United Kingdom · England · Liverpool
Chinatown, Liverpool — Area Guide & Where to Stay
Chinatown occupies the streets around Nelson Street at the southern edge of central Liverpool. It anchors the oldest established Chinese community in Europe, whose roots trace to the maritime trade of the mid-19th century. The Chinese arch marks its centre. Restaurants, supermarkets and community associations cluster within a few compact blocks near the River Mersey.
About Chinatown
Where to stay in Chinatown
Not every neighbourhood fits every trip — here's what each one is good for.
Few hotels sit inside Chinatown itself. Most visitors book across the surrounding city centre and walk in for the restaurants and grocers. Staying nearby puts the bars of the Ropewalks and the studios of the Baltic Triangle within a short walk.
The waterfront museums at the Royal Albert Dock, among them Tate Liverpool and the Merseyside Maritime Museum, lie about ten minutes west. Pick this edge of the centre for late meals and easy access to the River Mersey, then look uphill toward the Georgian streets for quieter rooms.
About Chinatown
What are the main landmarks in Chinatown?
Chinatown's own landmark is the Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas on Berkley Street. The museums sit a short walk off. West along the Royal Albert Dock stand Tate Liverpool, the Merseyside Maritime Museum, the International Slavery Museum and The Beatles Story, all set around one basin.
The Museum of Liverpool and the Memorial to the Engine Room Heroes of the Titanic mark the Pier Head. North on William Brown Street, the Walker Art Gallery and the World Museum face the ground beneath the Radio City Tower.
What is the history of Chinatown?
Chinese sailors began settling by the Mersey from the mid-19th century, drawn by the Blue Funnel Line steamers that traded with Shanghai and Hong Kong. The first community clustered near Cleveland Square and Pitt Street. Wartime bombing scattered it.
Clearance and rebuilding then drew the quarter uphill to Nelson Street and Duke Street. In 2000 a paifang arch, made by craftsmen from Shanghai, rose over Nelson Street. The community counts as the oldest of its kind in Europe.
Where is Chinatown?
Chinatown occupies rising ground on the southern edge of Liverpool's commercial core, framed by Nelson Street, Duke Street and Berkley Street. Its northern side blends into the Ropewalks. The Baltic Triangle and the River Mersey lie downhill to the west.
On the southern flank, the Greek Orthodox Church of St Nicholas anchors Berkley Street.
Good for
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Updated July 2026