Birmingham

Travel Guide
Birmingham
The second-largest city in the U.K. is known for its museums and shopping, canals, food and music.

Located in central England, Birmingham attracts visitors with its concert venues and shopping districts, art exhibitions, curry restaurants and chocolate factory. The city was at the heart of the industrial revolution in the 1700s and 1800s, with many advancements in technology and science developed in the city’s factories. Today, Birmingham is the second largest city in the United Kingdom. Getting around is made easy by an efficient public transport system of trains and buses. Explore the city’s canals – left over from the Industrial Revolution – by boat tour. Victoria Square is the focal point of the city many major attractions are within walking distance. Find Pre-Raphaelite masterpieces at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Shop for high-end clothing at The Mailbox, and admire the 18th-century architecture of Birmingham Cathedral. Learn about the impact of the Industrial Revolution at Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum. There are interactive activities for younger visitors, including a giant hamster wheel and square-wheeled wagon. Go to the Jewellery Quarter, just west of the city center, to learn about a centuries-old industry and shop for handcrafted pieces. Head south of the center to find chains stores and independent boutiques at the Bullring Shopping Centre. Birmingham’s music scene comes to life during the summer months. Enjoy free concerts during the Birmingham Jazz Festival. Listen to orchestras and world-famous musicians at Symphony Hall, a venue that hosts hundreds of events throughout the year.Take time to explore around 8,000 acres (3,237 hectares) of public green spaces. Sports enthusiasts will appreciate the golf courses and boating lakes at Sutton Park, north of the city center. To the south, at Sarehole Mill, you can walk in the footsteps of J.R.R. Tolkien. Both are a short train ride from the city center. Don’t miss out on Birmingham’s culinary scene, influenced by African, Caribbean, Chinese and Indian cultures. Visit the Curry Mile in the south of the city, so called for its large concentration of Indian restaurants, and get a chocolate hit during the tasting sessions at Cadbury World.

Birmingham Travel Guide Video

Where to stay in Birmingham

The Arden Hotel & Leisure Club
The Arden Hotel & Leisure Club
3 out of 5
Coventry Road, Bickenhill, Solihull, England
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is $82 per night from Oct 1 to Oct 2
$82
per night
Oct 1 - Oct 2
Stay at this 3-star family-friendly hotel in Solihull. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and breakfast. Our guests praise the property condition in our reviews. ...
8/10 Very Good! (1,005 reviews)
Overall, a very nice place to stay
"A little tired looking, but otherwise a great value, convenient little gem. And super customer service, from the guys in the bar, where I had a fairly reasonably (for a hotel) priced bar meal, to the receptionists who checked me in and out. Plus when my television stopped working i wasn't just offered ..."

Reviewed on Sep 16, 2023

The Arden Hotel & Leisure Club
Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham - Formerly Jurys Inn
Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham - Formerly Jurys Inn
4 out of 5
245 Broad Street, Birmingham, England
The price is $93 per night from Oct 22 to Oct 23
$93
per night
Oct 22 - Oct 23
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast, and room service. Our guests praise the bar and the convenient parking ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,481 reviews)
"Excellent"

Reviewed on Sep 21, 2023

Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham - Formerly Jurys Inn
Genting Hotel
Genting Hotel
4 out of 5
Pendigo Way, Birmingham, England
The price is $106 per night from Oct 24 to Oct 25
$106
per night
Oct 24 - Oct 25
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free WiFi, 18 restaurants, and a casino. Our guests praise the restaurant and the property condition in our ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,001 reviews)
"Really impressed to see their clean, bright and colorful stair space. Encourage people to step up and down rather than wait and jam into the lift. Breakfast brilliant!"

Reviewed on Sep 11, 2023

Genting Hotel
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Aparthotel Adagio Birmingham City Centre
Aparthotel Adagio Birmingham City Centre
4 out of 5
131 Digbeth, Birmingham, England
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly aparthotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast, and a 24-hour fitness center. Popular attractions Bullring Shopping ...
9/10 Wonderful! (906 reviews)
"Linda the front desk excellent customer service polite courteous. the apartment room very comfortable new place everything working well spacious."

Reviewed on Sep 22, 2023

Aparthotel Adagio Birmingham City Centre
Square to Staycity Aparthotels Birmingham Jewellery Quarter
Square to Staycity Aparthotels Birmingham Jewellery Quarter
3.5 out of 5
88 Charlotte Street, Birmingham, England
Stay at this 3.5-star aparthotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast, and a fitness center. Popular attractions Bullring Shopping Centre and St. Paul's ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (827 reviews)
Great for a girls trip
"Staff at reception very nice, room spacious, great location for going into the city centre during the day and at night-walkable. Parked at NCP car park like 2 minute walk away. Lighting isn’t good for doing makeup so you would need to bring a light up mirror ideally. Overall very nice apart hotel, ..."

Reviewed on Sep 4, 2023

Square to Staycity Aparthotels Birmingham Jewellery Quarter
The Spires Serviced Apartments Birmingham
The Spires Serviced Apartments Birmingham
4 out of 5
10 Commercial Street, Birmingham, England
Stay at this 4-star aparthotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast, and laundry facilities. Popular attractions Bullring Shopping Centre and The Mailbox ...
8/10 Very Good! (106 reviews)
10 /10
"Lovely apartments we was all very happy with everything in there had everything you need for stay beds was comfortable and was very clean"

Reviewed on Aug 28, 2023

The Spires Serviced Apartments Birmingham
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Getting around Birmingham

If you’re staying in the city center of Birmingham, take advantage of the extensive pedestrianized zones and explore on foot – the best way to experience the city’s famous architecture up close. There is also an extensive bus network across the city, and local trains connect the city to the surrounding area. One trolley line, the Midland Metro, runs between the historic Jewellery Quarter and outlying towns. Visit the Transport for West Midlands website.Browse Birmingham rental cars.

Best time to visit

Birmingham has a temperate climate, with warm summers, cool winters and moderate rainfall throughout the year. To have the best chance of warm, sunny weather, you should visit between June and August, when average temperatures peak in the low 70s F (low 20s C). Spring and fall can variously be lovely and warm or rather cold, but prices are cheaper at this time of year. Winter is often gray, cold and wet.

Popular places to visit

Reviews of Birmingham

4.1
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
42
" "5 - Excellent 27.814569536423843%
4 - Good
84
" "4 - Good 55.629139072847686%
3 - Okay
22
" "3 - Okay 14.56953642384106%
2 - Disappointing
1
" "2 - Disappointing 0.6622516556291391%
1 - Terrible
2
" "1 - Terrible 1.3245033112582782%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveler
Mar 6, 2020

Birmingham is a pleasant change from London. Worth a visit.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler
Feb 26, 2020

Very lively atmosphere. Great restaurants and plenty to do

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler
Jan 23, 2020

Loved the city!

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveler
Nov 20, 2019

Nothing much to say about Birmingham, large multi-cultural city. Has its good points and its bad.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveler
Oct 18, 2019

Very diverse, with great food. Easy to commute with old but interesting buildings . The people are very friendly and polite

4/5 - Good

Karen
Oct 10, 2019

Very sad to see how much rubbish, broken glass, graffiti, and homeless were on the streets. We haven’t been in Brum for 19 years and it has changed. BUT, it is still our cherished family city 

Cities near Birmingham