48 Hours in Birmingham - City Break
| Day 1 - Getting there: and relax!
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Getting to Birmingham is easy - it's in the middle of the country! High Speed rail services are provided by Virgin, book early for discounted tickets. Other services include those from Wales with Arriva trains, London Marylebone with Chiltern (who do excellent bargain tickets - we got a walk-up return from London for £15), and many others including Central Trains. We stayed at the Holiday Inn Express, on Lionel St - costs around £62 per night, breakfast is included - located just behind the library, most of the city centre is just five minutes walk away over the roundabout (avoid the underpass - left over from Birmingham's '60s rebuild!). If you fancy a canal-side view, try the premier travel inn - rooms are around £55 per night. Or - for a little luxury, the Malmaison in the 'mailbox' offers rooms for around £110 per night. Other great centre hotels include the Hotel Du Vin, the Hyatt Regency, or the Marriott. |
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So, having arrived, what to do on the first afternoon? A bit of culture to begin with - the city art gallery in Chamberlain Square has one of the finest collections of pre-raphaelite art in the land. A particular favourite is local hero Edward Burne-Jones, who was responsible for many works of art. There's a brilliant tea room which serves a good line in toasted teacakes! Next, how about a trip to the city's cathedral - St Philips in Colmore Row - there's a free guide to the stained glass windows, also designed by Burne-Jones.
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Birmingham has undergone a phenomenal regeneration in the past six years. New shopping areas, plazas, pedestrianised streets and squares mean that the city is a shopper's paradise. The biggest recent development is the Bull Ring (above) - architecturally and practically excellent, this light and airy centre replaced the hideous predecessor. Split into two halves, the centre has at its heart a focal point of a fantastic vista across the great conurbation of the West Midlands. The shops inside include Selfridge & Co, many cafes and clothing shops. Other shopping areas include the areas around New Street and Corporation Street with some great department stores, and the exclusive designer shops of the Mailbox on Wharfside St. |
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Another feature of Birmingham life which has undergone a huge transformation over the past few years is the bars and cafes of the city. This page looks at the cafes and restaurants; bars come on day 2! A trip to Birmingham wouldn't be right without an Indian meal. With a large asian population, Birmingham has a great selection and variety of Indian restaurants. There are numerous restaurants in the city centre, but for an authentic midlands Indian experience, try Sparkbrook. The 12E bus stops at the top of Ladypool Road on Stratford Road - remember EXACT CHANGE - Birmingham buses don't give change!! The peak of the 'Balti Triangle' is here, we went to the Al Frash which is a BYO. Our meal was perfect and came to less than £10 each. Alternatively, for a more exclusive meal, there's the Mailbox again, which has a selection of restaurants which complement its designer shops. The city also has the usual selection of pizza express, pizza hut, wagamamas, pubs serving food, etc. For a chinese, the city has its own chinatown area based around Ladywell Walk below New St Station. Reputedly the best Chinese restaurant is the Chung Ying (not to be confused with the Chung Ying garden). There are numerous chinese restaurants in this part of the city. |
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