This Christmas, Royal Albert Dock Liverpool will be illuminated with the return of the much loved Light Trail around its historic colonnades from Friday 12th November and shining a spotlight on Liverpool’s Brightest independents with their festive menus, unique gifts and the dock’s world-class attractions.
Visitors can download the Light Trail map from the albertdock.com/christmas along with a specially curated Royal Albert Dock Christmas Spotify playlist, and embark on a magical waterfront walk with a hot chocolate or mulled wine, to seek out nautical characters from Liverpool’s coat of arms, designed by MK Illumination.
Taking place across the whole estate, the Light Trail starts at the dock’s entrance gates with Neptune and Triton standing tall and leading the way underneath the curtain of blue lights along Salthouse Quay. Next, wander past the festively-lit trees which lead up to Hartley Quay passing the International Slavery and Merseyside Maritime Museum, with a perfect photo spot on Hartley Bridge with the dock’s illuminated backdrop, or a stone’s throw away with the colourful Liverpool Mountain.
From here, stroll past Tate Liverpool along the inner quay which has each of its 86 red columns wrapped in over 1 million twinkling lights, lighting up the walkway of gift shops and cafes, leading on to Britannia Pavilion which is home to some of Liverpool’s best independent restaurants.
To complete the Light Talk, take the exit to The Beatles Story to be greeted with Bella, one half of the Liverbird duo who casts her watchful eye over the port to ensure the boats arrive safely, whilst her other half, Bertie, stands proudly outside Anchor Courtyard to keep watch on the city and the people of Liverpool.
A Christmas trip to the dock wouldn’t be complete without sampling the festive food and drink on offer, from turkey tacos at Madre to brie & cranberry toasties at One O’Clock Gun, and even a whole roasted sharing duck at Lerpwl for the ultimate festive indulgence. Christmas cocktails are aplenty too, including a gingerbread Espresso Martini at Gusto, a nostalgic ‘Love ‘Daiq’tually’ from Revolucion de Cuba, or a Toblerone inspired cocktail at Maray.
The dock’s variety of independent retailers make it the perfect spot for Christmas shopping, from creative finds at The Nest to limited edition hoodies at Lost Soles or luxury activewear from the dock’s newest retailer, Red Run Activewear, which is set to open this November.
For an iconic Liverpool souvenir pick up a colourful Lambanana from With Love from Liverpool or scenic panoramic print from Liverpool Pictures, whilst Harbour Accessories is bursting with secret Santa goodies and Nature’s Treasure is a must for a sparkly Christmas crystal.
Visitors looking for a Christmas culture fix can pay a visit to the Merseyside Maritime Museum to see the fascinating Seized exhibition which delves into the hidden world of fake goods, or head to Tate Liverpool to see Lucy McKenzie’s exhibition of large-scale architectural paintings, illusionistic works as well as fashion and design.
Whether it’s to embark on the Light Trail, feast with friends, or stay, shop and explore, it’s all there at Liverpool’s Brightest destination.