The Cavern Club, Liverpool

The Cavern Club, Liverpool (must see)

Opened on 16 January 1957 as a jazz club and later becoming a center of Liverpool's rock-and-roll scene in the early 1960s, the Cavern Club became closely associated with the Merseybeat music genre and, famously, regularly played host to The Beatles in their early years, initially as part of the weekday "beat sessions" at lunchtime.

The Beatles made their first appearance at the club after returning to Liverpool from Hamburg, Germany where they had been playing at the Indra and the Kaiserkeller clubs. There and then, on Tuesday, February 9, 1961, they were signed up as the club's resident lunchtime group, working in alternation with Gerry and the Pacemakers. Narrow, cobbled, uneventful Mathew Street thus began to lead an unexpected new life in daylight hours. At noon, Mondays to Fridays, a four-abreast line would begin to form at the Cavern's hatchlike entrance, growing by the minute until it stretched back past the warehouses and delivery trucks and piled-up fruit crates, eighty-odd yards to the junction with Whitechapel. Inside, there was no "security" whatsoever, and no alcohol was sold either at lunchtimes or at night, only coffee and soft drinks.

From 1961 to 1963, the Beatles made 292 appearances at The Cavern. By summer of 1963, "Beatlemania" was sprouting across England, and with girls demanding to see the Beatles and screaming just to get a glimpse of them, the group had to hide or sneak into concerts, and the small club could no longer satisfy audience demand. So on 3 August 1963, the Beatles made their final appearance at The Cavern.

In the decade that followed, a wide variety of popular acts appeared at the club, including The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, The Hollies, The Kinks, Elton John, Black Sabbath, Queen, The Who, and John Lee Hooker.

Even if you're not that bothered about the Beatles, The Cavern is a must-visit experience when in Liverpool. The live music is still brilliant, and the door charge of £2.50 per person after noon is not much to pay for such a historic place.

Why You Should Visit:
To check out the most legendary cellar club on the planet that has been the beating heart of Liverpool’s iconic music scene for over seven decades, visited by millions of people from all over the world passing down its famous stairway.

Opening Hours:
Mon-Wed: 10am–12pm: FREE; 12pm onward: £2.50
Thu: 10am–12pm: FREE; 12–7pm: £2.50; 7pm onward: £4
Fri, Sat: 10am–12pm: FREE; 12pm–8pm: £2.50 (no re-entry); 8pm–2am: £5 (no re-entry)
Sun: 10am–12pm: FREE; 12pm–8pm: £2.50 (no re-entry); 8pm–12am: £4 (no re-entry)
All Day / All Night ticket (re-entry allowed) from Fridays to Sundays: £6, £5 or £4 in advance

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 iTunes 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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The Cavern Club on Map

Sight Name: The Cavern Club
Sight Location: Liverpool, England (See walking tours in Liverpool)
Sight Type: Food/Drink
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 Pub Crawl

Beatles Pub Crawl

You have lots of pubs in Liverpool, all different in character, with some claiming that the Beatles drank or played there at some point. The lads performed in many small venues in and around their hometown, but the venues they performed in were often not the places where they enjoyed their drinks. Take this self-guided walk to see some of the legendary pubs that John, Paul, George and Ringo either...  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 in 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. On this self-guided walk you will visit the childhood homes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, and the place where they met and gave birth to the greatest band in the history of rock-n-roll!

Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 5.3 Km or 3.3 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 Tour in Liverpool, Part I

Beatles Tour in Liverpool, Part I

The birthplace of Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison and Ringo Star, Liverpool is called the “Beatles Capital” for an apparent reason. The city saw the dawn of their musical career and has plenty of Beatles-themed bars, restaurants, hotels and other associated places. This guide will take you to some of the most prominent of them.

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

Liverpool Historical Sites Walking Tour

Three of the most remarkable buildings of Liverpool-- Royal Liver Building, Cunard Building and Port of Liverpool-- are all situated in the Pier Head. They are called the Three Graces of Liverpool. This self guided walking tour leads you to discover some of the most important historic buildings in Liverpool.

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 Fab Four in the city: childhood homes, schools, bars. Some of them are rather unassuming places, at a glance, and thus can be easily overlooked. To prevent this from happening, take this self-guided walk to find the memorable spots in Liverpool no Beatles fan can afford to miss!

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