2025-04-18
Here’s the Top things to do in Birmingham, in the UK!
Birmingham, in the county of West Midlands, is the second largest city in the United Kingdom, was one of the first and most successful centers of the Industrial Revolution, and is closely linked to the Peaky Blinders, the violent group that terrorized the population between the end of the 19th century and the 1930s.
With this description, and with the preconception of what the English weather is like, I must confess that I was expecting to see a gloomy, sleepy, zombie-like town.
However, my apocalyptic vision couldn’t have been further from reality! So what did I find in Birmingham?
A city with little light, to be sure, but with a clean and tidy historic center, wide streets full of trees, efficient transport and busy restaurants with good-natured people.
I also saw historic buildings, houses with the characteristic brown bricks, hidden corners that gave way to vegetable gardens and improvised gardens, magnificent murals, terraces in the most unusual places… Now that’s making the most of what you have.
And you know what, I don’t remember seeing the sun, but I felt the warmth and energy of the city at all times. What an incredible place!
What to do and visit in Birmingham, United Kingdom
Explore Birmingham’s historic center
As I mentioned in the introduction, I found Birmingham’s old town very pleasant, with its wide, airy streets, historic buildings and very interesting stores.
What’s more, this is the area where most of the city’s monuments are concentrated.
So, on an itinerary of Birmingham city center, you must visit the Cathedral, St Martin’s Church, the Library of Birmingham, Vitoria Square, where the City Hall is located, the famous shopping street, New Street, and The Bullring shopping center.
At Birmingham Cathedral, an Anglican temple of Baroque architecture, built in 1715 and designed by Thomas Archer, the three stained glass windows created by Edward Burne-Jones, representing the Ascension, Nativity and Crucifixion, stand out.
As for St. Martin’s Church, this is where the oldest monument in the city is kept. Yes, you read that right, it’s a monument inside the church that only locals know about.
In fact, this monument isn’t even included in Birmingham travel guides. So, I’m referring to the tomb of Sir William of Bermingham, which is near the entrance to the chapel, on the right-hand side, and which dates back to 1325.
Exploring the itinerary for fans of Peaky Blinders, the famous Netflix and BBC series
If you’re a fan of the Peaky Blinders series, then I recommend that you don’t miss the opportunity to get to know the history of this gang up close.
The Peaky Blinders were a real-life criminal gang that operated in Birmingham, England, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The gang’s name comes from their characteristic style: they wore caps (called “peaky caps”) whose brims were lined with razor blades, creating an improvised weapon that could be used in combat. It is believed that the name Peaky Blinders came about because of the way the blades in the caps could blind enemies when used in confrontations.
This group was mainly made up of young workers from the lower social classes who were involved in criminal activities such as extortion, theft, smuggling and drug trafficking.
However, although the group existed in real life, the Peaky Blinders series, created by Steven Knight, is a work of fiction inspired by these historical events.
Thus, in the series, the central figure is Thomas Shelby, a character who was portrayed as the leader of the gang, being a charismatic and ruthless figure.
The plot of the series mixes real and fictional elements, creating a story of power, loyalty and betrayal. The series, produced by the BBC and Netflix, is a worldwide success, leading the Peaky Blinders to be known globally and awakening interest in this part of Birmingham’s criminal history.
👉 Take a Peaky Blinders fan tour
See the Golden Boys, a symbol of Birmingham’s industrial history
For those who love history, especially from the time of the Industrial Revolution, the statue known as “The Golden Boys”, “The Birmingham Three” or “The Gilded Three”, is a must-see!
It is a golden statue that pays homage to three important figures of the Industrial Revolution, namely Matthew Boulton, James Watt and William Murdoch.
For those who don’t know them, these men were pioneers in the fields of engineering and industry, helping to turn Birmingham into one of the UK’s great industrial centers.
For example, James Watt developed improvements to the steam engine, while Matthew Boulton was instrumental in producing these machines on a large scale and William Murdoch, for his part, innovated in gas lighting.
The statue itself was created by sculptor William Bloye and produced in gilded bronze, and was unveiled in 1956.
Black Sabbath Bridge
The Black Sabbath Bridge is a landmark in Birmingham as it pays homage to the legendary rock band Black Sabbath, one of the most influential in the history of heavy metal.
So, the band, formed in 1968 in Birmingham, has Tony Iommi, Ozzy Osbourne, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward as its founding members.
Also, the bridge was created as a way of celebrating the city’s connection with music. Especially with the heavy genre, to which Black Sabbath made a fundamental contribution.
So you know, it’s on Broad Street, one of Birmingham’s best-known avenues with a strong connection to the city’s music and bohemian scene.
Discover Birmingham’s Canals
It may be news to you, but Birmingham is said to have a more extensive network of canals than Venice.
Most of these canals were built during the 1700s and 1800s, with the first canal in the city being the Duke of Bridgewater’s Canal.
For more than 170 years, these canals were used to transport goods and people, but over time, their importance began to decline.
Until, after their rehabilitation, their banks were filled with trendy bars, pubs and restaurants.
Now it’s common to see groups of friends exploring the area from bar to bar, as well as families strolling along the canals.
Visit one of Birmingham’s oldest pubs: The Old Crown
The Old Crown, in Digbeth, dates back to 1368 and is one of Birmingham’s oldest pubs.
It’s a typical English pub, with a counter where you take orders, dark walls, wooden tables and lots of beer flowing.
We sat at a table near the counter, but there were other rooms, each with one, two or three tables. So, if you want, you can enjoy a slightly more private atmosphere.
The Old Crown also has a covered terrace, if you prefer this kind of atmosphere.
Visit the Jewellery Quarter
The Jewellery Quarter is linked to the city’s history of producing jewelry and metal objects.
In fact, it dates back to the 18th century and is the center of the UK’s jewelry industry. In addition, it still maintains a strong tradition of manufacture and design.
Thus, in 1756, the city saw the birth of one of the first factories in the world dedicated to the production of small metal parts, such as buttons, signs and pen nibs.
One of the most curious and unique museums in the region is the Coffin Works, which is located in an old factory that made metal parts used to adorn coffins.
In this museum you can see how the factory produced items such as the elegant metal plates that decorated the coffins of prominent figures, including Winston Churchill and Princess Diana.
As well as the Coffin Works, the Jewellery Quarter is also home to jewelry stores and craftsmen’s workshops, so if you like the theme, don’t forget to put this neighborhood on your list of things to see and do in Birmingham.
Other places to visit in Birmingham
In addition to the places I mentioned earlier, and which I had the opportunity to visit, there are other tourist attractions in or around Birmingham that are usually part of the city’s itineraries.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to visit these places, either because tickets were no longer available or because they were located outside the city.
However, I’ll explain why I think you should include them on your list of things to do and visit in Birmingham.
Here they are:
- Black Country Living Museum Located in Dudley, about 40 minutes from the city center by train from Birmingham New Street station. This open-air museum presents more than 250 years of history, from the Industrial Revolution to post-war prosperity, with vivid interpretations that make the experience unique. Explore an underground mine, learn how bricks were made at the Cricket Field Brickworks or take part in an Edwardian school lesson. It’s also a must-see for Peaky Blinders fans.
- Cadbury World: This is in Bournville, about 30 minutes by train from Redditch. At this chocolate museum you can take a self-guided tour of the world of chocolate, learning about the history, manufacture and magic of Cadbury, which began in this village over 100 years ago. And, of course, try Cadbury chocolate.
- LEGOLAND Discovery Centre & LEGO Store Birmingham: A visit to Legoland usually takes between 2-3 hours, however, it is important that you buy your ticket in advance. This is because tickets may be sold out on the day, which is what happened to me. It’s close to the city center.
Accommodation in Birmingham
If you want to stay in the center of Birmingham, the Bullring & Grand Central area is the place to go. But because it’s a popular neighborhood, it’s also one of the most expensive.
That’s why I preferred to book an apartment in Cheapside, which is about a 10-15 minute walk from the center and has much cheaper prices.
However, if you want to explore other accommodation options in the city, I take the liberty of suggesting that you take a look at the map below:
Everything you need to know about Birmingham
How do I get from the airport to the city center?
Birmingham Airport is about 8 km from the city center and has good public transport links.
So, the cheapest way to get from the airport to Birmingham is by bus, with the bus stop opposite the arrivals area and tickets costing between £2-2.50 per journey.
There are also cabs (£30-40), but I preferred to take an Uber to the center because my flight arrived very late and I wanted to get to my accommodation quickly.
In any case, I found Uber’s prices acceptable, and I paid around £24.
What’s the transport like in Birmingham?
Apart from the journey from the airport and a short trip into the city, which I did by Uber, I just walked around the city.
In fact, I found it very easy to explore the city just by walking around.
This is because the tourist attractions are more or less close together and I didn’t feel the need to take either the tram or the bus.
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