Liverpool is more than just a city with a big reputation - It's at the centre of a vast area of beauty, culture and entertainment that is waiting to be elplored. Many of the attractions, activities and things to do are incredibly cheap and at times, even free.

A stroll around the UNESCO-listed waterfront will take up a morning and is a remarkably picturesque area, perfect for photo shoots and holiday photography. The Three Graces, Albert Dock and Pier Head are as iconic as they are dramatic, and delving into their history in the city's museums is an enlightening (and free) experience.

Liverpool's commitment to art, both classic and contemporary, is quite popular. Liverpool’s Art scene plays a part in everyday life, through the Tate and Walker galleries as well as countless smaller, cutting-edge spaces and also in the city's musical culture that has drawn influence from all around the world.

The beaches and dunes in Sefton and around Wirral Peninsula should be pencilled in for a sunny day, and the villages and rural idyll that starts at the outskirts will make for a memorable day-trip.