Rapidly shaking off its reputation as a boring industrial city, the Birmingham of today is a cultural powerhouse of central England.
Yes, really! Britain’s second city has come on leaps and bounds in the last fifteen years. Derided by many for its accent and failing football teams, the city is seen as increasingly attractive for its culture, shopping and festivals. Birmingham is an amazing place for a weekend break, and we’re going to prove it to you! Ready? Let’s go…
See the Selfridges building
Do you love it or hate it? Decide by getting up and close and personal with the iconic modern building, part of Birmingham’s Bullring shopping complex. It has won many architectural awards and helped to boost Birmingham’s reputation as a shopping city, but not everyone loves its distinctive design.
The striking façade of 15,000 spun anodised aluminium discs was inspired by a famous 1960s chainmail Paco Rabanne dress, and the building’s flowing shape is intended to represent the female form. The deep blue colour of the building itself was created in 1962 by French artist Yves Klein, in collaboration with Eduoard Adam.
Say hello to the bull
Birmingham’s bull, officially named The Guardian, is a meeting place for the city’s locals, but also one of the world’s top public artworks according to a list in the Independent newspaper. It placed alongside iconic structures including the Statue of Liberty and Michelangelo’s David.
The six-tonne sculpture is twice the size of a real bull so it makes a more lasting impression. It was installed for the opening of the Bullring in 2003.
Shop in the Bullring
Okay, enough! You’ve seen the iconic Selfridges building and said hello the city’s guardian, well it’s now time to step inside one of Britain’s most famous shopping centres. The Bullring is split into two halves, four floors and anchored by flagship stores of both Selfridges and Debenhams.
The original 1960s centre was plagued with issues and did not age well. Its boxy grey brutalist concrete architecture and location isolated by roads helped to give Birmingham its former unpleasant reputation. The new centre has played a major part in transforming the image of the city.
Wander the canal towpaths
The heart of the West Midlands canal network flows right through the city centre. Strolling the canal’s towpaths is a great way to see how the city has changed. One minute you’re wandering past former warehouses and parklands and the next you’re underneath glitzy apartments.
Several watering holes are on the towpaths themselves or close by at the Brindley Place development, so this doesn’t have to be a long walk! For an alternative perspective, jump on the year-round Sherborne Wharf Water Bus that trundles around five stops within the city centre.
See Tolkien’s inspiration
Middle England = Middle Earth? JRR Tolkien is widely believed to have taken inspiration from his surroundings in and around Birmingham when he created The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Sarehole and its mill are said to be the inspiration for Hobbiton and Middle Earth.
Moseley Bog is another area that Tolkien and his brother used to explore during childhood which made it into the stories, while the Victorian waterworks tower and brick folly near Edgbaston Reservoir are said to have inspired the two towers of Gondor.
Experience the history of chocolate
It may not be as experiential as Willy Wonka’s factory, but visiting the Cadbury factory in the Birmingham suburb of Bournville is the next best thing. Take the self-guided tour on the history and the production of chocolate in general and how the philanthropic Cadbury family began producing it.
You’ll then enter the factory tour and get to see a 4D movie before visiting the factory shop where you can bulk buy chocolate!
Bournville, the workers’ village built by the Cadbury family, has never had a pub due to the family’s Quaker faith. The historic village green and the surrounding streets are some of the most picturesque in the city and well worth a stroll while you’re in the area.
Buy your wedding ring
Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter is adjacent to the city centre and easily walkable yet missed by many tourists who have no idea it exists. The picturesque district is home to the largest concentration of jewellery trade businesses in all of Europe, so it is the perfect place to shop for that special item.
Thousands of people also live in the compact area, many in converted factory buildings. This influx of population has resulted in many upscale pubs, bars and restaurants opening up, making the Jewellery Quarter one of the best places to grab a meal or a pint in the city. The 18th-century St. Paul’s Church and the surrounding square are also worth a look.
Catch a match
Aston Villa and Birmingham City consistently vie for the title of the city’s leading club. Aston Villa play at Villa Park, a large stadium visible from the Aston Expressway motorway on your way into the city, while Birmingham City play at St. Andrew’s in the Bordesley district on the other side of the city.
If neither side are playing a home game while you’re in town, there are other options to consider. Just outside the city limits you’ll find West Bromwich Albion, whose Hawthorns Stadium is on the light rail line between Birmingham and Wolverhampton. Also within easy reach of Birmingham are the clubs Wolverhampton Wanderers and Walsall.
Visit the UK’s oldest working cinema
Opened in 1909, the Electric has been entertaining the city’s film-lovers ever since although its name has changed over the years. That it still survives today is nothing short of miraculous. The theatre only kept going throughout the 1960s and 1970s by showing adult films, and it has twice been closed for substantial periods of time.
Visiting the cinema is a whole different experience from your typical multiplex. Firstly, it’s fully licensed cinema with a fully stocked bar, selling everything from beer and wine to an authentic absinthe fountain. Snacks include olives, nuts, hummus and chorizo rather than popcorn.
What are your favourite things to do in England’s second city?
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