The European Capital of Culture is an EU project designed to highlight the culture of the continent. Competition is always fierce, as every city bids to showcase its contribution to the world’s cultural landscape.

As of 2000, the award has often gone to two or more cities, and in 2008, Liverpool shares the title with Stavanger in Norway. So a trip to Liverpool this year is a must. It’s a city with a huge maritime history, some excellent pubs, two football clubs and of course the Beatles.

The best place to find the most up-to-date details on the events programme is at the official website liverpool08.com, where events are laid out down to the minute and all the latest news can be sourced.

From April until the end of July, the Walker Art Gallery hosts the only European showing of ‘Art in The Age of Steam’ celebrating the art of Turner, Monet, Van Gogh and Hopper.

From May until the end of August, Gustav Klimt will be bringing the bling to the city at Tate Liverpool. In September Liverpool-born conductor Sir Simon Rattle will return together with his Berliner Philharmoniker Orchestra to the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Liverpool Sound, in June, will be a once-in-a-lifetime concert attracting some of the biggest names in music and will be beamed live around the globe.

In September Liverpool-born conductor Sir Simon Rattle will return together with his Berliner Philharmoniker Orchestra to the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall.Over one million people are expected to watch the start of the Tall Ships’ Races 2008 in July when over one hundred vessels will grace this great port once again.

Even the city’s pubs have been recruited. ‘Around the city in 80 Pubs’, a project which aims to promote Scouse public houses– architecture, traditions, music and beer is under way. This is to be part of a five-month programme, culminating with a two-week festival coinciding with the city’s beer festival held in the Crypt of the Catholic Cathederal.

Cains Brewery have launched a Culture Ale 2008 for the year, avilable in the Dispensery at 87 Renshaw Street and St John’s Lane, Queen’s Square. Doctor Duncan’s attracts many real ale enthusiasts because of the huge variety of guest ales on offer (700 in the last 12 months) and the excellence of it cask ales, which won it the first Cask Marque accreditation in Liverpool.

This is a handsome pub, lovingly refurbished in authentic Victorian style, it lies at the heart of Liverpool’s newly regenerated Queen Square area. The name commemorates Doctor Duncan, a relentless campaigner against poor living conditions in the Liverpool of the Victorian era, and the first Chief Medical Officer of Health to be appointed in the UK.

Some other important locations in Liverpool
The Tate Liverpool
www.tate.org.uk
The Walker
www.walkerartgallery.org.uk
Albert Dock
www.albertdock.com
The Beatles
www.beatlesstory.com

The Cathedrals
Liverpool Cathedral
www.liverpoolcathedral.org.uk
Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral
www.liverpoolmetrocathedral.org.uk

SPORT
Liverpool Football Club
www.liverpoolfc.tv
Everton Football Club
www.evertonfc.com
Aintree Racecourse
www.aintree.co.uk

Above: Liverpool’s Albert Dock.
Below: The Port area.