Birmingham is a dynamic, diverse British city that’s brimming with culture, and the former market town has a history stretching back some 1,500 years. Today, Birmingham is one of the UK’s most exciting cities, with a range of great shopping outlets, vibrant nightlife, and award winning restaurants and bars to choose from. The city has a fascinating past, and holds a number of attractions that are perfect for just about anyone – whether you’re visiting a Birmingham alone, as a couple, or with friends or family. If you’d like to learn more about the best things to see and do in the city of Birmingham whether you’re visiting for a day trip or staying at an ihg.com hotel, read on.
Photo by: Elliott Brown
Top Attractions
If you are hankering to learn more about the city’s fascinating history, a visit to the history gallery at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is definitely a must-do. Think tank Science Museum also makes for a fun and informative day out, with ten themed galleries of interactive fun and learning, an outdoor science garden and a digital planetarium. If you’d like to really explore the city in style, why not try a tour on a Birmingham canal boat – Birmingham actually has more miles of canal than Venice!
Shopping
If you want to shop until you drop, Birmingham is definitely a great choice of shopping destination. The Bullring is so much more than a shopping center, and many view it as being a tourist attraction in its own right. The massive complex is home to over 160 shops and two department stores including Self ridges – an iconic architectural landmark in Birmingham. A trip to the jewellery corner is great if you have something special in mind, as it’s home to over 500 different jewellery business, and has 250 years of history behind it. The Custard Factory is home to some of the city’s more quirky and fun independent boutiques.
Arts and Culture
If you enjoy city breaks that are brimming with arts and culture, Birmingham is the perfect destination for you. The city’s calendar is always jam packed with events, so whenever you visit you’ll be bound to find something going on, whether it be a beer festival or a celebration of literature. If you are partial to the more traditional arts, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra can be seen at Symphony Hall, or visit the Birmingham Hippodrome to watch the Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Dining
Birmingham has an excellent selection of restaurants and cafes, and it’s a hot spot for spicy food lovers with the Balti Triangle housing some of Britain’s best spicy Indian curry dishes. If you’re into fine dining, there are a selection of restaurants to choose from, and the city has four superb Michelin star restaurants where you can reserve a table to dine in style. It’s also home to Lasan, which was rated Best Local Restaurant on the F Word program by TV chef Gordon Ramsay.
If you’d like to recommend any places to go or things to see in Birmingham for first time visitors, we’d love to hear from you in the comments.
