Things to see in Liverpool

When it was built in 1846, this was the first enclosed, non-combustible dock warehouse system in the world and the first structure in Britain to be built entirely of cast iron, brick and stone. It prospered for over a century before finally ceasing to operate as a working dock in 1972, after which it was redeveloped into a thriving museum, bar and restaurant area.

The Dock has the largest grouping of Grade I listed buildings in Britain, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is home to many of the city's top attractions. Recognised for its historic importance, Liverpool's Maritime Mercantile City was inscribed onto UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2004 to help preserve one of the world's most recognisable ports as a historic site.

In the 19th century, the city of Liverpool was a flourishing export and passenger port that employed thousands of workers from around Britain and Ireland, and it was from here that many set sail for new lives in America. With the decline of the British Empire, the area fell into disrepair until the city council embarked upon a major renewal project in the 1980s. The centrepiece of this project is the Albert Dock, 3 hectares (7 acres) of water surrounded by renovated warehouses with iron colonnades. The warehouses have been converted into lively spaces for restaurants, shops and cafés, interspersed with museums chronicling the city's contribution to British history and culture, including The Beatles Story.