Birmingham: 16 Interesting Things to Do and See

Birmingham is the second-largest city in the United Kingdom after the capital, London, and is between the capital and the city of Manchester. Its history extends back about 1500 years.

It developed into one of the most essential British cities visited by millions annually. It is a distinguished civilised city, an international centre for commerce and industry, and a significant home to many commercial and international banks.

Birmingham has gained international fame for pioneering business, shopping, recreation, entertainment, and sports. In addition to its academic fame, the city includes three of the most influential and efficient British educational universities: the University of Birmingham, Aston University, and Birmingham City University.

History of Birmingham

Birmingham has experienced 1,400 years of growth, from a small Anglo-Saxon village on the edge of the Arden Forest in the 7th century to what you can see now. Also, immigration, innovation, and civic pride helped create the Industrial Revolution, leading to similar cities worldwide.

Birmingham rose from a market town to a fast-growing city in the 19th century because of civic investment, scientific achievement, and commercial innovation. 

After that, Birmingham became the United Kingdom‘s civilised centre for the manufacturing and automobile industries. The city gained its credit as a city of cars and is now a major European city for conferences and shopping.

Weather in Birmingham

The city’s climate is sunny in the first months of the year. It has become cold in the last four months, and snow has fallen on the buildings, giving a beautiful view. So, if you are a winter lover, winter is one of the best times to visit Birmingham.

Birmingham and Football

Birmingham is home to many famous football teams, but the most popular are Birmingham FC and Aston Villa FC, and we will learn more about them.

Birmingham City FC

It is considered one of England‘s oldest clubs, founded in 1875. It played half of its career in the Premier League and the other half in the First Division.

The club won the First Division title 4 times, the Second Division once, and succeeded in winning the League Cup twice. It was recorded that it was the first English team to reach the final of a European Championship.

The St Andrews stadium is the home of Birmingham City Football Club. It has a capacity of 30,016 seats and was opened on 26 December 1906 during the English Premier League match between Birmingham City and Middlesbrough.

Aston Villa

Another famous club in Birmingham City was founded in 1874 and contributed to promoting the Premier League in 1888. Its former president, William MacGregor, owned ​​and established the English Premier League.

Aston Villa is one of the winners of the European Champions League and the European Super Cup, while locally, it has won the League 7 times, the Cup 7 times, the League Cup 5 times, and the Super Cup once.

Villa Park is the home stadium of Aston Villa FC, located in the Aston district of Birmingham. It was founded in 1897. With a capacity of 42,788 spectators, it is one of the most important stadiums in the United Kingdom and hosts the semi-finals of the FA Cup.

Attractions in Birmingham

Birmingham is a great city to visit in England. It includes many destinations that attract tourists worldwide to enjoy a memorable time. Here are the famous attractions you can visit in the city.

Victoria Square and the City Centre

It is an excellent place to explore. You can see the beautiful old Town Hall, built in 1832 and designed in a Victorian style. The site resembles a Roman temple with 40 ornate Corinthian Anglesey marble columns.

The place has been the centre of the city’s music scene since hosting the first performance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah in 1847. There is world-class acoustics, and a stunning auditorium regularly features A-list singers and performers. When you are there, you will see two memorials, one dedicated to inventor James Watt and the other to Queen Victoria.

You can also visit Chamberlain Square and the Central Library. The latter is home to the most extensive Shakespeare collection outside the United States, which includes 50,000 volumes in 90 languages.

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens

The Birmingham Botanical Gardens is a famous attraction in the city that you can visit. The place extended across 15 acres and was founded in the 19th century. A garden is a place where you can find countless species, with preserved Victorian-era glasshouses, and it is full of many collections of bonsai trees, including one over 250 years old.

The garden contains more than 7,000 plants from around the globe and many species of wildlife, such as tropical birds and a butterfly house. It also includes a gift shop, a tearoom, and a playground for children. Events in the garden are held inside throughout the year, like the Chinese New Year and Christmas.

National SEA LIFE Centre

Another top-visited place in Birmingham is the Birmingham Aquarium, where you can explore more than 60 exhibits related to marine life. The most popular exhibit is the aquarium’s massive million-litre ocean tank with its underwater tunnel, which allows tourists a magnificent view of the different sea creatures.

When you visit the place, you will find more than 2,000 species, including seahorses, giant octopi, lobsters, crabs, and stingrays. Inside, there is a 4D cinema that offers educational programming, and you can book fun behind-the-scenes or penguin-feeding experiences.

St Philip’s Cathedral

Philip’s Cathedral is considered the third smallest in England. It was built in 1715 as a parish church and elevated to its present status in 1905. The Cathedral was bombed in 1940 and rebuilt in 1948, and it was returned to its rightful place.

The Cathedral is near the Jewellery Quarter, and when you visit, you will see the beautiful art installation of 2000 soul boats hanging from the ceiling.

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is a magnificent museum outside of London. It was opened in 1885 and includes a collection of works by Pre-Raphaelite painters and artworks from the 17th and 19th centuries.

When you visit the museum, you will see many displays of the city’s history, covering centuries of European history and culture. These include archaeological finds dating back to the Stone Age, the Pinto Collection, with its 6,000-plus toys and items made of wood, and a collection of Egyptian mummies.

National Motorcycle Museum

The National Motorcycle Museum includes over 1000 motorcycles, all restored to the manufacturer’s original specifications. It attracts many visitors a year from around the world.

While touring the museum, you will see one of the earliest machines, dating back to 1898, and modern-day superbikes. It is a perfect place for motorcycle lovers to see the hard work of the family that created the museum.

Cannon Hill Park

Cannon Hill Park was built for the people of Birmingham to relax—over 80 acres of formal parkland and 120 acres of woodland plantation. Children will love the place, where they can play and discover the park, looking for animals like frogs and hedgehogs in the woods.

Pedal boats operate on the lake during the summer, which you will love using, and there is a weather-permitting mini-fair.

Birmingham Science Museum

Birmingham Science Museum is a perfect attraction for families. It includes many fascinating, hands-on, interactive, science-related exhibits and other steam-powered machines and industrial machinery collections.

Also, when you are there, you will see beautiful displays, including a chocolate packaging machine and the Spitfire Gallery, with its authentic World War II aircraft. A Science Garden contains a human-sized hamster wheel and the beautiful Thinktank Planetarium, with its tours of the stars and planets.

Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park

Established in 1964, the Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park is on the edge of Cannon Hill Park. It is a worthwhile place to visit and spend time with your children. It is like a small zoo where you can find many animals, including red pandas, lemurs, and meerkats.

The park is considered essential for its research and breeding programmes. It offers children fun and hands-on experiences.

Barber Institute of Fine Arts

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts is near Birmingham University, containing many art collections from the Renaissance to the 20th century. It was built by Queen Mary in 1939, making it a perfect place for art lovers. Robert Atkinson designed the building and is considered one of Britain’s leading architects.

The place includes masterpieces by artists such as Rubens, Watteau, Gainsborough, Manet, Botticelli, and much more. While touring the site, you will see exhibits that include Ancient Roman coins and Treasures of Ancient Egypt.

Sheldon Country Park

Sheldon Country Park covers 300 acres of open grassland and woodland. It is a beautiful place to spend the day, have a picnic, or go for a relaxing walk. There are trails from 2 to 5 km and shorter ones.

When you arrive at the park, you will see Old Rectory Farm, a 17th-century farm that was restored and operates as a demonstration farm. Many animals, such as pigs, goats, ponies, ducks, and chickens, can be seen.

Great Western Arcade

The Great Western Arcade is in the middle of the city’s retail district. It was built in a Victorian style, suffered bombing damage in World War II, and the original arched glass roof was rebuilt.

The best time to visit is in winter, especially at Christmas, when the decorations are stunning. The site includes many different food areas that you will love to visit.

Jewellery Quarter

The Jewellery Quarter is where you can find more than 200 jewellers’ silversmiths, and workshops that produce 40 per cent of Britain’s jewellery. It is near the Clock Tower on the streets of Vyse and Frederick.

One of the famous destinations in the quarter is the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter. There, you can see demonstrations of jewellery-making techniques at the jeweller’s bench, the Earth’s Riches showcase gallery, and jewellery made from natural materials.

You can also visit the Hall of Memory Baskerville House, erected in 1925, to memorialise the 14,000 city men who lost their lives during World War II. The Pen Museum is also an excellent place to visit. The first-rate museum showcases the city’s former role as a hotbed of pen-making and the history of writing instruments.

Winterbourne House and Garden

As many people know, Birmingham includes many beautiful houses and gardens, and Winterbourne House is one of them. The house was restored to its original Edwardian era, making it a unique heritage attraction.

When you visit the house, you will see many beautiful antiques, walk through the botanic garden, which includes more than 6,000 plant species from around the world, and see a 1930s-style Japanese bridge.

Cadbury World

Cadbury World is at Cadbury’s Bournville manufacturing site near Birmingham, where you can learn more about chocolate and the history of the manufacturing process.

It is well-known as one of the world’s largest confectioneries. You can enjoy theme-park-like attractions suitable for families and try making your candy. Before leaving, you can shop in the world’s largest Cadbury’s sweet shop and visit the village of Bournville, which the Cadbury family built after 1860 specifically to house their large workforce.

Shakespeare Express

Steam trains are one of the country’s most effective forms of transportation; only a few working steam railways are still running throughout England, attracting many tourists throughout the year. The journey starts from Birmingham to Stratford Upon Avon, where you can see large amounts of land, farms, stylish villages, stations, and waterways that make up Shakespeare’s county.

You will have delicious meals during your tour, from an English breakfast to a freshly cooked Roast Dinner.

Hotels in Birmingham

Here are some famous hotels you can visit while in the city.

Quality Hotel Birmingham South

The hotel is near Birmingham Airport; it offers many services, including free wireless internet, coffee and tea-making facilities, and private bathrooms with a hairdryer. It serves beautiful meals, steaks, and fresh fish.

Radisson Blu Hotel

It is a luxury hotel in Birmingham, as the exterior building is designed of glass and consists of 39 luxurious rooms. It also offers many services like a minibar, facilities for preparing coffee and tea, and delicious cocktails.

Macdonald Burlington Hotel

It is one of the distinctive hotels in Birmingham, and it is characterised by modern construction. It offers a variety of services to its customers, including distinguished bathrooms containing complimentary toiletries, delicious cocktails that can be enjoyed in the hotel’s private bar, and the most delicious international cuisine.