Birmingham

Travel Guide

Victoria Square featuring heritage architecture, a city and flowers
Birmingham
Birmingham
Stratford-upon-Avon which includes a bay or harbour and boating
Birmingham

Birmingham is the largest and most populous British city outside of London, located in the West Midlands often referred to as the geographical heart of Britain. Birmingham, the city where the great industrial revolution began in the 1800s, was a thriving city attracting workers from around Britain as the industry grew. Today Birmingham has undergone something of a transformation with industrial manufacturing being replaced with services. Museums, galleries, high end hotels and excellent shopping facilities have all contributed to Birmingham becoming a popular destination for a short weekend break.

Birmingham has a wide range of accommodation types to suit all budgets from spa breaks to low budget hotels, you will find a range of options available in the city centre, airport or near your meeting venue.

Family Day Out

If you are taking the family with you then a visit to Cadbury World is a must, where the whole family can enjoy a fascinating, fun-packed chocolate adventure. With a new 4D cinema experience where lots of Cadbury chocolate characters are brought to life, the whole family is sure to be entertained. Be sure to stop at the world’s largest Cadbury shop on your way out!

Birmingham may well be a shopper’s paradise, with a choice of well-known brands mixed with historic markets, not to mention the world-famous jewellery quarter, Birmingham truly does have something for all shopping tastes. Have your picture taken with The Bull at the front of the Bull Ring Shopping Centre: The Bull is often referenced as the symbol of the city.

Enjoy the Culture

If its culture that you look for then the Birmingham Museum Art Gallery is a must. Here you can learn more of this city’s culture and heritage. The art gallery is famous for its Pre-Raphaelite paintings in fact, it’s the largest Pre-Raphaelite collection in the world. The museum’s exhibition on the Staffordshire hoard is informative and certainly worth a visit to learn more about this fascinating find.

Located in the heart of the city of Birmingham is the Birmingham Back to Back Houses, the last surviving courtyard of this type of housing in the city: a real part of this city’s urban history. Come prepared, there’s plenty of stairs to climb as you make your way through the exhibition with the informative and knowledgeable visitor guides.

Birmingham is also a great city to visit if you enjoy watching live sport. There’s plenty of football, athletics, cricket, speedway and tennis on at various times during the year, so look ahead and plan your visit accordingly.

They love their food in Birmingham, with food festivals and events taking place throughout the year. If you enjoy a quality meal cooked with locally sourced ingredients you won’t be disappointed when in Birmingham there’re plenty of Michelin starred restaurants and other stylish restaurants to choose from.

Where to stay in Birmingham

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Birmingham City Centre

4/5(2,149 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
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Edgbaston

3.5/5(332 area reviews)

Take time in Edgbaston to visit attractions like Hagley Road and Birmingham Botanical Gardens. You might also appreciate the abundant dining options, and you can hop on the metro at Edgbaston Village Station to see more of the city.

Edgbaston
Coventry featuring night scenes

Coventry City Centre

3.5/5(40 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
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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 showing a square or plaza, a city and night scenes

Westside

4/5(64 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 showing street scenes and heritage architecture

Jewellery Quarter

Shopping, restaurants and theatres are just a few things travellers 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
Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club
Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club
4 out of 5
Maxstoke Lane, Meriden, Birmingham, Solihull, England
The price is €94 per night from 29 Jun to 30 Jun
€94
29 Jun - 30 Jun
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Solihull. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the breakfast and the helpful staff in our ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (1,010 reviews)
"Booked in for a family celebration, meal and overnight stay. The hotel staff were really helpful in ensuring we had what we needed including accommodating members of our party with mobility issues."

Reviewed on 15 Jun 2025

Forest of Arden Hotel & Country Club
Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Centre by IHG
Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Centre by IHG
4 out of 5
Central Square, Holliday Street, Birmingham, England
The price is €100 per night from 22 Jun to 23 Jun
€100
22 Jun - 23 Jun
includes taxes & 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 10 Jun 2025

Crowne Plaza Birmingham City Centre by IHG
ibis Styles Birmingham NEC and Airport
ibis Styles Birmingham NEC and Airport
3 out of 5
Bickenhill Lane, N E C House, Birmingham, England
Fully refundableReserve now, pay when you stay
The price is €80 per night from 30 Jun to 1 Jul
€80
30 Jun - 1 Jul
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 3-star business-friendly hotel in Birmingham. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful staff ...
8.2/10 Very Good! (1,006 reviews)
"The person on reception struggled to find our booking which lead to us standing in reception for a period of time when we were hot and tired after travelling for 3 hours."

Reviewed on 13 Jun 2025

ibis Styles Birmingham NEC and Airport
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 9 Jun 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! (1,209 reviews)
Great hotel
"Very comfy beds. We were greeted by the lovely Linda who made us feel completely at home. The breakfast was good, and they were so careful to cater for my allergies. A great stay."

Reviewed on 15 Jun 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 11 Jun 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.

Popular places to visit

Things to do

Reviews of Birmingham

4
Top destination
5 - Excellent
702
5 - Excellent 29%
4 - Good
1086
4 - Good 45%
3 - Okay
463
3 - Okay 19%
2 - Disappointing
86
2 - Disappointing 4%
1 - Terrible
51
1 - Terrible 2%

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Friendly people and the best city in the UK

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

I applaud the cleanliness of the area I visited

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveller

Loads of developments and upgrading of buildings and road infrastructure etc. Road diversion routes confusing but will eventually result in the city center being a pleasant place to visit

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

We were in Birmingham for a gig just out of town but had a wander around the centre and were very impressed.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

love it

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

Great city