Street, head through one of the openings between the large red-brick warehouses. As you enter, the rectangular dock basin opens up ahead. Keep the water on your right and begin walking clockwise around it.

The surrounding warehouses date from the 1840s. Look for the repeated brick arches, stonework, and cast-iron columns. When the dock opened, ships could unload cargo directly into these buildings. Goods such as sugar, tobacco, silk, and ivory were stored here, while the extensive use of brick, stone, and iron, rather than structural timber, helped reduce the risk of fire.

Continue along the south side of the basin toward the River Mersey. Here, you will find The Beatles Story, clearly signposted within the warehouse complex. This museum follows the rise of Liverpool's most famous band, from their early years in the city to worldwide success.

At the western side of the dock, turn right and walk north. Keep the dock basin on your right and the River Mersey on your left. This is a good place to appreciate the scale of the original dock complex.
Along this side is the historic home of the Tate Liverpool gallery of modern and contemporary art, housed in one of the converted warehouses.

Continue to the north-west corner and turn right again. Around the northern side are the historic buildings of the Merseyside Maritime Museum and International Slavery Museum, which explore Liverpool’s maritime history and its role in global trade.

At the north-east side of the dock, continue toward Mann Island and Pier Head rather than completing the circuit. Ahead, you will soon see the Three Graces. The easiest to identify is the Royal Liver Building, with its two clock towers topped by large copper Liver Birds. These birds have become a symbol for the city’s university, council, and eponymous football team, Liverpool FC. Beside it stand the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building.

From Pier Head, look back south toward Albert Dock. The contrast between the red-brick warehouses and the grand waterfront buildings gives you a clear sense of Liverpool’s evolution from working port to cultural district.