Top 10 Free Things To Do and Attractions in Great Sankey

"Long before anyone was talking about the regeneration of Liverpool and decades before the city gained its Capital of Culture status, the Albert Dock underwent a stunning renovation, shaking off its industrial past to become the city's most visited free tourist attraction. A mix of popular museums and art galleries (including Liverpool's Tate), the Big Wheel and a host of family-friendly restaurants and shops make this a perennially popular attraction for visitors with children of all ages. And with the UK's largest collection of Grade I-listed buildings and waterfront views, the Albert Dock's pretty easy on the eye, too.Albert Dock, albertdock.com."

"The superbly restored Royal Albert Dock was the first of its sort to be built in Britain. The impressive five-story block of buildings at its heart was once used to store cotton, tobacco, and sugar. These enormous Victorian structures are built around an arcaded walkway, their cast Tuscan columns once serving as capstans for moored ships."

"Also known as the Cathedral Church of Christ in Liverpool, this huge structure - designed by the same architect who created the country's iconic red telephone boxes. The Anglican Liverpool Cathedral on St. James's Mount was consecrated in 1978, although services were held here in the 1920s. The Cathedral is very impressive with its copper roof, red sandstone walls and a 330-foot-high tower containing a carillon with 2,500 bells."

"Take in 360˚ views of the city from the tower at Liverpool Cathedral which is 152m (500ft) above sea level. If you want to pop the question beneath the stars, head to the Cathedral on a Thursday for extended opening hours. It’s a view not to be missed."

"As industrial as the city may be, even Manchester needs a few beautiful churches. Possibly the most impressive of them all is Manchester Cathedral. Over five hundred years old, the building is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside."

"Manchester Cathedral has been around since 1215, but has gone through multiple refurbishments. It’s not a massive cathedral but is a nice way to spend an hour or so. Entrance is free (although donations are encouraged)."

"Until the erection of today’s popular 1960s building, Roman Catholics in Liverpool had no true cathedral in which to worship. Edward Welby Pugin, son of the more famous Augustus, was commissioned to design a cathedral in 1853 but only part of it was built, which served as a parish church until it was demolished in the 1980s. After the Anglican cathedral began to rise at one end of Hope Street in 1904, Sir Edwin Lutyens was commissioned to outdo Sir Giles Gilbert Scott’s design at a new site at the other end of the same street."

"You might find one cathedral that is worth visiting on your travels around different cities, but how often do you find two world class cathedrals?. Either end of Hope Street, the Anglican Cathedral and Metropolitan Cathedral are stunning examples of architecture and dominate the city skyline. The Anglican is the fifth largest cathedral in the world and is an amazing place to walk around and inside, with so much detail and regular events."

"If nothing else, the striking design of this cathedral makes it a rather unique attraction to visit. Though the history of this cathedral is more contemporary than that of its sister venue at the other end of Hope Street, its gothic-revival architectural style makes it a standout feature of Liverpool’s skyline."

"One of the things Liverpool is most famous for is The Beatles, so why not make the Fab Four part of your scouse stag weekend?. If the upcoming groom is a fan of Strawberry Fields, Yellow Submarines and saying Hey to a certain person called Jude, The Cavern is the ideal place to take him on his Liverpool stag party. Come Together in this nostalgic bar, where Britain’s most famous band started their journey –"

"Music lovers may have this spot on the top of their Liverpool bucket list. Even if you aren’t the biggest music fan that ever lived there is still a strong chance you’ve heard of The Beatles. And if you know anything about The Beatles, you might have heard of The Cavern Club."

"It is an underground bar that was very active back in the 1960s when the Beatles used to sing. Since then, other famous bands and singers have visited this bar and even performed thus leaving their mark on the club. A number of local bands play music here every single day."

"While the country house at Hare Hill Hall is privately owned, the garden is cared for by the National Trust. The star here is the walled garden, a blaze of colour in early-summer when the rhododendrons and azaleas burst into flower. There are also uncommon varieties of poppy, iris, lupin, phlox and echinacea."

"Salford Cathedral is situated on Chapel Street in the City of Salford, which sits opposite Manchester city centre on the west bank of the River Irwell. The City of Salford covers a large swathe of western Greater Manchester, with its centre adjacent to Manchester’s. Chapel Street, a long west to east boulevard connecting the cathedral with Salford Central rail station, was the first street in the world to be illuminated entirely by gas light."

"San Carlo is an award-winning, elegant Italian restaurant which has been here on Castle Street long before it became a popular dining district. With amazing seafood and authentic Italian dishes from pizzas, pastas to steak and lobster, San Carlo is a special experience. Of all the Castle Street restaurants and bars San Carlo is an institution!"

"Liverpool’s San Carlo is a bit different to the rest of their venues in that it’s not a theme restaurant but a highly lavish Italain venue for lovers of fine food. Their range of pasta and sauces will have you spoilt for choice and you’ll leave wanting to return back for more. View this post on Instagram"

"San Carlo is the perfect restaurant for high-end Italian dining. The restaurant itself is contemporary in feel, with a bright and sleek look creating an unbeatable atmosphere for relaxed dinners and special occasions. At San Carlo, the focus is on the quality of the food."

"The sister venture of The Italian Club further down Bold Street, the Italian Club Fish is a stylish restaurant that fuses British and Italian influences with a Scottish twist. Every dish is freshly prepared, so it may take a little longer for your food to arrive, but it is well worth the wait. The basis of their cooking, is extra virgin oil, freshly prepared vegetables and fish stocks, that render the dishes light and healthy."

"The second venue from the team behind The Italian Club, The Italian Club Fish serves all your favourite pastas but with seafood as the star of the show. It’s the perfect place to go if you’re a lover of fish because you know they’re going to do it justice. View this post on Instagram"

"One of the best ice cream parlours in Manchester, Ginger's Comfort Emporium is a Northern Quarter favourite handing out dairy and vegan scoops all year round. With specials including Campari and coconut, Eccles cake and Chorlton Crack (peanut butter and salted caramel), these frozen spoonfuls are always at their best when served in sandwich form. We all scream for these quirky ice cream sandwiches."

"Products sourced from local producers, Ginger’s is on the first floor of Afflecks which means it’s already cool – and that’s before trying the ice cream. Like Gino’s, they have loads of stuff to suit your ice cream needs including dairy-free ice cream. Be sure to try the Chorlton Crack."

"Ginger’s Comfort Emporium – A great place to sit and enjoy a coffee and some great ice cream. Heroes Café – Homemade burgers, pies, soup, lasagne, chilli, curries and many more delicious dishes. They are also expanding selection of their Vegan dishes."

"This popular antipodean cafe drags loyal Northern Quarter locals out of bed at the weekend for its epic brunches. Emily’s homemade banana bread is treacly and dark, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg with a fragrant vanilla mascarpone. If you’re really hungry, the hefty French toast is very popular, laden with homemade summer berry compote, almonds, whipped vanilla mascarpone and salted caramel; while corn fritters with a choice of toppings make a worthy savoury choice."

"Even though there are so many great brunches in Manchester, I always gravitate back to Federal. I love the halloumi veggie bagel and the mushrooms and poached eggs on sourdough. None of the brunch dishes are more than £7.50 in Federal which means you can include a coffee and still pay less than £10 for brunch."

"Federal Cafe is best known for their weekend brunches when customers cram in and queues are often out the door. Their coffee though stands on its own as one of the best cups in the city. Throw in great cocktails and there really is something for everybody here."

"The multi award-winning restaurant is hot on event organisers lips when it comes to finding a venue that has it all. Superb food, various spaces and the ease of having a beautiful boutique hotel attached to it courtesy of Hope Street Hotel. They can host up to 150 people within some of their rooms!"

"The award-winning London Carriage Works fuses contemporary international dishes while sourcing local produce for its mouth watering menu. You can expect seasonal dishes which will keep you coming back again to try something different each time."