To begin with there is the fantastic new Echo Arena (0151 475 8888, www.echoarena.com). This 11,000 capacity venue is linked to the BT Convention centre in the Albert Dock and has hosted some of the biggest names in comedy (such as Eddie Izzard, Russell Howard and Steve Coogan) and music (Pink, Rihanna, Girls Aloud, Bryan Adams), as well as many other exciting acts, such as the MTV Europe awards, Walking with Dinosaurs, Premier League Darts and the Masters Six a Side Soccer tournament. It is a truly outstanding new venue that gives the city a true international quality events centre that certainly attracts the cream of the world’s talent to the city.

However, that is not all the city has to offer. The City Centre boasts some of the finest theatre’s in the country. The grandiose Liverpool Empire (0844 847 2525, www.liverpoolempire.org.uk) often hosts some of the best travelling musical shows in the country, as well as selected individual acts, such as Derren Brown and Derek Acorah ,as well as host of top  comedians, for example confirmed for 2010 include Mark Watson, Jason Manford, Dara O’Briain and Lee Mack. Comedy lovers can also head to the Royal Court (0870 787 1866, www.royalcourtliverpool.co.uk) which not only showcases some of the best new comedy play-writing by local talents, but also hosts the Rawhide Comedy Club each week and often has comedians playing gigs. The Everyman and Playhouse Theatres (0151 709 4776, www.everymanplayhouse.com) both offer a variety of shows to suit all tastes, from reworking of the classics, such as Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie, to the promotion of local playwrights through to contemporary tales by some of the best writers from across the United Kingdom.

If you are a lover of classical music then the place to head is undoubtedly The Liverpool Philharmonic Hall (0151 709 3789, www.liverpoolphil.com) the home of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Not only does ‘the Phil’ have a lengthy list of fantastic classical shows throughout the year, but interspersed with that are several more contemporary artistes who love the chance of playing this important and historic venue. Tony Bennett, John Barrowman and Bryn Terfel are just three household names confirmed for the 2010 season, which also features a fantastic programme of concerts aimed at firing children’s enthusiasm for music. The Phil also hosts comedian’s with 2010 confirming the likes of Stephen K Amos, Lee Mack and Frankie Boyle all confirmed at this historic venue.

If you like your music a little off the beaten track and prefer to listen to some young, local bands and the occasional tribute act, then the 02 Academy is a good starting place (0844 477 2000, www.o2academyliverpool.co.uk) which has hosted the likes of The Coral, The Dead 60’s, Little Flames and The Zutons in recent times.

All these fantastic venues are just within a short walking distance of the vibrant Liverpool city centre and offer the lucky visitor a wealth of different opportunities to take in a show at one of the many fantastic venues across this historic city.

• Red Hot World Buffet
Food terrace, Liverpool One
0151 707 9688, www.redhot-worldbuffet.com
Can’t decide what to have for tea? Fear not… The Red Hot World Buffet has over 100ft of live counters with food from India, China, Japan, Italy, Mexico, Thailand and England is cooked in front of your eyes,
plus more sweets that you can shake a stick at in the kids’ corner. And that’s before you even notice the three waterfalls, and 360º views of the Albert Dock, Liverpool One and Liverpool’s cathedrals. All for a
fixed price, depending on when you visit…

• Disney Live: Three Classic Fairy Tales
26 – 28 March
Echo Arena, Kings Waterfront
Tel 0844 8000 400, www.echoarena.com
Join Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, and Donald Duck for an amazing fantasy adventure in Disney Live. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast come to life as you laugh, clap, and sing along with Mickey and his friends. Dream with the princesses and cheer for the heroes as they conquer evil villains. Beautiful music, spectacular sets, costumes and special effects capture the adventure, humour and romance in this enchanting performance.

• Stand up Beatles workshop
30th March
Beatles Story, Albert Dock
Tel: 0151 709 1963, www.beatlesstory.com

Create your own stand up Beatles character at this fun family workshop. You can choose Hard Day’s Night, Sgt. Pepper, Help or anything else you’d prefer. Workshops will be held in the Chill Out area between 2pm – 4pm and are free once you’ve entered the Beatles Story – there’s a children’s trail throughout the exhibition so there’s something for visitors of all ages. Children can collect their trail bag from admissions.

• San Carlo
41 Castle Street, Liverpool L2 9SH
0151 236 0073; www.sancarlo.co.uk/liverpool
Like a cool 1970s New York restaurant, San Carlo is open and airy, all-white with red and black furnishings and comfy booths. With a reputation as one of the best Italian restaurants in the city, and
attentive service from the team, San Carlo’s menu is extensive, combining the best Italian flavours with fine wine, good service and luxurious and comfortable surroundings. Rated ‘One of the top ten Italian restaurants in the UK’ by the Times.

• The Echo Wheel of Liverpool
Albert Dock
liverpool@greatcityattractions.com, www.worldtouristattractions.co.uk

A stunning voyage above Liverpool’s historic sky line, with iconic views of the world famous Liverpool Docks, river Mersey, World Heritage waterfront and the city’s museums, galleries and award-winning
architecture. The wheel has 42 capsules which seat up to eight people, is fully wheelchair accessible, and has the option of a VIP capsule with DVD, glass floor and champagne on ice. The trip lasts approximately 13 minutes, with a commentary pointing out local landmarks.

This major exhibition, inspired by Paul Gilroy’s book The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness (1993), is the first to trace in depth the impact of Black Atlantic culture on Modernism and reveals how black artists and intellectuals have played a central role in the formation of Modernism from the early twentieth century to today. From the influences of African art on the Modernist forms of
artists like Picasso, to the work of contemporary artists such as Kara Walker, Ellen Gallagher and Chris Ofili, the exhibition maps out visual and cultural hybridity in modern and contemporary art that has arisen from the journeys made by people of Black African descent.

• Liverpool -v- Sunderland
28th March, 4pm k/o
liverpoolfc.tv
Liverpool continue their quest for the fourth Champion’s League spot with this home game against Sunderland. In October a cruel deflection off a beach ball robbed them of any points on their visit to the Stadium of Light. Can they keep up their momentum and clinch fourth place in the Premiership?

• Awesome Walls
Tel: 0151 298 2422, www.awesomewalls.co.uk/Liverpool.html
Athol Street (off Great Howard Street) Liverpool L5 9TN
In the quirky setting of a 150-year old church, Awesome Walls is Liverpool’s finest climbing wall, offering a safe, fun climbing environment. There’s over 1,000 square metres of climbing on offer, with hundreds of routes. Find walls to suit everyone, from small top rope walls to the awesome 17.5 metre lead wall which overhangs by eight metres.

Circo
Britannia Pavilion, Albert Dock
Tel: 0151 709 0470, www.circoliverpool.com
Funky and coo, this dockside restaurant and bar is the perfect place to party. Circo’s a la carte restaurant gives you great views of the Albert dock, with a decadent menu offering a blend of classic and modern
European dishes with a hint of more exotic destinations. Then, Circo’s home of the original live freakshow in Liverpool – every second and last Saturday of the month is Freak night with special acts starting from 10pm and performing every 15 mins throughout the night. You can even reserve a booth for groups of 6 – 15 people, with full cocktail waitress table service or a special package including a bottle of Veuve Cliquot Champagne and tasty canapes.

• Elvis Presley in Concert
7th March
Echo Arena, Kings Waterfront
Tel 0844 8000 400, www.echoarena.com
The King is dead – long live the King! Visit the Echo Arena for this spectacular Elvis night – a video-projected Elvis sings lead vocals as his songs and arrangements are played live by 21 musicians – including some of his original band mates, backing vocalists and full orchestra.

• Puschka
16 Rodney Street
Tel: 0151 708 8698
BookingForm, www.puschka.co.uk
Enjoy dinner a deux at Liverpool’s cosiest – and coolest restaurant – with a modern European menu featuring local, seasonal delights.

• Afro Modern: Journeys through the Black Atlantic
Until 25th April 2010
Tate Liverpool, Albert Dock
Tel: 0151 702 7400, www.tate.org.uk/liverpool
This major exhibition, inspired by Paul Gilroy’s book The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness (1993), is the first to trace in depth the impact of Black Atlantic culture on Modernism and reveals how black artists and intellectuals have played a central role in the formation of Modernism from the early twentieth century to today. From the influences of African art on the Modernist forms of
artists like Picasso, to the work of contemporary artists such as Kara Walker, Ellen Gallagher and Chris Ofili, the exhibition maps out visual and cultural hybridity in modern and contemporary art that has arisen from the journeys made by people of Black African descent.

For a long time for shoppers Liverpool City Centre was a functional, enjoyable retail experience. There were plenty of shops for sure and there was plenty of choice, from the biggest names in retail down to the locally run outlets that you cannot find anywhere else. However the city lacked something, a focal point, a place which would rival some of the great shopping centres around the world. That changed in 2008 with the opening of the fantastic Liverpool ONE (0151 232 3100, www.liverpool-one.com).

Liverpool ONE is 1.65 million square feet of shopping and leisure opportunities, slap bang in the middle of one of the greatest cities in the world. The site includes a 14 screen cinema, a five acre park, over twenty bars and restaurants (with more opening every day!) and over 160 shops, including some of the biggest names you can find in the world of retail. Situated just off what was the main city centre, it is in the perfect place for visitors to the city and any visit to Liverpool simply must take in a day spend wandering around the wealth of big name outlets, such as Radley, Swarovski, Habitat, Adidas, Ted Baker and Gap, that the city can offer to any keen shopper.

Dotted throughout Liverpool city centre are some small shopping gems for the keen buyer. Clayton Square (0151 709 6627, www.claytonsquare.co.uk) is one such place. A large, airy indoor shopping complex that houses many top fashion houses as well as several large stores such as Boots as well as an internet cafe in opulent surroundings. A little further on from Clayton Square brings you to Mathew Street, home of the famous Cavern Club and now home to Cavern Walks (0151 236 9082, www.cavern-walks.co.uk) which is a particular favourite for the big names in fashion, such as Cricket, Vivienne Westwood and Drome Couture. Also worth a visit is the Albert Docks (0151 708 7334, www.albertdock.com) which has its own small shopping area which is the perfect place to find that quirky gift or to pick up something a little more unusual to remind you of your visit to Liverpool. There are plenty of shops here that sell quirky, artistic items as well as shops that celebrate all aspects of the cities maritime, musical and sporting heritage. All set within the magnificent Albert Dock complex that also hosts three museums (Tate Modern, the Maritime Museum and the Beatles Story). If you are a real bargain hunter, why not take at look at St John’s Shopping Centre (0151 709 0916, www.stjohns-shopping.co.uk), which not only houses a wealth of shops, but also a huge indoor market offering bargains galore!

What is remarkable is that all these fantastic shopping opportunities are literally right on your doorstep in Liverpool’s bustling City Centre! However you can travel slightly further afield to discover whole new opportunities for a spot of retail therapy!

For example, why not head to Southport or Chester, whose historic city centres offer some of the best shopping in the North West only a short drive away? Or you could head under the River Mersey through the Wallasey Tunnel and down the M53 to Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet Shopping Mall (0151 348 5600, www.cheshireoaksdesigneroutlet.com)  which houses a huge selection of shops, ranging from Burberry to Nike, Bose to Jaeger, Next to Molton Brown.

Given all these opportunities right on your doorstep, it is easy to see why any visitor to Liverpool would be forgiven for thinking that the city truly is a shopper’s paradise!