Quality of life in Liverpool

Liverpool is a city in Merseyside, England, within the historic county boundaries of Lancashire, famed for its football teams, the Grand National horse race, music (including The Beatles), vibrant nightlife and its links with the arts and culture. Historically the city served as one of the leading ports linking Europe to the Americas, expanding to become England's second most populated city by the census of 1861, before slowly declining after 1921 as levels of transatlantic shipping dropped. Before airline travel, many Europeans migrating to the New World passed through the city, particularly the Italians and Irish; to this day the city enjoys a large Irish community, with impressive cathedrals for both Anglican and Roman Catholic faiths. In the 18th and early 19th century the port also acted as a gateway for the slave trade, with echoes of this period still evident in places around the city (Penny Lane is named after a slave ship owner, for example). Recent years have seen a comprehensive regeneration of the city centre, creating an influx of new shops, boutiques, and large performance/conference arenas near the waterfront; this has resulted in an upturn in population figures. The regenerated city now plays regular host to national and international conference, media and music events; examples include major political party conferences, the BBC Worldwide Showcase, the MTV Europe Awards, and the Global Entrepreneurship Congress.

Liverpool is a city with great cultural heritage and was awarded the title of European Capital of Culture 2008, with the famous Pier Head Waterfront being a UNESCO World Heritage site since 2004. Liverpool is home to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and is also renowned for nurturing the talents of a wide range of musicians and band such as The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Echo and the Bunnymen, Elvis Costello and many more. The city possesses the largest national museum collection outside of London and has a fascinating and turbulent history as a great world maritime centre. Liverpool is home to Europe's oldest Chinatown. The famous Grand National Horse Race takes place in the outskirts of the city (Aintree). It is also home to two very successful Premier League football clubs, Liverpool and Everton.

1 Liverpool John Lennon Airport (IATA: LPL) is about 12 km to the south of the city centre.. Around 160 flights arrive daily from within the UK and Europe. The airport is well-served by low-cost airlines including Easyjet and Ryanair. For a complete listing of airlines and destinations, please see the destination list.