Best Time to Visit Liverpool

Summer: the best bet, with showers

June is your best shot. It's the sunniest month in the data, at about 5 hours a day, and highs reach 17°C. That's mild and comfortable for walking the Albert Dock and the Royal Albert Dock waterfront, or taking the Mersey Ferry across to Seacombe. July and August are warmer, but they're also the rainiest of the summer, with rain on 18 and 19 days. Carry a small umbrella and plan a museum back-up, like the Museum of Liverpool or the Tate Liverpool.

Summer is also high season. School holidays run from late July through August, so the waterfront gets busier. Liverpool is a football city, but the Premier League is on break over the summer, so match tickets are hard to get in the other months. Check fixtures if that's your reason for coming.

Events are a draw too. Liverpool Pride is usually in late July, and the Africa Oyé music festival is typically in June. Dates change each year, so check before you book.

Spring and September: quieter and cheaper

September is one of our top picks. Highs are still 17°C, the crowds thin out after the school holidays, and the Georgian Quarter and Sefton Park are lovely in early autumn light. It's wetter than June, so expect a few showers.

April and May are fair rather than good. Highs run from 11°C to 14°C, and May still has rain on 15 days. But if you hate crowds, you'll have the Cavern Club and the Beatles sights fairly free of queues. The Grand National at nearby Aintree is held in April, and it brings a lively atmosphere to the city.

Winter: cold, grey and cosy

From October to March it's dark, damp and often windy. December is the wettest month at 107 mm, and it has the least sun at 1.4 hours a day. Highs of 7°C to 8°C feel colder with the wind off the river.

So why go? Hotels are cheaper, and the pubs are cosy. Try a bowl of scouse (a lamb or beef stew) in a warm spot like the Philharmonic Dining Rooms. Christmas markets near Liverpool ONE add some sparkle. Spend your days indoors, at the Walker Art Gallery, the Liverpool Cathedrals or the Bluecoat arts centre, and you'll hardly notice the weather.