I moved to Liverpool in 2007 - and never looked back! Although I originally relocated for Uni; I fell in love with the city, the nightlife, the people & the views over the Mersey pretty rapidly - and it's now the place I call home.
If you're new to the city you're in for a treat - it's packed with culture, history, shopping opportunities, bargains and stacks of fun. It's somewhere I'd recommend to anyone looking to book a city break... there's so much to explore & enjoy; with a vibe unlike anywhere else I've lived or stayed. And there's a huge array of FAB hotels in Liverpool to choose from, if this post sways ya to come stay here!
As I've lived here for pure time, I'm pretty familiar with what the city has to offer... so when I was recently set the challenge to really explore the city I call home to discover new & hidden gems, I was well up for the mission at hand.
A lot of people focus on The Baltic Triangle when looking for new haunts... but as I used to work in that area, to me, it's not that 'hidden'. The Royal Albert Docks are another obvious, stunning location to explore - but again, I've roamed round them several times - as I have with other landmarks such as Matthew Street / Penny Lane / Strawberry Fields. And I'm very well versed with the centre of town and its shopping, beauty & drinking options.
I instead decided to explore Bold Street; an area in the centre of town which has changed a lot in the past few years - with stacks of incredible independent stores & eateries that might not be obvious choices to those new to the area. And I had a BALL. The spending money I used on this trip was gifted by Hotels.com; but all views are my own.
Bold Street is amazing. It's like a whole new world of independent, vegan / vegetarian friendly, alternative names; boasting HUGELY varied cuisines of the world, bakeries, vintage stores, sweet shops, artisan coffee houses and galleries. On my travels I discovered it's actually home to a Greek Taverna Restaurant; which made my legit EXISTENCE as Greek food is my all time fav and I had no idea that this was there!
The first stop on my journey was to The Cat Café; obv. If you're a lover of feline friends & from a city that doesn't have access to one of these heavenly inventions, get booked in NOW. Liverpool's café is split over three floors, and it's the most chilled, cozy vibe possibly EVER. With 17 beautiful cats roaming the floors.
Drinks are included with the cost of entry [tip: to ensure all the cats flock to you, order a tuna panini... but don't feed them] and so I sat back in an armchair enjoying lattes, chatting to fellow cat lovers & weeping over the precious angels who live in the café.
The cats have a BALL in the café - they're all so happy and relaxed, & there's so much for them to do and play with. The staff are friendly and really care for them all - it's the most relaxing experience & a must-visit for anyone as obsessed with fluffy pets as I am.
There is a HUGE array of worldwide cuisine available on Bold Street. Mexican, Lebanese, Turkish, Greek, British, Street Food, Italian, Moroccan... it's incredible. There's also plenty of independent homeware stores, gift shops & vintage boutiques; where you can pick up cute souvenirs of your time in the city - interesting, quirky reminders of your time here [no boring postcards here pls.]
I wandered round Utility, Pop Boutique, Cow Vintage and Grin to name just a few of these shops; before falling in LOVE with Mi Vida - the ULTIMATE blogger aesthetic store. I picked up this bunch of beautiful flowers from the store - and could easily have bought literally everything they stocked.
I fell in love with the cutest little Italian place ever a little further up Bold Street; The Italian Club. It looked STUNNING from the outside and inside was everything I expected & more - the decor & layout took me away from the rainy streets of Liverpool [and it was raining A LOT by this point in my excursion!] transporting me to a little Italian eatery with fairy lights, wine galore and roses on each table. I stopped by for lunch.
The staff were all Italian and really lovely people - helpful, quite & polite [even when another solitary diner who sat near me was quite rude, clicking his fingers at them for attention... my pet hate!] I had no idea this little idylic getaway existed before seeking out Liverpool's hidden gems; but it's somewhere I'd revisit in a heartbeat. The menu was unreal and affordable too - and the panini I ordered was one of the nicest I've ever had the pleasure of devouring... PLASTERED in cheese. 10/10 would recommend & return.
In amongst the shops, eateries, coffee lounges, CATS, side-streets, bars & street performers; Bold Street also houses a few beauty stores [including hairdressers, a walk-in nail bar & skin treatment salons] and tattoo / piercing studios.
I decided I wanted to get a souvenir of my bloggy trip & new found LOVE of Bold Street, so I wandered into Dermagraffiti Tattoo Studio; which is also home to a Tattoo Museum. If you're into alternative history, tattoos & artefacts you definitely wouldn't see in ya bog standard exhibition, I'd highly recommend you have a wander round.
I know some of my friends get a small tattoo to mark different places they've been [Caitlin gets one to remind her of every state she visits during her time living in the US] and I decided to get the little heart design I've wanted for over ten years on my wrist. The little heart is something I use in my blog's logo, branding, graphics & videos I create - and I feel grateful everyday for the opportunities my space on the internet brings to my life. It felt fitting to have this walk-in outline tattoo to round-up, commemorate & celebrate this fun blog mission.
I absolutely LOVED my mission exploring Liverpool & have found some hidden gems I very much intend to make regular fixtures in my life! I'll be back to sample the Greek Taverna, cuddle cats & buy this totes blogger marble table I saw in Utility before you know it!
If you're new to the city, I'd definitely recommend - as well as touring the centre, Liverpool One and the Docks, that you have a wander up Bold Street. I LIVE here and it managed to wow me more than I realised was possible... so for a newbie to the city, that experience'll be even better!
Where in Liverpool would you recommend? Any other hidden gems you'd suggest for me to try out?
*Collaborative post with gifted spending money. All opinions, experiences & over-excitement are my own
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