Liverpool Film Location Walking Tour: Gotham City Highlights

Two and a half hours tracing Hollywood across a city that's doubled for everywhere else

Reel Tours' film location walking tour in Liverpool covers 2.6 miles in 2.5 hours, stopping at ten major sites where blockbusters and independent features have been shot. Your guide Gary has worked on productions made in the region and regularly discusses new projects on BBC radio, so the stories go beyond what's visible on the pavement. Minimum age is 16. The route is fully wheelchair accessible.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Cavern Club10m
2. Pier Head20m

Liverpool Film Location Walking Tour

• Start at Williamson Square
• Visit Stanley Street film locations and Eleanor Rigby statue
• Walk down Mathew Street, see Cavern Club exterior
• Explore Castle Street film sites and local history
• Discuss the Strand and its cinema significance
• View the Three Graces at River Mersey
• See Royal Liver Building and film history
• Visit Exchange Flags, Martins Bank, and Liverpool Town Hall
• Stop mid-way on Dale Street, learn Tom Hardy connection
• Explore William Brown Street film heritage
• Conclude at St. George's Hall with behind-the-scenes stories

The experience

The tour starts at Williamson Square and moves through the city center on foot, hitting the sites where major motion pictures were actually filmed. You'll see the Cavern Club exterior on Mathew Street (photographs show what the interior looked like in the 1960s), and walk Castle Street, where three major films were shot. The route takes you down to the River Mersey and the Pier Head, where the Three Graces (the Port of Liverpool, Cunard, and Royal Liver Building) appear in both Hollywood productions and independent features. Gary points out which films used which buildings and shares how the Royal Liver Building was transformed to look like 1940s Manhattan for one production.

William Brown Street is the stop with the richest film heritage in the city. It's featured in countless productions over decades, with Oscar winners and household names having performed along its pavements. St. George's Hall, where the tour ends, brings the backstage stories: Gary shares first-hand anecdotes from sets filmed there, including how a small food company went global because of something that happened on those steps, and which cities across the world the hall has doubled for. The tour covers pop-culture and local history alongside the film locations, so even if you're not tracking every movie reference, there's context to each stop.

The walk covers 2.6 miles over approximately 2.5 hours on outdoor streets and pavements. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and public transportation options are available near the starting point. Gary is the Reel Tours owner and appears regularly on BBC radio discussing current productions being made in Liverpool, so the information comes from someone actively involved in the city's film industry rather than a standard tour script.

What’s included

• Tour guide (Gary Lunt, Reel Tours owner).
• ten major film location stops across the city center, Pier Head, and William Brown Street.
• behind-the-scenes stories and anecdotes from productions filmed in Liverpool.
• pop-culture and local history context at each stop.

Before you book

Days and timesSundayDeparts at 11:00

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Under 16: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Reel Tours

Is this one for you?This tour is for anyone who wants to see where real films were shot without having to research locations themselves: Gary's experience on actual productions in the city means the stories go beyond what's in a movie database, and the fixed route and guide handle all the navigation and context.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What films have actually been shot at the locations on this tour?

The tour covers sites from Hollywood blockbusters through to recent independent features. Specific examples include how the Royal Liver Building was transformed to look like downtown Manhattan in the 1940s, and how St. George's Hall has doubled for multiple cities across the world. Gary discusses which buildings appeared in which productions and shares behind-the-scenes details from the sets.

Who is the guide and what's his background with Liverpool's film industry?

Gary Lunt, the Reel Tours owner, leads the tour. He has worked on numerous productions made in the region, regularly appears on BBC radio discussing the latest film and TV projects being made in Liverpool, and frequently hosts Q&A events with stars of stage and screen. His personal experience on sets means the stories include anecdotes you wouldn't find elsewhere.

How long is the walk and what's the distance covered?

The tour takes approximately 2.5 hours and covers 2.6 miles on foot through Liverpool's city center and down to the River Mersey. The route is fully wheelchair accessible, and all areas and surfaces are accessible.

What's the Eleanor Rigby statue and why does it matter to the tour?

On Stanley Street, you'll see the Eleanor Rigby statue, one of Liverpool's first statues dedicated to The Beatles. It stands yards away from two important film locations, and Gary reveals the hidden history of both the statue and the filming sites nearby.

Will we go inside the Cavern Club?

The tour shows the exterior of the Cavern Club on Mathew Street and covers its history along with the many musicians who have performed there over the years. Photographs are shown to give an idea of what the interior looked like in the 1960s, though the tour itself stays outside.

Why does Tom Hardy feature in the tour description?

A stop mid-way down Dale Street reveals why that road is a personal favorite of Tom Hardy and uncovers secrets about a particular Scouse cinematic staple connected to the location.