Birmingham was once the epicentre of Britain’s industrial revolution but is now in the midst of a regeneration that is making it a brilliant place for shopping, culture and fun.
Much of the city centre is pedestrianised and this combined with recent redevelopments, like the large Bullring shopping centre, are making Birmingham a top retail destination. The Jewellery Quarter just north of the centre is home to many boutiques and specialist retailers and workshops, most notably for jewellery but also other luxury goods. Another famous export from Birmingham is Cadbury’s chocolate, and Cadbury World, the huge chocolate factory in Bourneville, will delight the whole family with its tour of chocolate history and production; the free samples alone are worth the flights to Birmingham!
Plenty of sports enthusiasts get cheap flights to Birmingham to visit Villa Park and St Andrews, the homes of Aston Villa and Birmingham City football clubs. Cricket fans will want to go to Edgbaston Cricket Ground, the home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club. The NEC Arena hosts lots of special one-off events and concerts too.
Birmingham is excellent for live music, with Black Sabbath and UB40 having cut their musical teeth here, and there is always something to see each night in areas like Digbeth with its popular venues the HMV Institute and the Custard Factory. Other great nightlife areas outside of the centre include Moseley and Selly Oak. Watch out for dress codes though as they are common throughout the city.
