Birmingham has gone to great lengths to smarten itself up of late and features many interesting attractions amid striking shopping complexes and architecture of the Industrial Revolution. Unique attractions include fine art museums, revamped canal areas and a chocolate factory.
Aston Hall
Aston Hall is a stunning Jacobean mansion which was started in 1618 and was 17 years in the making. The red brick mansion is opulently decorated throughout and features magnificent paintings such as a Romney and a Gainsborough from the Birmingham Museum and period furniture. The 130-foot long panelled gallery is the highlight while outside are beautifully-manicured grounds. Phone: +44 121 327 0062; website: www.birmingham.gov.uk/astonhall
Birmingham Botanical Gardens
Located to the southwest of the city centre towards Edgbaston, Birmingham’s Botanical Gardens date back to the early 1800s and are a delight for a stroll in the summer months. The gardens are well tended and feature impressive landscaping and much foliage including roses, cacti and many tropical flowering plants. Rock gardens, glasshouses, pavilions and aviaries are also onsite, as is a plant nursery, shops and a restaurant. Phone: +44 121 454 1860; website: www.birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Pre-Raphaelite paintings are the main highlight of the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, while archaeology and ethnography exhibits are also prominently featured. In addition, those interested in porcelain can enjoy the collections from Braque, Canaletto, Degas and Renoir before heading to the Edwardian tearoom for a light snack. The museum can be found on Chamberlain square in the city centre. Phone: +44 121 303 2834; website: www.bmag.org.uk
Birmingham Town Hall
Birmingham Town Hall is as grand as they come and wouldn’t be amiss in the centre of Rome, such is the splendour of its façade. The 19th century building is located just to the south of the city centre and was the brainchild of Joseph Hansom, who is best known for his ‘hansom cab’ design—the forerunner to London's famous black taxi. The building’s columns really set the scene and replicate the Temple of Castor and Pollux in Rome to a tee. Phone: +44 121 644 6157; website: www.thsh.co.uk
Barber Institute of Fine Arts
The Barber Institute of Fine Arts is one of the finest museums in the world to learn about the history of European painting. The fascinating collection here includes many Renaissance works by famous masters such as Rubens and Van Dyck as well as impressionist and modern pieces by Picasso and Schiele. The British contingent is well represented, with works by Gainsborough, Reynolds and Turner on display. Phone: +44 121 414 7333; website: www.barber.org.uk
Cadbury World Nearby Bournville is home to Cadbury World, a chocolate factory that is one of the main reasons why many people visit Birmingham today. The famous Cadbury brothers had Bournville built to serve the factory in the latter part of the 1800s, and here you can learn all about the way chocolate is made through interactive exhibits and a 3D cinema. Try to visit the factory on a weekday outside of school hours as it gets very busy. If you have time, have a wander around the village with its pleasant parkland and interesting streets. Phone: +44 845 450 3599; website: www.cadburyworld.co.uk
Gas Street Basin Gas Street Basin, the spot where the Worcester and Birmingham Canal meets on the BCN Main Line in Birmingham city centre, is an interesting area to wander. Situated on Gas Street, not far from the Mailbox mall, the miles of canals are reminiscent of a Venice and are today loaded with trendy bars, cafés and restaurants as opposed to industry and barges. Phone: +44 121 643 2514.
Selly Manor An important Birmingham landmark, Selly Manor on Maple road owes its present state to George Cadbury—one of the famous chocolate brothers. The 14th century manor house fell into disrepair but was fully revamped by the Sigmund Freud look-alike. The main attributes of the house are the 18th century furnishings and the beautiful Tudor garden. Phone: +44 121 472 0199.
Soho House The suburb of Birmingham known as Handsworth, just to the west of the city centre, was both the home of industrialist Mathew Boulton (business partner of James Watt) and the famed Lunar Society’s meeting place. The Lunar Society was a group of scientists, engineers and thinkers of the day with esteemed members such as Erasmus Darwin (Charles Darwin’s grandfather) and Josiah Wedgwood. The 18th century house is today an award-winning museum. Phone: +44 121 554 9122.
Woodgate Valley Country Park The wildlife haven of Woodgate Valley to the west of the city centre of Birmingham is a beautiful country park of open meadows, woods, hedgerows and streams. The park was originally farmland with brick works, nail making sites and clay pits, but is today somewhat of an educational resource complete with a visitor centre, a café and a souvenir shop. Phone: +44 121 421 7575.
Check out the Barber Institute of Fine Arts made famous by its Rubens and Van Dyck works and modern Picasso and Schiele classics. You can also see works by renowned British painters Gainsborough and Turner. Phone: +44 121 414 7333; website: www.barber.org.uk
Discover Sutton Park, a huge 2,000-acre National Nature Reserve park covering marshland, heathland, wetland and woodland to the northeast of Birmingham. You can partake in the plethora of activities here such as golf, cycling, fishing and bird watching. Phone: +44 121 355 6370.
Enjoy Cadbury World in the nearby pleasant village of Bournville, akin to something out of Willy Wonker’s world. Tour the factory floor to see how chocolate is made and packaged followed by a tasting. Phone: +44 845 450 3599; website: www.cadburyworld.co.uk
Go on a canal tour through the heart of Birmingham. The city’s vast canal network was what helped to drive the city in the days of heavy industry. Today you can sip a cocktail and dine in style here, or hire a boat and go for a spin from Gas street.
Shop in the Jewellery Quarter where some jewellers’ workshops have been operating since the 1500s. Pick up a bargain at the Sunday Craft and Antiques Market here, or pop into the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and see the Smith & Pepper Jewellery Factory.
Tour Soho House on Soho avenue in the nearby suburb of Handsworth. This was industrial pioneer Matthew Boulton’s house which was later used by the Lunar Society as a venue to chat about the world at large.
Visit the National Sea Life Centre and see sharks from the safety of the glass tunnel as well as numerous other exotic creatures including giant turtles and stingrays. If you are lucky enough to be here at feeding time, you will have an extra treat. Phone: +44 1216 436 777; website: www.sealifeeurope.com
Have stayed at this hotel many times over the years. Still a lovely place to stay but the furnishings are beginning to look a little tired. Generally time for it to be re-furbished!...
