Explore Birmingham
Birmingham City Centre
Taking just one stop from University Station to Birmingham New Street, you will disembark at the newly developed Grand Central station in the very heart of Birmingham. Whilst Grand Central is Birmingham’s newest prime shopping centre, it is also located next to the Bullring, Birmingham’s state of the art shopping centre, backed up with the astounding Selfridges store and Mailbox.
Library of Birmingham
The new spectacular Library of Birmingham is Europe’s largest regional library and is a flagship for the redevelopment of the city.
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Victoria and Chamberlain Square bring together the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, home to some of the finest art collections in the world, and the magnificent Council House and Town Hall.
National Sea Life Centre
Close to BrindleyPlace is also where you will find the National Sea Life Centre, which hosts the UK’s only 360° Ocean Tunnel where you can marvel at sharks, a giant turtle, rays and hundreds of tropical fish swimming overhead and underneath as you walk through the sea in this truly unique experience.
Digbeth
Digbeth is one of Birmingham’s most distinctive and creative neighbourhoods, located less than a 10-minute walk from Bullring & Grand Central. Named the ‘Coolest Neighbourhood in Britain’ by
the Sunday Times, Digbeth is renowned for its vibrant independent scene, including the Custard Factory’s cafés, shops, cinemas, and arts venues. The area is also home to historic pubs, street art, and a thriving food and drink scene, including the celebrated bar snacks at The Old Crown.
The Ikon Gallery
The Ikon Gallery is Birmingham's leading contemporary art gallery. Located in a dramatic Victorian building - formerly a boarding school - Ikon presents a regular programme of exhibitions, events, learning workshops and seminars, representing some of the world's best visual artists.
BrindleyPlace
If you are looking for somewhere to eat and drink, try BrindleyPlace, a 10 minute walk from New Street Station, with tree-lined squares, international cuisine and canal-side views, Brindley Place is one of Birmingham’s most exciting destinations.
Still looking for more to do, or places to go, find out more at VisitBirmingham.com
Places of interest outside of Birmingham
With an enviably central location in the heart of England, Birmingham offers fantastic opportunities to explore the history and culture of the UK.
Stratford-upon-Avon
A medieval market town in England’s West Midlands, Stratford-upon-Avon is the 16th-century birthplace of William Shakespeare, and a must-see for visitors. Immerse yourself in sixteenth-century life, inside the house where the world renowned playwright was born and lived with his family. Visit his wife Anne Hathaway's romantic cottage, or New Place where they enjoyed the benefits of his success for 19 years. And, of course, complete the experience with a play at one of the Royal Shakespeare Company's three theatres.
Black Country Living Museum
Just outside of the city, The Black Country Living Museum is an award-winning open air museum that tells the story of one of the very first industrialised landscapes in Britain. Experience sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of the Black Country as you explore shops, houses and industrial workshops rebuilt in our canal-side village and high streets.
Warwick Castle
Soak up 1100 years of history in one day. The stone buildings in place at Warwick Castle today date from the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries, although records show a motte and bailey castle was first constructed here in 1068. History buffs will love the sense of scale, the thoughtful exhibits and the extensive grounds, landscaped by Capability Brown. The regular programme of live shows featuring jousting, birds of prey and seasonal events provides fun for all.
Oxford University
Oxford University is a must-see for any academic visitor to the UK. 38 colleges of the prestigious university are nestled within a city of buttery Cotswold stone and winding mediaeval streets. Visit Magdalen College’s deer park and Christ Church Cathedral. Book a tour of the Bodleian to see Duke Humfrey’s remarkable fifteenth-century library. Take a punt along the Thames (here known as the Isis) for a relaxed view of those famous ‘dreaming spires’, then have a drink at the Eagle and Child where the ‘Inklings’ C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and friends read their manuscripts aloud.