Exploring the Iconic Beatles Sites in Liverpool

The Beatles were four young lads from Liverpool who revolutionized pop music and changed the world. Fans can explore their roots on a visit to the city, discovering the houses, parks, and streets that inspired the band. Here, we take you through the must-see sights, from John Lennon’s bedroom and Penny Lane to museums and tribute bands.

Lennon and McCartney’s Childhood Homes

The National Trust, the caretaker of palaces and royal estates across the UK, owns two seemingly nondescript houses in the suburbs of south Liverpool where John and Paul grew up. If you only have time for one Beatles experience in Liverpool, make it the Trust’s tour of these two homes.

Yoko Ono bought Mendips, the elegant 1930s house at 251 Menlove Ave where John Lennon grew up, in 2002 and donated it to the Trust. Stepping inside means entering a time capsule, painstakingly recreated from accounts of lodgers who lived with the family. You’re transported back to John’s childhood with his Aunt Mimi and Uncle George. The tour guides passionately detail his tumultuous family and school life, after walking you through the back garden door, which is the only way Aunt Mimi allowed scruffy Paul McCartney in.

Don’t miss climbing up the creaking stairs to John’s cramped bedroom where he wrote his first songs, or singing at the top of your lungs in the closed-off front porch, where Mimi would relegate the boys to practice.

Paul McCartney’s childhood home is not far from Mendips, yet feels like a world apart. 20 Forthlin Rd is an austere brick-fronted house that was one of hundreds built by the local council after WWII. John and Paul often found themselves in the cozy living room when they skipped school to write and rehearse some of their earliest songs.

The National Trust tour is the only way to see inside the two Beatles’ homes, with pickups and drop-offs at local accommodations.

Beatles Story Museum

Spread across two sites near the River Mersey, the Beatles Story offers visitors a comprehensive history lesson. John Lennon’s sister Julia narrates the audio guide as you wander through a full-size recreation of the Cavern Club and the Abbey Road studio where the Beatles recorded their first singles. A treasure trove of Beatles memorabilia includes John’s famous round spectacles and George’s first guitar.

Above the Beatles Story’s Pier Head location, grab a quick drink and relax on the sunny roof terrace at Matou, enjoying scenic views of the river.

Pub Crawl on Mathew St and Catch a Band at the Cavern Club

Mathew St, one of the most famous streets in pop music, serves as the heart of the Cavern Quarter, a vibrant district filled with shops, bars, and pubs that come alive after dark. A statue of John Lennon leans against a wall outside the reconstructed Cavern Club. The Beatles played the original venue nearly 300 times, but it was eventually demolished in the 1970s to make way for a railway ventilation shaft that never materialized. The still dark and intimate Cavern Club hosts a variety of local talent, along with a Beatles tribute band that rocks out every Saturday night.

For a quieter drink, stop by Bar Four, the lounge at the Hard Days Night Hotel just off Mathew St, where you can enjoy some Beatles-themed cocktails like Daq in the USSR and Honey Can’t Buy Me Love.

Find Ringo Starr in Welsh Streets

Liverpool almost lost a piece of Beatles history forever when the local council decided to demolish and redevelop an area called Welsh Streets, located 2 miles southeast of Albert Dock. After public protest, Ringo’s childhood home at 9 Madryn St was spared. Nevertheless, walking through these eerily quiet streets feels post-apocalyptic, with most houses abandoned and covered with daunting metal grates. Beatles fans and the graffiti they leave behind are the only signs of life.

On the outside, Ringo’s house resembles Paul’s, but today it’s valued at a mere £525. The entire derelict Welsh Streets area starkly contrasts the more genteel neighborhoods explored with the National Trust.

Penny Lane and George Harrison

All these years later, “the shelter in the middle of the roundabout” on Penny Lane remains intact. Visitors can catch a bus from the city center, just 3.5 miles away, as the Beatles did when Penny Lane served as a major terminus. Snap a picture of the iconic street sign before walking to George Harrison’s childhood home, located a mile away. Navigate down narrow side streets to see where George lived until the age of 6; this homely, bright red “two-up two-down” terraced house at 12 Arnold Grove is still a private residence.

Eleanor Rigby via Strawberry Field

Make a quick stop at Strawberry Field, an old Salvation Army children’s home located about 6 miles southeast of central Liverpool. Witness the bright red, graffiti-covered gates, and imagine a young John Lennon playing in the woods behind them — all while being close to Aunt Mimi’s house at Mendips. Strawberry Field is now open, featuring an interactive exhibition and garden tour.

Continue down Menlove Ave and stroll past Mendips, recalling the Quarrymen, the band that evolved into the Beatles, on Quarry St, heading towards St Peter’s Church. The most significant meeting in pop music occurred in these well-kept church grounds when John first met Paul at a school fete. Additionally, the churchyard houses the grave of Eleanor Rigby, as well as John’s uncle George, with whom he lived at Mendips.

Getting Around

To tackle all these sights, allocate a couple of days. John and Paul’s childhood homes, along with the Beatles Story, are the most prominent attractions and could easily fit into a one-day itinerary. Keep in mind that the Beatles grew up outside the city center; if you don’t have a car, consider hiring a bike from Liverpool’s CityBike scheme or utilizing local bus 76, which runs from Albert Dock past Penny Lane, Mendips, and St Peter’s Church.

This article was first published Jul 30, 2019 and updated Dec 8, 2020.