Birmingham is such a huge, thriving city that it’s hard to choose just ten must-do things. My original list was much longer, and it took a long while to whittle it down, but (in no particular order) here goes…
1 Pay a visit to Cadbury World. Amongst its many claims to fame, Birmingham is home to Cadbury’s chocolate, and Cadbury World is one of the city’s biggest attractions. Discover how the chocolate is made, find out more about the Cadbury family and the impact they had on work and social conditions in Birmingham – and of course eat plenty of chocolate.
2 Wander around the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. Here you will find the Staffordshire Hoard, ancient Egyptian relics, silver goods made in the city, Victorian toys, the world’s leading collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings and the recently opened Birmingham History Galleries, so wherever your particular interest lies you’re bound to find something to please. When you’re ready for a sit down you can try out the museum’s delightful Edwardian Tearoom for drinks, snacks or even a hot meal.
3 Have a drink in the Old Joint Stock. This former bank is possibly the most ornate pub you will ever enter. Make sure you look up at the ceiling while you are waiting to be served, and be sure to check out what is on at their little theatre upstairs.
4 Go shopping. You’ll definitely need your wallets as Birmingham has some of the best shopping around – from the Bullring, the largest indoor shopping centre in Europe and home to Selfridges, and the Mailbox, home to Harvey Nicholls, to the Rag market where you can pick up vintage clothing at bargain rates.
5 Have a look round one of the small but fascinating museums in the Jewellery Quarter. Choose between the JQ Museum, where you can discover what a small jewellery factory looked like a hundred years ago, and the Pen Museum which tells the story of one of the city’s most lucrative trades – or why not visit them both?
6 Relax with some of the city’s greatest talents: watch the Birmingham Royal Ballet perform at the Hippodrome theatre, or listen to the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra at the spectacular Symphony Hall, which was designed to give the best acoustics possible.
7 Go for a balti. This is Birmingham’s signature dish, and we have a whole area, known as the Balti Triangle, devoted to this particular cuisine. No visit to Brum is complete without a taste of one!
8 Head over to Aston to see Aston Hall and gardens. The house holds the history of the English Civil War as well as a ghost or two, and the gardens are beautiful in the summer.
9 Stroll around Sutton Park – 4 square miles of woodland, common land and lakes. It’s only a short bus ride from the city centre, but the trees screen traffic sounds so well you will find it hard to remember that you are in Britain’s 2nd largest city. Keep an eye open for the wild ponies while you are there.
10 Book a walking tour with Midlands Discovery Tours. I admit I am a little biased here as I run these, along with my business partner, Michael, but you don’t just have to take my word for it. They are a good way to see parts of the city you might otherwise miss, and to find out some interesting facts to impress your friends with. Choose from a variety of routes and themes: City centre, Canals, Jewellery Quarter, City of 1000 Trades, Heroes and Villains, Ghost Walk.
Above all, enjoy your visit to the city. If you would like a private tour with a Blue Badge Guide, tailored to your individual interests, you can always get in touch with me at IAB Tours.
Think we’ve missed out something that would have been in your Top Ten? Let us know in the comments below.