1Walker Art Gallery
Art gallery·City Centre·£·All ages
Free entry and one of the finest art collections in the north of England, from old masters to modern work, open Wednesday to Sunday. Easy to combine with a coffee in town afterwards.
William Brown Street, Liverpool L3 8EL · Walk-in
2Museum of Liverpool
Museum·Pier Head·£·All ages
A free museum about the city's history, music and football right on the waterfront, open Wednesday to Sunday. Follow it with a walk along the Royal Albert Dock.
Pier Head, Liverpool L3 1DG · Walk-in
3Sefton Park Palm House
Glasshouse and park·Sefton Park·£·All ages
A plant-filled Victorian palm house in the middle of Sefton Park, with a café inside and a giant chess set outside. Open Sunday to Thursday in the daytime; add a walk round the park and it is a lovely low-cost afternoon date.
Sefton Park, Liverpool L17 1AP · Walk-in
4Panoramic 34
Sky restaurant and cocktail lounge·Waterfront·£££·30s
A restaurant and cocktail lounge on the 34th floor of the West Tower, with floor-to-ceiling windows over the Mersey and the city. A special-occasion date, best around sunset; book ahead.
34th Floor, West Tower, Brook Street, Liverpool L3 9PJ · Takes bookings
5Bar Glue
Cocktail bar·Royal Albert Dock·££·30s
An award-winning cocktail bar at the Albert Dock with a minimal look and a short menu of around eleven inventive drinks. Small and calm enough for a proper conversation.
33 Anchor Courtyard, Liverpool L3 4AS · Takes bookings
6Slowpour
Cocktail bar·Bold Street·££·30s
An intimate, female-owned basement bar under Ropes and Twines, where drinks are made slowly and carefully. Low lights and a small room suit a slower, conversation-led evening.
Basement, Ropes and Twines, 70 Bold Street, Liverpool L1 4HR · Takes bookings
7Mowgli Street Food Bold Street
Indian street food restaurant·Bold Street·£·All ages
The original Mowgli, opened on Bold Street in 2014: small, quirky and good value, with Indian street food to share. A cheap and cheerful dinner, with plenty of bars nearby for a drink after.
69 Bold Street, Liverpool L1 4EZ · Takes bookings
8Picturehouse at FACT
Cinema and arts centre·Ropewalks·£·All ages
An arts centre with a Picturehouse cinema showing new releases and arthouse films, plus free exhibitions in the galleries. Catch a film, then talk about it over a drink in the Ropewalks.
88 Wood Street, Liverpool L1 4DQ · Takes bookings
9Everyman Theatre
Theatre·Hope Street·££·All ages
A much-loved theatre on Hope Street, known for its own productions and its yearly rock 'n' roll panto. A good evening out, with Hope Street's bars and restaurants on the doorstep.
5-11 Hope Street, Liverpool L1 9BH · Takes bookings
10Liverpool Philharmonic Hall
Concert hall·Hope Street·££·40+
The home of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, with orchestral concerts, film nights and touring acts through the year. Dress up a little and have a drink across the road at the Philharmonic Dining Rooms first.
Hope Street, Liverpool L1 9BP · Takes bookings