Birmingham

What you need to know before you go

    Birmingham is a multi-faceted modern metropolis, where centuries-old churches stand alongside architecturally adventurous mosques, and where a diverse population fuels a famously eclectic dining scene. You can enjoy the city's growing art scene at places like the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, while shoppers will find one of the UK's finest shopping malls, The Bullring, in the city centre.

    Birmingham is the birthplace of the Balti, so a fiery Indian feast should definitely be on your to-do list while you're in town. And the city heats up after dark, with an array of cosy real ale pubs, chic cocktail bars and pulsing nightclubs to crawl between.

    What to see & do in Birmingham

    Featured stories & fun stuff

    The best things to do in Birmingham continually evolve along with the progress of this former-industrial city in the West Midlands. You can enjoy live theatrical performances staged in world-class venues. And if the weather's nice, you can head to one of the many urban parks surrounding the city centre. Plenty of seasonal events and festivals are held throughout the year, bringing different experiences for visitors to enjoy... Read more

    Show more

    what’s around Birmingham

    Where & what to eat in Birmingham

    The dining scene in Birmingham has grown massively in recent years, with more high-end cuisine joining the diverse range of pan-Asian options that the city has long been known for. Thanks to the cosmopolitan nature of the city, classic highlights of dining in Birmingham include Chinese restaurants in Chinatown and Indian food along Curry Mile. Both of these options are highly recommended for a delicious meal in Birmingham... Read more

    Show more

    Where to shop & what to buy in Birmingham

    Birmingham’s best shopping is found in and around the Bullring shopping mall and the pedestrianised roads leading off it, like New Street and Corporation Street. For discount and trendy vintage clothes, head to the Rag Market on the way to Digbeth – this area is popular with the large student population that calls Birmingham home. For something more precious, take a look around the aptly named Jewellery Quarter. This neighbourhood was... Read more

    Where to go & what to do at night in Birmingham

    Birmingham’s nightlife has plenty of variety, which includes fantastic live art and culture, a famous live music scene and innumerable pubs and bars. The area between New Street Station and Birmingham Chinatown is particularly good for nightlife exploits as you’ll find theatres, nightclubs, and bars to choose from. Another area of the city popular for nightlife is Brindley Place, where you’ll be able to enjoy a night of dining, drinking... Read more

    Show more

    Useful information

    This section contains important Birmingham information to help you get to know the UK's 2nd city while planning your travel itinerary. Birmingham plays a vital role in the culture and commerce of the country. Sitting in the West Midlands, the city has been a centre of industry for generations, which is something the locals take as a point of pride. The Industrial Revolution started not far from the city, which... Read more

    Show more

    Stories from contributors

    See all stories
    See all stories

    Browse Birmingham by category

    Start planning your trip

    More information about Birmingham

    Find diverse shopping, cutting-edge art and a global dining scene on a Birmingham city break. Book a Birmingham hotel to enjoy this lively West Midlands city.

    Shopping central

    Re-defining Birmingham’s cityscape near New Street Station is the curved exterior of the Bullring Centre, clad in gleaming discs like a sequinned dress. Housing 160 stores, the complex includes four floors of Selfridges and designer shopping like Armani and Hugo Boss concentrated in the stylish Mailbox mall. For vintage finds and organic food head to Digbeth’s Sunday Flea, in the Custard Factory art hub, south of the centre.

    Culture hub

    The innovative Ikon Gallery in the city centre Brindleyplace shows off the latest in contemporary art in a glorious neo-Gothic schoolhouse. Its sister gallery, Ikon Eastside, lies in regenerated Digbeth to the south. Behind the Victorian facade of the free-entry Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is the world’s largest pre-Raphaelite collection. Modern art masterpieces reside in St Paul’s Gallery, north of centre in the Jewellery Quarter. Book tickets at Symphony Hall to hear classical pieces performed by the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The Electric Cinema’s global film programme and the Birmingham Hippodrome are popular with film buffs and theatregoers. 

    World cuisine

    For sublime curries, the Balti Triangle of Sparkbrook, Balsall Heath and Moseley in south Birmingham is a must on a Birmingham city break. Take your own drink as most restaurants are unlicensed. Chinatown, near the Bullring, is crammed with great-value Oriental eateries. In the summer, nothing beats alfresco dining by Brindleyplace’s canals. For Michelin-starred food, order guinea fowl and Devonshire crab at city centre Purnell’s restaurant.

    Family-friendly fun

    Over 200 hands-on exhibits bring science and history alive at Thinktank at Millennium Point, north of the Bullring. Star-gaze inside its state-of-the-art Planetarium. At the National Sealife Centre by Brindleyplace, sharks, rays and sea turtles are among the residents of the million-litre ocean tunnel. Also don’t miss its Sensorama 4D cinema where you can even smell the seaweed. Four miles from central Birmingham is Cadbury World. Experience a virtual chocolate rain shower and stock up in the world's largest Cadbury store.

    Also popular in United Kingdom

    Keep exploring

    England

    United Kingdom

    Europe

    Africa

    Asia

    Australia - New Zealand and the South Pacific

    Caribbean

    Mexico and Central America

    Middle East

    North America

    South America

    Back to top