A Guide to Must-Visit Places in Beatles Liverpool

Liverpool is a city known across the globe for its contributions to industry, architecture, and football, but it’s the city’s impact on music that puts it on the map for millions of fans worldwide. This is the birthplace of The Beatles, and there’s something around every corner to remind visitors of Liverpool’s links to the Fab Four.

Here we explore some of the city’s best Beatles-themed attractions, as well all the places once frequented by Paul, John, George and Ringo themselves.

The Cavern Club

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This week at The Cavern! Tonight, Ian Prowse will be hosting The Monday Club in The Cavern Pub, 8-12, original music only and completely free. The Cavern Club Behind The Scenes Tour running every other than Wednesdays and Weekends. Live Music every day from 11.15am BBC introducing will be taking over on Wednesday night in our Live Lounge. Thursday night is when you can kick off your weekend with Made in Liverpool on the front stage. Friday and Saturday, The Cavern Club Beatles will be playing in The Live Lounge. For more, visit: www.cavernclub.com

A post shared by The Cavern Club (@cavernliverpool) on Jan 27, 2020 at 4:55am PST

Arguably the most famous club in the world, The Cavern Club is where it all began. On Thursday 9^th February 1961, The Beatles played their first gig there and later became the venue’s house band. The following year, legendary manager Brian Epstein popped in for a pint and signed the Fab Four on the spot, launching their careers and starting their journey into the stratosphere. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Nowadays, the Cavern Club is packed full of Beatles memorabilia and is still a great place to catch some up-and-coming bands.

Strawberry Field

It may not look like much these days, but the Strawberry Field of Woolton is the inspiration behind one of the Beatles greatest songs. Growing up, John Lennon lived around the corner from the fields with his Aunt Mimi and Uncle George, which at the time surrounded an affluent manor house.

At the turn of the century, the manor house was demolished and replaced with a children’s home, which closed for good in 2005. And what of the world-famous Strawberry field now? It’s now a prayer centre, and fans still flock there in droves to see those iconic red gates and walk in the footsteps of Lennon himself.

Penny Lane

Next on the list is the forever-iconic Penny Lane. Did you know that John and Paul used to meet on this street to catch the bus into the city? Nowadays, it’s still a busy road but has some brilliant photo opportunities for fans of the Fab Four.

Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road

Hardcore Beatles fans, rejoice! If you’ve dreamed of hanging out with Paul McCartney and John Lennon, you can (well… sort of!). Visit Mendips and 20 Forthin Road to explore their childhood homes, which have been preserved as they would have been in the golden days of the 50s and 60s. Explore these Grade II listed buildings and discover the actual rooms where some of the band’s greatest earlier hits were written.

The Statues on the Pier

Donated to the city by the famous Cavern Club, these life-size statues of the Beatles were erected to coincide with the 50^th anniversary of the band’s final Liverpool gig. Sculpted by Andrew Edwards, these statues are famous for their impeccable attention-to-detail, with lots of hidden symbols:

• The Beatles usually appeared on stage in the same formation, Paul and George on the left sharing a microphone, John to the right, and Ringo at the back on drums. The statues on the dock are arranged in a similar way, with Ringo walking slightly behind the others
• Paul McCartney is holding a camera and camera bag, which is a nod to his first wife Linda, who was a photographer
• John Lennon is holding a collection of acorns, which he and Yoko Ono used to send out to world leaders as a symbol of peace. The acorns in the statue’s hand were cast from the ones picked up outside the Dakota Building in New York, where he was murdered in December 1980
• George Harrison famously had a deep interest in Indian spirituality, which is symbolised by his statue’s belt, engraved with an Indian mantra
• Finally, Ringo Starr’s shoe sole is inscribed with ‘L8’, which is a nod to his childhood home, 9 Madryn Street Liverpool 8.

The Beatles Story

Want to know the full story of the Fab Four? This Beatles museum Liverpool takes fans right from the early days of McCartney and Lennon’s Quarrymen to the Beatles mania days and, eventually, their solo careers. Explore replicas of some of the band’s most famous haunts, including The Cavern Club, Abbey Road Studios, and Mathew Street, as well as listen to early recordings of some classic Beatles tracks.

Casbah Coffee Club

Back when they went by the name The Quarrymen, John Lennon and Paul McCartney played a regular slot at Casbah Coffee Club, which was originally owned by their friend’s mum, Mona. In fact, Paul has since said that this is where it all started, and that the band looked upon the Casbah as their ‘personal club’.

Eleanor Rigby’s Grave

Yards away from the church fete where Lennon and McCartney first met in 1957, lays the worn and weathered grave of Eleanor Rigby. The real Eleanor Rigby died in October 1939, less than a year before the oldest Beatle (Ringo Starr) was born in the summer of 1940, and it is unknown if she inspired the song of the same name.

Also buried in the same churchyard is John Lennon’s uncle, George Toogood Smith, who was said to have introduced Lennon to music by buying him his first mouth organ.

Other places of note:

• ‘Four Lads Who Shook the World’ sculpture, Mathew Street
• Jacaranda (The Jac), Slater Street
• John Lennon Peace Monument, Kings Dock
• The Grapes pub, Mathew Street
• Yellow Submarine Hotel, Albert Dock

If you’re planning what to see in Liverpool, why not stay over in the city centre? Leonardo Hotel Liverpool is the perfect place to lay your head after a long day of exploring all that this fascinating city has to offer.