The Best Sight in Liverpool, Manchester, Liverpool, and the Peak District

To understand the city's prosperous maritime past, head for these 7 acres of restored waterfront warehouses built in 1846. Named after Queen Victoria's consort, Prince Albert, the dock provided storage for silk, tea, and tobacco from the Far East until it was closed in 1972. Today, the fine colonnaded brick buildings contain the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the International Slavery Museum, Tate Liverpool, and the Beatles Story. When weather allows, you can sit at an outdoor café overlooking the dock; there are also bars, restaurants, and even hotels on the site. For a bird's-eye view of the Albert Dock area, take the rotating Wheel of Liverpool—a 60-meter-tall version of the London Eye. Much of the waterfront pedestrian area is cobblestone, so wear comfortable shoes.