Once a smoky industrial powerhouse known as the “City of 1000 Trades,” Birmingham in the 21st century is a vibrant and diverse city that’s home to a plethora of distinctly local attractions.
Whether you’re exploring Digbeth’s jaunty street art, sampling some of the country’s most unique gastronomy, or strolling the city’s colorful canals, it’s the creativity and warmth of its people that brings out the best in Birmingham.
Conveniently located in the center of the UK, Birmingham is easy to reach – but much harder to leave. Here’s how to make the most of your time in Britain’s second city.
Stroll Birmingham’s Finest Stretch of Canal
Birmingham was built around its vast network of canals. To see them at their best, take a stroll along the meandering 45-minute stretch between Gas Street Basin and the University of Birmingham.
The lively waterside bars, bistros, and restaurants of Brindley Place and The Mailbox are perfect for refreshments. However, once you walk down the Old Line canal past Five Ways, the towpath transforms into a tranquil oasis filled with overhanging foliage. The elegant university grounds are also a treat to explore, as is the underrated Barber Institute of Fine Arts.
Stay at a Grand Institution
Once host to figures like Winston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin, the Grand Hotel was the epitome of luxury in Victorian Birmingham. After a 20-year slumber, this local institution on Colmore Row reopened in May 2021 following a £45m refurbishment.
Originally opened in 1879, this Grade II-listed building retains its incredible period features, including the grand staircase adorned with gilded marble columns and the extraordinary Louis IV-style grand ballroom. The hotel’s stylish rooms also provide impressive views of St Phillips Cathedral grounds, colloquially known as Pigeon Park.
Uncover Digbeth’s Street Art
Digbeth sprawls out from the city center’s southwestern fringes and is alive with some of Birmingham’s most energetic bars. The extensive street art and graffiti in the neighborhood are striking. The gritty streets around the Custard Factory provide a perfect canvas for the city’s talented creatives to showcase their work.
Notable local artists, such as Annatomix and gent48, contribute to this vibrant scene. Be sure to explore Floodgate Street, Gibb Street, and Lower Trinity Street, which showcase some of Birmingham’s boldest street art.
Experience Victorian Birmingham at the Back to Backs
Discussing Birmingham’s industrial past is easy; reflecting on daily life from this era can be challenging. However, at one corner of the city center, you can gain insight into working-class Birmingham’s living conditions over 100 years ago.
Located on lively Hurst Street, the Birmingham Back to Backs are the last remaining examples of the city’s 19th-century back-to-back terraced houses. You can take guided tours led by passionate locals who vividly recount the challenges – and joys – of life in these densely populated buildings. Ensure you plan your visit ahead of time – and don’t miss the 1930s-era sweets shop on the corner.
Enjoy the View from the Secret Garden
Birmingham boasts a unique skyline with curvaceous oddities like the Bullring and the Rotunda, making it worthwhile to find a vantage point. The best viewing platform in the city isn’t in a skyscraper; instead, it is located on the 7th floor of the Library of Birmingham in Centenary Square.
The library’s Secret Garden may lack towering heights, but it compensates with genuinely panoramic outdoor views, ample space to roam, and a delightful elevated green area perfect for relaxation above the city’s hustle and bustle.
Try a Balti in Its Hometown
Birmingham is renowned for having more Michelin-star restaurants than any other city in the UK outside of London. Nonetheless, the dish embodying the city’s essence is the humble one-pot stew: the Balti. Originating from Birmingham’s Pakistani community in the early 1970s, the Balti is a spicy curry cooked rapidly over a high flame using the freshest ingredients.
You can now find Baltis throughout the city; however, the Balti Triangle neighborhood, just a couple of miles south of the city center, is the dish’s spiritual home. Visit the original pioneer restaurant Adil’s or the modern favorite Shababs on Ladypool Road to experience the Balti at its finest.
Get Outdoors in the Lickey Hills
With over 8000 acres of award-winning green spaces and parks, Birmingham is among the greenest cities in Europe. If you want to combine stunning views with charming woodland trails, then head to the Lickey Hills Country Park.
Located just 10 miles southwest of Birmingham city center, the hills are easily accessible by train, bus, or car and are ideal for walks year-round. Ensure you hike up to the nearly 300m-high summit of Beacon Hill, where you will enjoy spectacular views of Birmingham’s skyline to the north and the distant Malvern Hills to the south.
Drink the Stirchley Beer Mile
Stirchley’s emergence as a craft-beer haven has been both delightful and unexpected. With several splendid pubs and taprooms conveniently located, adventurous beer enthusiasts can traverse Stirchley Beer Mile to sample the best this south Birmingham neighborhood has to offer.
Starting at Cork and Cage and ending at GlassHouse in the south, with vibrant stops at Attic Brew Co and Birmingham Brewing Company, there are numerous spots to relish various IPAs to your heart’s content.
Trace Birmingham’s Diverse Musical Heritage
From the reggae rhythms of UB40 to Black Sabbath’s groundbreaking heavy metal sound and Duran Duran’s catchy new-wave pop, few cities in the UK have produced music as diverse as Birmingham.
Regardless of whether locals recognize it, each neighborhood has enriched the city’s musical heritage. Musical Routes brings this to life with beautiful 3D wooden relief maps situated at 30 train stations throughout Birmingham. These unique artworks highlight the cultural contributions of each depicted area, celebrating artists, record shops, venues, and studios.
Enter Paradise
If you want to ignite a spirited debate in Birmingham, ask a local for their thoughts on the now-demolished Central Library. Regardless of opinions about the city’s famous brutalist building, its replacement at Chamberlain Square also makes an impression: Paradise Birmingham.
Amid gleaming new office towers, the revitalized square features a pleasant white sheen and has attracted esteemed restaurants like Dishoom and Rosa’s Thai Café. The volume and vibrancy have increased further with the recent addition of Albert’s Schloss, a lively Bavarian-style restaurant and bar spread across two floors.
Learn How Birmingham Became a Jewelry Capital
As a manufacturing powerhouse during the Industrial Revolution, Birmingham was renowned for its jewelry trade. Much of this activity took place in the Jewellery Quarter, a charming area that still produces 40% of the UK’s jewelry.
With its beautifully preserved workshops and live demonstrations, the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter serves as a fascinating insight into Birmingham’s heritage. Be sure to visit the quirky bars and restaurants in the area as well, including the aptly titled 1000 Trades and the intriguing The Wilderness.
Hit the Arcades
Birmingham offers a wealth of shopping opportunities, with the Bullring, Grand Central, and The Mailbox offering a vast selection of brands and boutiques. For a more evocative shopping experience, take a stroll through the city’s historic arcades.
Located across from Snow Hill Station, the Great Western Arcade is an ornate Victorian delight filled with independent sellers, while the Piccadilly Arcade, located across from New St Station, features an even more fascinating backstory. Dating back to 1925 and showcasing a lavishly painted ceiling fresco, this arcade once served as an Edwardian cinema – which explains its sloping floor.
See an Epic Cathedral
Just a short 14-mile train ride north of the city lays one of the most unique cathedrals in the country.
Dating back to the 14th century and soaring over 250ft above the town’s skyline, Lichfield Cathedral is one of only three three-spired cathedrals in the UK and the only one dating back to the Middle Ages. Spend time touring the charming cathedral grounds before concluding your visit at award-winning chef Tom Shepherd’s exquisite new restaurant Upstairs.
Escape the City by Kayak
Located quietly on Sheepcote Street and backing onto the Birmingham Canal Old Line, The Roundhouse has been a staple on the canal towpath since 1874 and previously housed stables and stores. Having been derelict for many years, the Grade II-listed building is now freshly renovated and offers sustainable guided city and canal tours.
Take the Green Escape Kayak Tour for an eco-friendly exploration of Birmingham’s waterways and green spaces.
See a Real “Peaky Blinders” Set
Led by the indomitable Tommy Shelby, the acclaimed BBC crime drama Peaky Blinders has introduced Birmingham (along with its memorable local accent) to a global audience. Even though the show is not filmed on location in the city, visitors can see an authentic historic Peaky Blinders set at the Black Country Living Museum.
In addition to experiencing famous filming locations along the canal and in the yard, visitors can explore a painstakingly recreated 19th-century industrial landscape. Fans of the series should try to synchronize their visit with the regular Peaky Blinders Nights.
