Birmingham

Birmingham is the second most highly populated city after London in the UK.  It has more canals than Venice!  In addition, it was at the centre of the industrial revolution.  It is a very modern city as the city centre was blitzed in the Second World War. Throughout the 90s, those post-war buildings have been replaced to create a new city centre. 

Birmingham has a number of notable associations.  JRR Tolkien was born in Birmingham and Conan Doyle was a medical student in Birmingham.  Birmingham also has connections to a wide range of other notables, including Black Sabbath, the Spitfire, Tony Hancock, HP sauce, the mini and of course, Cadbury chocolate. 

Birmingham Council is the largest council in Great Britain and Birmingham also boasts an International airport and three universities. Birmingham is at the centre of Great Britain and also of Britain's transport network; road, rail, and air. 

Birmingham is not usually considered a tourist nexus however, for those who seek it out there is plenty to see and do. 

Cadbury World

This is probably one of the most famous tourist attractions in Birmingham, and it is so popular that if you wish to have their Cadbury experience, then you will need to book in advance because if you turn upon the day you will not get in.  The Cadbury experience tells and shows you all about the history of chocolate and of course, Cadbury itself, there is plenty to see and do such as making your own chocolate.  You will leave the Cadbury experience with a bag full of free chocolate as well.  Moreover, if you can bear more chocolates after that, there is the gift shop and a restaurant -- which fortunately serves more than chocolate! 

Things To See

Birmingham has a number of art museums and galleries, including Thinktank, a science museum that has many hands on activities and an IMAX cinema. The kids will think they are playing in this museum and they indeed are, but at the same time, they will learn a lot.  There are also many other museums, galleries, and stately homes to visit in and around Birmingham. 

If you would rather time spend your time admiring nature there are a number of places to do that as well from the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, the Birmingham Nature Centre, to the wonderful National Sea Life Centre.  The Sea Life Centre has many aquatic animals, with feeding demonstrations through the day and a special treat of a tunnel built through the underwater habitat of giant turtles, you almost feel you are in the water with them!

For those of a spiritual nature there are a number of religious buildings in Birmingham as well; Central Synagogue, a Central Mosque, a Buddhist Centre and of course many other churches and cathedrals.

 

Things To Do 

There are many cinemas, theatres, and live music venues within Birmingham including an IMAX and a cinema offering 24 screens! Birmingham has the capacity to host the largest events, conferences, and exhibitions in the three major centres, the National Exhibition Centre, the National Indoor Arena, and the International Convention Centre.  There is also Symphony Hall, which is an internationally renowned concert venue and the Birmingham hippodrome a large theatre hosts the ultimate in pantomime every year.

This will only give you a small taster of Birmingham, as there really is so much to see and do.