Birmingham

Travel Guide

Victoria Square featuring a square or plaza, flowers and heritage architecture
Birmingham
Birmingham
Stratford-upon-Avon featuring boating and a bay or harbor
Aston Hall which includes a castle and heritage architecture

Birmingham Travel Guide Video

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.

Where to stay in Birmingham

Bullring Shopping Centre

Birmingham City Centre

4/5(116 area reviews)

Known for its fantastic nightlife and popular shops, there's plenty to explore in Birmingham City Centre. Check out top attractions like Birmingham Cathedral and Victoria Square, and jump on the metro at Grand Central Tram Stop or Corporation Street Tram Stop to see more of the city.

Birmingham City Centre
Default Image

Edgbaston

4.5/5(12 area reviews)

Visitors often come to Edgbaston for its abundant dining options, but many stay to explore sights like Hagley Road and Birmingham Botanical Gardens. Getting around the area on the metro is easy if you catch a ride at Edgbaston Village Station.

Edgbaston
Coventry featuring night scenes

Coventry City Centre

3.5/5(4 area reviews)

Coventry City Centre is noteworthy for its museums, and you can make a stop at top attractions like Coventry Cathedral and Coventry Transport Museum.

Coventry City Centre
Sat outside NEC Birmingham

Marston Green

Well-liked for its restaurants and museums, Marston Green is worth a visit. Check out the variety of things to see and do like The Bear Grylls Adventure and Resorts World Arena, and jump on the metro at Air Rail Link Tram Stop to get around the city.

Marston Green
Ikon Gallery which includes a square or plaza, night scenes and a city

Westside

4/5(16 area reviews)

Known for its fantastic nightlife and popular shops, there's plenty to explore in Westside. Check out top attractions like Broad Street and National SEA LIFE Centre, and jump on the metro at Five Ways Tram Stop or Brindley Place Tram Stop to see more of the city.

Westside
Jewellery Quarter which includes heritage architecture and street scenes

Jewellery Quarter

Shopping, restaurants, and theaters are just a few things travelers like about Jewellery Quarter. Sights like Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and Royal Birmingham Society of Artists are spots to explore, and you can get around the greater Birmingham area at Jewellery Quarter Tram Stop.

Jewellery Quarter
Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Centre by IHG
Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Centre by IHG
4 out of 5
Central Square, Holliday Street, Birmingham, England
$98 nightly
The price is $115 total per night from Jun 29 to Jun 30
$115 total
Jun 29 - Jun 30
Total includes taxes and fees
Stay at this 4-star eco-certified hotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and 24-hour room service. Our guests praise the breakfast and ...
8.6/10 Excellent! (1,010 reviews)
"Hotel was great! Staff weren’t familiar with the area and pointed me in the wrong direction, so missed out on some sentimental visits"

Reviewed on Jun 10, 2025

Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Centre by IHG
Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham
Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham
4 out of 5
245 Broad Street, Birmingham, England
$86 nightly
The price is $104 total per night from Jun 29 to Jun 30
$104 total
Jun 29 - Jun 30
Total includes taxes and fees
Stay at this 4-star eco-certified hotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and room service. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (2,669 reviews)
"Stayed overnight after a concert at the arena - lovely clean room with very comfortable beds. Polite staff. Hoping to book again when we go to another show!"

Reviewed on Jun 11, 2025

Leonardo Royal Hotel Birmingham
Royal Court Hotel & Spa Coventry
Royal Court Hotel & Spa Coventry
3 out of 5
Tamworth Road, Keresley End, Coventry, England
$51 nightly
The price is $61 total per night from Jul 6 to Jul 7
$61 total
Jul 6 - Jul 7
Total includes taxes and fees
Book a stay at this spa hotel in Coventry. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in our ...
6.6/10 (1,002 reviews)
"The staff were friendly and helpful"

Reviewed on Jun 8, 2025

Royal Court Hotel & Spa Coventry
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.
Staycity Aparthotels , Birmingham, City Centre
Staycity Aparthotels , Birmingham, City Centre
3.5 out of 5
88 Charlotte Street, Birmingham, England
Stay at this 3.5-star aparthotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful staff and the clean ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (1,049 reviews)
"Enjoyed the stay. The reception staff when checking in were a bit rude. I had to wait while two staff finished their gossip conversation. Otherwise the staff were great."

Reviewed on Jun 9, 2025

Staycity Aparthotels , Birmingham, City Centre
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 (surcharge), and a 24-hour fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful ...
9.2/10 Wonderful! (1,207 reviews)
Great place to stay
"Really great place to stay. Studio flat was big enough. Location was really good, very close to both Moor Street and New street stations, and to the shopping area, everything in walking distance with great transport links. Breakfast was amazing, and the lady attending breakfast was really lovely! ..."

Reviewed on Jun 7, 2025

Aparthotel Adagio Birmingham City Centre
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 (surcharge), and laundry facilities. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. ...
8/10 Very Good! (207 reviews)
Superb
"We loved the accommodation . We didnt know what to expect but it exceeded our expectations ! We even got upgraded for free !!! Would definitely recommend"

Reviewed on Jun 11, 2025

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 MidlandsOpens in a new window 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.

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Reviews of Birmingham

4.1
Top Destination
5 - Excellent
42
5 - Excellent 28%
4 - Good
84
4 - Good 56%
3 - Okay
22
3 - Okay 15%
2 - Disappointing
1
2 - Disappointing 1%
1 - Terrible
2
1 - Terrible 1%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveler

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

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Very lively atmosphere. Great restaurants and plenty to do

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveler

Loved the city!

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveler

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

4/5 - Good

Verified traveler

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

4/5 - Good

Karen

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 

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