Birmingham Travel Guide

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 230
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It is easy to forget when you take a look around diverse, cosmopolitan, trendy Birmingham today that this city was once the workshop of the world, the heart of the Industrial Revolution in the UK. This is a forward-looking city, yet its rich heritage is everywhere to be seen.

You too can delve into the treasure chest of Birmingham''s history. A visit to the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery will always be a rewarding experience, definitely worth a visit. It houses stunning and significant works from around the world, as well as a great collection of pre-Raphaelite paintings.

If you want to immerse yourself in a rich artistic culture, then Birmingham can offer you a great deal: the city''s flagship theatre, the Birmingham Hippodrome, is one of the country''s most popular, recently renovated to make the 2,000-seater auditorium a work of art in itself. At the Alexandra meanwhile you can go along to see everything from drama, musicals, concerts and comedy, whilst the Birmingham Repertory Theatre in Centenary Square is the place to go for the most cutting-edge new writing.

Performers flock from all over to have ...
... their name in lights at Birmingham''s musical venues. The Symphony Hall is one of Europe''s finest concert venues, and a place where you will always find something spectacular to listen to. The NIA and the LG Arena regularly draw the crowds to see popular rock and pop performers, whilst smaller venues across the city always have something interesting going on.

If you''re eager to visit the shops and indulge in a little retail therapy, you''d struggle to top Birmingham. Its Bullring shopping centre is majestic, with a Selfridges and many more world-famous stores. Around the rest of town, all kinds of shops line New Street, High Street and Corporation Street.

Birmingham is a diverse, multicultural city which well defines life in the twenty-first century. Nowhere is this more evident than in the broad array of restaurants across town. The home of the balti, head to the city''s Balti Triangle to enjoy a rich taste of Asian delights.

The nightlife across the city is legendary. The people of Birmingham love to party, so if you want a great night out then you''re in good company: Gatecrasher Birmingham, Q Club and Oceana all host world-famous club nights, whilst at the swish Mechu you can enjoy fine champagne at a private VIP club lounge.

In addition to everything on offer in the city itself, it isn''t far to go to find ?olde? English retreats in surrounding Shropshire, Warwick and Shakespeare''s home Stratford-upon-Avon. Birmingham offers so much to all kinds of people: find a hotel in the city, and then take a walk around town and you''ll see all this and more for yourself. Bonny Kominek is an experienced travel writer who has travelled extensively in the UK and recommends Octopustravel.com for Birmingham hotels.