Best of Liverpool Shore Excursion

Forget the coach queue. Your local driver guide meets you at the terminal and you're straight into the city that gave the world the Beatles, two famous football clubs and a waterfront that stops people in their tracks.

Stand at the red gates of Strawberry Field and walk in the gardens where a young John Lennon played. Then call into St Peter's Church in Woolton, where John met Paul at a church fete in 1957.

In the churchyard is a gravestone with a very familiar name: Eleanor Rigby. From there it's on to Penny Lane, to see the street Paul wrote about.

Up at Anfield, stand at the Shankly Gates and hear the story most fans don't know. Everton played here first, until a row over the rent in 1892 led to Liverpool FC being born.

Then comes the view most visitors never see. Everton Park looks out over the whole city: both cathedrals, the river and, on a clear day, the Welsh hills. Right beside it stands Prince Rupert's Tower, a little 18th century lock up that's still on Everton's badge today.

Back on the waterfront, the Liver Birds keep watch over the Three Graces. Legend says if they ever fly away, Liverpool will cease to exist. Their clock faces are bigger than Big Ben's.

Liverpool Cathedral is the biggest in Britain, designed by a 22 year old who went on to design the red telephone box. Round the corner in the Georgian Quarter is a stone pyramid in a churchyard. Local legend says the man inside was buried sitting at a card table, holding a winning hand of cards.

And lunch? We're keeping that one a surprise. It's an award nominated bistro tucked away in one of the most incredible settings in the city, and the moment you walk in is half the fun.

Expect local Liverpool food and drink, including a proper bowl of Scouse, the stew that gave the city its nickname. Lunch is pay as you go, so have as much or as little as you like.

It's just your group, so you set the pace and ask as many questions as you like. Born and bred in Liverpool, we know the city inside out.

1. Meet your driver guide at Liverpool Cruise Terminal

2. Strawberry Field: the gardens and both sets of gates

3. St Peter's Church, Woolton: where John met Paul, and the Eleanor Rigby grave

4. Penny Lane

5. Anfield and the Shankly Gates

6. Everton Park viewpoint and Prince Rupert's Tower

7. Everton's new stadium on the waterfront

8. The Three Graces and Royal Albert Dock

9. Liverpool Cathedral and the Georgian Quarter

10. Surprise lunch: local Liverpool food and drink in an award nominated bistro (pay as you go)

11. Back at the terminal at least an hour before all aboard

It's your private tour, so we can change the order or spend longer where you like. Some stops are short photo stops so we can fit it all in.

• The Beatles story, from Strawberry Field to the church where John met Paul
• How Anfield started out as Everton's ground, and the row that created Liverpool FC
• A panoramic view over the whole city from Everton Park
• Liver Bird legends, a Georgian pyramid and the stories the coach tours miss
• A surprise lunch of local Liverpool food and drink in one of the city's most incredible settings
• A born and bred local driver guide, for your group only

Private vehicle and local driver guide for your group only

Meet and greet at Liverpool Cruise Terminal

Back at the terminal at least an hour before all aboard

Fuel, parking and bottled water

Not included: lunch, food and drinks. The lunch stop is pay as you go, so you can have as much or as little as you like. A Professional Blue Badge guide can be added for £50 when you book.

A 20% deposit secures your tour and the balance is due 14 days before. We'll email you a secure link to pay it. Cancel more than 30 days before and we'll refund your deposit in full. Within 30 days the deposit is non-refundable, and from 14 days before the full amount is non-refundable. Booking within 14 days of your tour? You pay in full when you book. Bookings close 72 hours before the tour. If your ship doesn't make it into Liverpool, you get a full refund.

Very occasionally concerts or events at Anfield, match days, road closures or filming in the city mean we need to change the route or a stop. We'll swap in something just as good and still get you back in good time for your ship.