Sunday, April 13, 2008

GETTING THERE: Continental has flights to Manchester from all three Washington area airports starting at $595 round trip. From Manchester, take the train to Liverpool's Lime Street Station, a one-hour, 20-minute ride; the fare is about $20 round trip.

WHERE TO STAY: Hope Street Hotel (40 Hope St., 44-151-705-2222, http://www.hopestreethotel.co.uk) offers airy luxury with oversize beds, under-floor heating and great views near Liverpool's two cathedrals. It's within a short walk of the city center. Rooms start at $280 per night. Merchant Living Serviced Apartments (located throughout the city, http://www.merchantliving.com) are comfortable flats starting at $60 per person, based on six sharing. The YHA Liverpool hostel , next to the Albert Dock (25 Tabley St., http://www.yha.org.uk/find-accommodation/north-west-cities/hostels/liverpool/index.aspx), offers good value, with private bathrooms if booked in advance. From $42 per person, including breakfast.

WHERE TO EAT: The Monro (92 Duke St.), Liverpool's original gastropub, serves top-quality local produce at fair prices in a homey interior; a three-course dinner runs about $60. The Egg Cafe and Gallery (16-18 Newington St., top floor) is a vegan restaurant serving tasty bean burgers, huge salads and quiches in a bright, friendly atmosphere; a bean burger and salad are about $9. Look out for the tiny door. Room (56-62 Castle St.) has quirky takes on modern British classics, served in glamorous surroundings with prices to match: about $80 for a three-course dinner.

BARS AND CLUBS: Alma de Cuba (90 Seel St.) offers extreme hedonism in the spectacular surroundings of the former St. Peter's Church, with a mezzanine restaurant. The Philharmonic Dining Rooms (36 Hope St.) is a classic Victorian pub with reasonably priced drinks and a friendly crowd. Ladies, ask for a peek at the gentlemen's toilets. Bumper (14-18 Hardman St.), a scruffy retro bar/club, caters to a student crowd.

WHAT TO DO:

· FACT (88 Wood St., http://www.fact.co.uk; free) is a gallery with hyper-modern installations, a cinema and a bar.

· The Maritime Museum (Albert Dock, http://www.merseysidemaritimemuseum.org.uk; free) is an interactive and engaging museum that charts Liverpool's importance as a trading gateway to the world.

· St. George's Hall (William Brown Street, 44-151-707-2391, http://www.civichalls.liverpool.gov.uk; tours $7) is a beautifully restored neoclassic masterpiece.

· The National Trust Beatles Tour ( http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-the_beatles.htm) visits the childhood houses of John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney, March to October, for $26. Tours are also available through Liverpool Beatles Tours (44-151-281-7738, http://www.beatlestours.co.uk); a standard two-hour tour for five people costs $90.

INFORMATION: British Tourist Authority, http://www.visitbritain.com. Visit Liverpool, http://www.visitliverpool.com.

-- A.T.