Situated on a broad curve on the Mersey river, prone to fogs, battering seas and long rains, Liverpool is a seafarer's dream. Liverpool was and still is one of the world's great ports, and was second only to London as the greatest city in an enormous empire that stretched across the world. A cosmopolitan and diverse city, Liverpool was the departing port where millions of immigrants left for the Americas. If you live in North America, your ancestors more than likely left from the famous Mersey docks. Right now is an exciting time for Liverpool as it is recovering from a depressing slump and it is revitalizing its streets. The city is bracing for an exciting future and taking its rightful place as one of Europe's premier cities. Liverpool is a city alive with music, sport, good humour and vitality. It is a progressive city which is proud of its past. One can experience the maritime heritage of this major seaport, enjoy the Victorian, Georgian and Neoclassical architecture, visit one of the many museums and galleries, or walk in some of the 3000 acres of Liverpool parkland. Liverpool is a city famous for its football, music scene and nightlife, and for the countless well-known personalities that originated here. Liverpool is one of the livliest and most exciting places in the British Isles. There is no denying that Liverpool is a large commercial city but it also has many large parks and impressive public buildings which reflect the city's rich heritage. Because of Liverpool's position on the Mersey estuary, the sea and shipping have been an integral part of city life for several centuries. The city is currently undergoing a major transformation, as a result of the injection of hundreds of millions of pounds of funding from Government and European (Objective One) sources. A recent example of a successful redevelopment is the Victorian Albert Dock which has now become a major tourist attraction, of chic cafes, restaurants and designer shops, which attracts more than 5 million visitors to Liverpool each year.