As the sounds of sleigh bells and timeless Christmas jingles draw closer, so grows the temptation to whisk a loved one off on a shopping trip.

Boltonians are well-served for such urges, with Manchester’s bright lights and the desperately dull yet unavoidably convenient Trafford Centre all within range.

But, a few miles up the M62, a transformation has taken place which might tempt Christmas shoppers away from local haunts.

Liverpool, once an industrial and trade hub, has, through substantial renovation and investment, become a stylish, modern city, successfully capitalising on growing tourism rates.

Central to its allure are the Albert Docks and Liverpool ONE, a shopping and leisure complex in the heart of the city centre.

The usual big names have muscled in, but while the variety of shops differs little from most bustling city centres, the open air nature of Liverpool ONE is a welcome change from the comparatively stifling environment of the Manchester Arndale.

Shoppers have plenty of places to eat, and Jamie’s Italian provides a reliable and reasonably affordable lunch.

The Essex chef’s chain has attracted criticism for lacking authenticity, but what they do provide is a modern twist on Italian dishes, using expertly sourced ingredients.

After a quiet sit-down, families can also flock to the Ice Festival currently on show in Liverpool ONE, with the ice rink, slide, Ice Bar (which serves cocktail to wrapped-up revellers in Arctic conditions) and little stalls providing a fun day out for kids.

Not all that Liverpool has to offer focuses on the here and now.

This city is achingly proud of its past, and so many tourists flock to Anfield, the base from which Liverpool FC conquered Europe and became England’s greatest club in the 1980s.

The city also hankers back to a time when it set the social and cultural agenda: the 1960s.

Synonymous with Liverpool is The Beatles, and the Fab Four’s birthplace The Cavern Club in Mathew Street.

The club remains in place but a more resonant experience of the famous club can be found in the Albert Docks.

The Beatles Story, costing adults merely £14.50 to enter, is a series of attractions devoted to the famous foursome, and the main museum near the Echo Arena is well worth the entrance fee.

It tells visitors how the four "war babies" almost founded a cultural revolution in the city after they started playing together, George Harrison joining John Lennon and Paul McCartney when he was aged only 14, but he could play "Raunchy" so well the other two were willing to overlook the age differential.

Their early gigs at The Cavern Club, where TV's Cilla Black worked, became the stuff of legend, fans drining in The Grapes pub opposite before going to the unlicensed Cavern for the music.

Mathew Street in the early 60s and The Cavern Club's interior are recreated brilliantly by the museum as is the modest airline in which The Beatles travelled on their famous first trip to conquer the United States.

Aided by an audio guide from John Lennon's sister Julia, visitors, even those far too young to recall the phenomenon 'Beatlemania', become immersed in this world.

The surrounding Albert Docks is perhaps Liverpool's most impressive piece of development, and eating out in the plush area is ever popular.

Gusto, a modern European chain in the North West, is a luxurious option and is a cut above most High Street restaurant chains, offering stunning cuisine, an unusual selection of imported wines and friendly service.

A weekend, or even overnight stay, in Liverpool has never been more enticing, and my girlfriend and I were well-catered for at Hotel Indigo, a chic and contemporary boutique hotel located perfectly in between the docks and the shopping centre in Chapel Street.

It will not be long before Slade and Mariah Carey are endlessly booming out of every shop going.

Why not strike early, and get the Christmas shopping done on a relaxing retreat away? Its location and attractions make Liverpool the ONE to pick.

Then you can put your feet up while your friends frantically battle the crowds next month.