A Guide to Living in Merseyside

Where is Merseyside?

Merseyside is located in the northwest of England, bordering Cheshire to the south and Wales to the west. It comprises five metropolitan boroughs, including the City of Liverpool, which forms the heart of Merseyside, as well as Knowsley, St Helens, Sefton, and the Wirral.

Areas in Merseyside

While Liverpool might be the largest city in Merseyside, it is far from the only area of interest in the county.

Liverpool

The City Centre is full of bright lights and glitzy shops, with a large selection of restaurants that offer cuisine from all over the world. There’s also plenty going on at night including lively bars and busy live music venues for those who like their entertainment after dark.

The city was named the European Capital of Culture in 2008 and contains more galleries and national museums than any other city in the country outside of London. Perfect for your culture fix.

Evertonians will tell you there are no better pubs than those found near Goodison Park, while concert-goers can choose between two huge venues – Echo Arena or BT Convention Centre.

Knowsley

Knowsley offers a rural retreat just 20 minutes from the city centre. The borough is full of green spaces and country parks, perfect for those who love to get outdoors.

The main attraction in Knowsley is the award-winning Sudbury Hall – a stately home with extensive gardens that looks like something straight out of Downton Abbey.

St Helens

St Helens is the birthplace of poet Philip Larkin and home to Europe’s oldest horse racing track, Atherton Collieries.

The city centre is made up of a mix of quaint Victorian buildings with modern shopping centres nearby.

The area is steeped in history, with landmarks like Prescott’s medieval church and the Pemberton Clock Tower dating back to Victorian times.

Merseyside universities 

As you might expect from a county that contains a major metropolitan centre like Liverpool, Merseyside is home to a number of world-class universities:

Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) 

Liverpool’s largest university after the merger of JMU and the Catholic, formerly Newman College, in 2012. It specialises in design and media; life sciences; health and social care; performing arts and events management and sport science

The University of Liverpool

One of the UK’s top research universities, it is home to a number of world-class departments including the Centre for Sustainable Chemical Technologies and the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre.

Liverpool Hope University

Liverpool Hope University is located just outside the city and sits on top of a hill overlooking Liverpool. Liverpool Hope specialises in art and design, business, counselling and health care, education, English language teaching and international studies.