The countdown to 2008 is finally over, and the fanfare around Liverpool –this year’s official European Capital of Culture – can be heard for miles around. Of course, anyone in the know will tell you that the buzz has been growing in ‘the pool of life’ since well before Daniel Defoe declared the city to be ‘one of the wonders of Britain’ back in 1708. In the weeks before my trip, I found my inbox crammed with recommendations from locals and visitors alike, who’d all fallen under the spell of a city synonymous with a wicked sense of humour and the warmest of welcomes. Indeed, despite its mind-blowing architecture, it’s the people, not the buildings that make the ‘pool worth the visit. Oh, and I guess it’s not looking too bad for a city past its 800th birthday either...
With more listed buildings than anywhere outside London in the UK, the waterfront at Pier Head is well deserving of its UNESCO status. As I trundled down from Lime Street station to the harbour, The Three Graces - the Royal Liver, Cunard and Port of Liverpool Buildings - stood against the cityscape like enormous sentinels, casting a shadow over my first port of call - the Mersey Ferry (thanks for the tip, Jo and Mike). I was welcomed onboard by an uplifting, if predictable, chorus from Gerry and the Pacemakers, before heading across to the Wirrall side of the city. Let's just hope next year's Tall Ships' Races aren't disrupted by an ill-timed blast of 'Ferry Cross the Mersey' from a passing cruise ship.
You might expect a visit to the HM Customs and Excise Museum to be marginally less exciting than a slow-motion replay of a snail race. Little did I expect to be thrown into an intriguing world of undercover operations and concealed weapons when I set off to explore the ground floor of the Maritime Museum on Albert Dock. I challenge anyone not to be impressed by the modified fountain pen seized at customs for containing chilli powder, or for that matter the walking stick with a sword blade sheathed inside it. By the time I'd taken part in an exhibit to identify suspicious travellers (I was doing the identifying, in case you were wondering) and heard tell of the drug gang who attempted to smuggle 2.4 tonnes of cannabis inside a shipment of Spanish melons, I was ready to look at the rubber-glove wearing fraternity at Customs in an altogether different light. There was further evidence of Liverpool's awesome maritime legacy on the next floor's gallery, devoted to the ill-fated Titanic, Lusitania and Empress of Ireland ships. More moving still was the staggering new International Slavery Museum on the next floor - a full and frank account of the injustice and prejudice which blighted the European conscience for centuries, and which still affect millions of people around the world today.
London hasn't let slip its iron grasp on the Turner Prize since its inception in 1984, so it's a testament to Liverpool's creative pull that the 2007/8 competition is being exhibited at Tate Liverpool. I headed down to Albert Dock to see this City of Culture focal point, before following email tipster Tom's footsteps through the kitsch-but-cool Beatles Story. It's unlike me to pass up an opportunity for word-play, so imagine my distress when I missed out on the last voyage of the puntastic Yellow Duckmarine - an amphibious landing vehicle designed to show you sights of the city both on water and terra firma.
A short taxi ride later, I was lining up a pint at famous Victorian boozer The Philharmonic, courtesy of a shrewd email tip from Louis. My cabbie enthusiastically recommended their loos as the best in Liverpool, but I confess to being equally charmed by its antique tiles, relaxed atmosphere and location. Just a hundred yards away, the wonderful Side Door restaurant is the perfect place for a laid-back bite to eat before a night on the tiles.
It's not hard to see why newsletter reader Francis emailed to say that 'Liverpool rocks!' With a musical heritage stretching from The Beatles to The Zutons - and 2008's Liverpool Sound concert planning to celebrate the city's musical lineage - I decided to follow Francis' advice and head for old Beatles haunt The Cavern for a swift pint. It's certainly a great place to take a trip down memory lane, with every wall adorned with signed memorabilia from rock and pop's biggest legends. And Jon Bon Jovi. As local lady Helen pointed out, however, anyone looking to uncover The Next Big Thing in Mersey music might be better advised to head for Magnet or the fabulous Korova, which has played host to Bloc Party, The Gossip and newly-crowned Mercury prize-winners The Klaxons in recent years.
Liverpool's public art scene is as vibrant as ever - and art doesn't get a lot more public than Richard Wilson's installation 'Turning the Place Over' at Cross Keys House. After treating myself to a light bite of brekkie in funky fashion store/café Microzine (mind your mucky paws on the window displays...) I headed towards Moorfields, where Wilson's mind-boggling brainchild takes pride of place. Imagine cutting a huge circle out of the front of a building, then mounting it onto a hydraulic fixture so it can pop out and rotate every few seconds. OK, if you can't imagine it, take a look. Totally bizarre, completely baffling and utterly mesmerising.
My open-air arts festival continued as I stopped for a breather in the gardens of the bombed-out and roofless St Luke's church (thanks again for the pointer, Francis). With nothing but a lazy afternoon ahead of me, I spent an idyllic hour soaking up the sunshine as the sounds of a live band poured out from what remained of the stunning building next to me. What with afternoons being made for tea, I followed this al fresco entertainment with a trip to Leaf, a brand-spanking new creative hub and café in a converted warehouse, just a stone's throw from St Luke's. Servers Mitty and Sam whipped up a mean Moroccan mint tea and organic chocolate slice, before reeling off a list of city hotspots to visit. Sam's vote went to original vegan snack stop/art gallery, the Egg Café, along with Alma de Cuba and the nomadic Chibuku music events that take place at different venues across the city every week or so. Having crammed my face full of chocolatey goodness, I took Sam up on his final recommendation and headed round the corner towards the shiny new FACT picture house.
With Liverpool now officially the most filmed UK location outside London, it's hardly surprising that the brains behind FACT (the Foundation for Art and Technology) decided to locate their state-of-the art film exhibition centre in the city. With several galleries of video art, and a range of films on show from art house to blockbuster, there's no better place for grown-ups to enjoy a cinematic night out without a single bleating mobile phone or crinkly sweet wrapper to ruin your screening. Bliss.
Its members may not include Brad Pitt and Edward Norton, but the first rule of Pudding Club is to get yourself down to the Monro pub on the last Monday of each month. The second is to come ready prepared with a rabid sweet tooth and a loosely belted pair of trousers. Unfortunately for me, my visiting dates didn't allow me to sample the glucose-heavy goods, but a host of e-plaudits (as well as owner Stuart) assure me it's a treat not to be missed. With a smorgasbord of desserts off the menu for the time being, I turned my attentions to the most-recommended venue of all, Alma de Cuba. Pam, Sam, Andrew and Sharon were just a few who advised a trip to this stunning renovated Polish church, which is as much a hit for its übercool décor as its mouth-watering menu. Just make sure you pack a second chequebook in case you get carried away by the range of decadent treats on offer.
Culture is all about opening your mind (and belly) to new experiences, so imagine my disappointment when erratic opening times put paid to my planned debut at Chilean restaurant Valparaiso (thanks nonetheless for the tip, Andy). Fortunately, I got chatting to returning scouser Nick while I chowed down on a Mediterranean sarnie at Tabac on Bold Street. According to him, the bright lights and bustle of Liverpool are a thing to behold, but just as impressive is the stunning coastline which lies a few miles out of town. My appetite whetted for waterside wonders, I tagged along with Nick on his visit to see his dad on the shores of Crosby beach. Never mind the fresh sea air and panoramic views – what really puts Crosby on the map is Antony Gormley’s Another Place – a stunning installation of cast-iron bodyforms dotted across the sands. As Capital of Culture 2008, Liverpool has a whole new world of art on its doorstep. As Nick and I watched the tide roll in, it almost felt like these figures were striding out into the seas, expanding the city’s artistic horizons with every step.