Liverpool is exceptionally well connected to the rest of the UK via its major road links, which came about from the city's important port status. The M62 motorway begins here on the west coast and runs the entire width of northern England - over 100 miles - to Hull on the east coast, linking other major cities along the way.

Manchester can be reached at various points between Junctions 12-18, with Leeds and the rest of West Yorkshire located on the other side of the Pennines mountain range.

The M62 also connects the city to the M6 and M1, and thus to London to the south and Scotland to the north. More locally the M58 and M56 provide direct access into Liverpool city centre.

The Kingsway and Queensway road tunnels join Liverpool to the Wirral peninsula across the River Mersey. To the south, the A41 provides quick access to the nearby counties of Cheshire and Shropshire, and in turn to the A55 which spans North Wales.

With multiple major entry routes into the city, Liverpool doesn't have an official outer ring road as such – so it does make sense to plan ahead when tackling the expansive city centre with your map or GPS navigational system, or hire the NeverLost device when booking your car.

With two Premier League football stadiums and several other top-notch sporting venues in the area, the city centre can get very congested during football season. The neighbouring Anfield and Goodison Park stadiums are separated only by Stanley Park and two A-roads, so plan your journey accordingly to avoid this area on match days. Unless that's why you're here in the first place…

Along with northern rival Manchester, alt="Car Hire Liverpool"kes north-west England an appealing investment spot for businesses globally. Plenty of money has been ploughed into both the public and private sectors, while it remains a highly rated destination for art and music fans; Liverpool is a former European City of Culture.

Waterside heritage

No trip to Liverpool is complete without a visit to the Mersey. To the west of the city centre, the Albert Dock and Albert Street form part of Liverpool's Maritime Mercantile City. This is now a World Heritage Site listed by UNESCO due to its historic innovation and commercial importance. Here you can visit Tate Liverpool and discover works by the world's best-known artists, or visit the Merseyside Maritime Museum and learn the story of one of the world's greatest ports. You can even leave terra firma and board the world-renowned ferry across the Mersey. Also on the Albert Dock you'll find The Beatles Story, which contains exhibits dedicated to the world's most famous band. Here you can take an audio guided tour of the decades of memorabilia stored within, learn about the lives of each band member, and see and hear some of their visionary work that changed the pop scene forever.

Shopping, entertainment and history

Liverpool One is the city's premier shopping and leisure spot and attracts visitors from far and wide. Near the Albert Dock you'll also find more than 150 shops and attractions ranging from high street chic to designer brands. Hope Street is your best bet for a cultural fix, with the Philharmonic Hall, Unity Theatre and Everyman Theatre packing their schedules with a stimulating variety of performances and concerts.

Liverpool is home to two cathedrals – Liverpool Anglican Cathedral and Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, situated at either end of Hope Street. It's well worth taking the time to admire the vast differences in architecture between the two.

The RIBA Liverpool City Tours offer up tales of the city's past, present and future through its iconic buildings and structures. A little outside of Liverpool along the A59, you'll find one of the region's famous Aintree Racecourse, the venue of the annual Grand National, one of the highlights of the horse racing calendar.

A glimpse into the past

If you're keen to take in more of the culture on offer, there's no better place to start than the Walker Art Gallery, home to art and sculpture collections spanning the last seven centuries - the medieval and Renaissance collections are world class. Alternatively, you can learn all you need to know about this thriving city with a visit to the Museum of Liverpool, which offers an interactive journey through the various cultural and historical breakthroughs of the region.

It's no surprise people fall for Liverpool's charms. With world-class sporting clubs and venues, historical landmarks and an inimitable musical heritage echoed in practically every street you turn, there's so much to explore - which is why you'll find hiring a car in Liverpool to be the ideal solution if you're planning on seeing it all.