People hear Liverpool and they think Penny Lane, ports, and impossible-to-understand accents—but there’s a lot more to this young, thriving city. Dubbed the European Capital of Culture in 2008, Liverpool is just starting to reap the benefits of its ambitious reinvigoration projects of the ’80s and ’90s. With world-class museums, a legendary music scene, and two major universities, Liverpool challenges long-time competitor Manchester both on and off the football pitch. Despite being a big city with a bigger history, Liverpool can feel like a small village at times. Head to one of the city’s many pubs and you’re sure to find a friendly, slightly inebriated regular to school you in the finer points of Liverpudlian lore and teach you a football song or two. The city’s relative remoteness means that it is considerably cheaper than London, making it an easily affordable and worthwhile excursion.