The UK's second largest city and with a long manufacturing heritage, Birmingham now boasts highly successful culture, business and leisure tourism and retail industries and the largest regional professional services sector. In the last 20 years Birmingham has experienced a period of momentous change with developments such as Brindleyplace and Bullring. Now home to one million citizens from many cultures, Birmingham's transformation into a city that is surprising, vibrant, appealing and exciting is nearing completion.
The renaissance city
Having undergone a dramatic transformation in recent years, Birmingham welcomes visitors with more pride than ever before. Vibrant and cosmopolitan, you will discover everything you could ever want of a city: world class culture, scintillating shopping, bubbling nightlife, great cuisine and rich heritage. A city of so many choices, Birmingham confidently embraces its status as Europe's meeting place.
Birmingham's success as a meeting place for business is beyond question, but then what is work without play? With over 500 restaurants, and beating 15 other cities to be awarded the title of Ethnic City 2004, in recognition of the quality and eclecticism of its culinary offer, Birmingham is a great city to eat out in. Both Simpsons and Jessica's restaurant boast Michelin stars, while the latter was voted AA Restaurant of the Year 2004. Of course as the birthplace of the balti, those who like it hot will be in heaven … but if you prefer to play it cool, you will delight in the city's many elegant café bars. Brindleyplace is home to a fine array of venues set by award winning canalside. There you will find Bank restaurant with its modern twist on the classics, while Café Ikon, set in the neo-gothic splendour of the Ikon Gallery, is one of the country's finest tapas restaurants.
The Mailbox is home to a similarly impressive collection of sophisticated venues, but if you like your night out a bit more brash and glitzy, you will want to head to Broad Street. What do you fancy? Scintillating salsa, tickling by a top comedian, or a cheesy pop to 80s classics. You'll find Broad Street easily enough - the festivity not only runs late into the night, but it is also home to the Birmingham Wheel; at almost 200ft high, the Wheel has stunning views across the city. As well as late night bars, there are plenty of clubs to choose from - if you know your house from your trance, the real discerning clubber will want to head down to Air (home to GodsKitchen); uber-cool nights can also be found at the Medicine Bar in the Custard Factory, while if you are more of a jazz, rhythm and blues person, the Jam House in the refined Georgian Square of St Paul's is an excellent night out.
Described as the country's new "cultural jewel" in the Rough Guide to Britain, whether you want to catch a concert at one of the world's finest concert halls, the Symphony Hall, see the spectacular Birmingham Royal Ballet perform at the Birmingham Hippodrome, or watch a critically acclaimed play at the Birmingham Rep, there are few cities to rival Birmingham in the quality and breadth of its cultural offer. Or if you have a moment to spare in the day, the Victorian magnificence of Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery houses the world's finest collection of Pre-Raphaelite art.
If shopping's your bag, you'll be spoilt for choice. Despite the wealth of designer stores in the city, Birmingham may not quite yet be Europe's style capital, but outside London it is second to none. Indeed in the 2004 Experience Survey, Birmingham was ranked the second best destination in England after London's West End for the quality and range of its shopping offer. There are five department stores - Selfridges, Debenhams, Beatties, Harvey Nichols and House of Fraser - and a total of over 1000 shops in the city centre. The Fashion conscious will want to head straight for the Mailbox, one of the UK's elite designer shopping malls, while Bullring has welcomed a staggering 36.5 million visitors in its first year. Elsewhere the city's pedestrian friendly streets offer a delightful blend of refined arcades, stylish malls and friendly markets.
There is so much to do in Birmingham, and with more parkland and open spaces than any other UK city, you can have a great time simply doing nothing: sitting admiring the paved grandeur of Victoria Square with its cascading waters, or leisurely strolling along the miles of rejuvenated canals. For more information about what to do in Birmingham please visit www.beinbirmingham.com or phone our tourist information line on +44 (0)121 202 5099.
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