Birmingham, Britain’s second-largest city, was the “workshop of the world” in the Industrial Revolution, and its canals, jewellery workshops and red-brick factories still tell that story. Today it is a young, diverse, fast-changing city with free museums, some of the best Pre-Raphaelite paintings anywhere, the Staffordshire Hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold, a striking modern library, a world-class concert hall, the Bullring shops and the birthplace of the balti curry. Chocolate lovers head to Cadbury World, and fans of Peaky Blinders come to see the streets that inspired it. It is only about 1 hour 20 minutes from London by train and sits at the heart of England’s rail network, so it is also a handy base for Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick Castle and the Cotswolds. Give it two days, or three with a day trip.
Right now in Birmingham
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Top tours in Birmingham
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Birmingham at a glance
- Best for: free museums and art, canals, industrial heritage, shopping, music and theatre, curry and street food, chocolate, Christmas markets and a base for the Midlands.
- How long: 1 day for the centre, the canals and the museum; 2–3 days to add the Jewellery Quarter, Cadbury World and a day trip.
- Best time: May to September for canal-side evenings; November and December for the Frankfurt Christmas Market.
- Getting in: Avanti West Coast trains from London Euston reach Birmingham New Street in about 1 hour 20 minutes; Birmingham Airport is about 10 minutes away by train.
- Getting around: on foot in the centre, plus buses, the West Midlands Metro tram and local trains. Drivers of older cars pay a Clean Air Zone charge, £8 a day as of October 2026.
- Before you go: entry rules, money and general safety are in our United Kingdom travel guide.
Birmingham, area by area
The city centre sits inside a ring road, the A4540 Middleway, which also marks the boundary of the Clean Air Zone. New Street station and the Bullring are in the middle; the civic squares and the canals are to the west; the Jewellery Quarter is to the north-west; and Digbeth is to the south-east. You can walk across the centre in about 25 minutes.
Victoria Square and the civic centre
Victoria Square, with the Council House and the colonnaded Town Hall, is the grand heart of the city. Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is behind it, and Chamberlain Square and the new Paradise development lead west to Centenary Square, the Library of Birmingham, the Rep theatre and Symphony Hall. Best for: first visits, museums and the Christmas market.
Bullring and New Street
Around New Street station, the Grand Central and Bullring shopping centres, with Selfridges’ curved building covered in 15,000 aluminium discs, sit beside St Martin’s Church and the historic markets. Best for: shopping and easy arrivals by train.
Brindleyplace and the canals
West of Centenary Square, Gas Street Basin is where the city’s canals meet, with narrowboats moored by old warehouses. Brindleyplace and the Mailbox around it have canal-side restaurants and bars, the National SEA LIFE Centre and the Ikon Gallery of contemporary art. Best for: evening walks, food and drink by the water.
The Jewellery Quarter
About ten minutes’ walk north-west of the centre, the Jewellery Quarter has hundreds of jewellery businesses in Georgian and Victorian workshops, and still makes a large share of the UK’s jewellery. Around St Paul’s Square are independent cafés, bars and restaurants, the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and the Pen Museum. Best for: heritage, independent shops and a quieter evening.
Digbeth
East of the Bullring, beneath the brick railway viaducts, Digbeth is Birmingham’s creative quarter, with the Custard Factory, street art, music venues, independent breweries and weekend street food markets. Best for: nightlife, gigs and street food.
Top things to see in Birmingham
Prices and hours below were checked on the official sites in October 2026. They change, so check before you go.
Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
BMAG holds the world’s largest public collection of Pre-Raphaelite art, including works by Edward Burne-Jones, who was born in Birmingham, and a gallery for the Staffordshire Hoard, the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold and silver ever found. It also covers the city’s history and has a new family gallery and a Victorian tearoom. After years of closure for building repairs, the museum has reopened in phases since 2024, and not every gallery is open yet.
Tickets. Entry is free; some exhibitions charge. It generally opens Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00–17:00, and every day in Birmingham school holidays; check the website for the galleries open on the day of your visit.
The Library of Birmingham
Wrapped in a lace of gold and silver metal rings, this library opened in 2013 on Centenary Square. Ride the escalators and lifts up through the book rotunda to two garden terraces with views over the city, and to the Shakespeare Memorial Room, a Victorian wood-panelled reading room rebuilt at the top of the building. Entry is free. As of October 2026, full-service hours are Monday and Tuesday 11:00–19:00 and Wednesday to Saturday 11:00–17:00; it is closed on Sundays.
The canals
Birmingham sits on a network of canals built to carry coal and goods in the 18th and 19th centuries, with more miles of canal than Venice, as locals like to point out. The towpaths are free to walk: from Gas Street Basin, follow the Worcester and Birmingham Canal towards the university, or the Birmingham Main Line past Brindleyplace, the Roundhouse and the locks of Farmer’s Bridge. Narrowboat trips leave from Gas Street and Brindleyplace.
The Jewellery Quarter museums and the Back to Backs
At the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, a guided tour shows the Smith & Pepper workshop exactly as it was left when the owners retired in 1981. Tours are timed and best booked; the museum usually opens Thursday to Saturday, and an adult ticket costs about £10. Near the Hippodrome, the National Trust’s Birmingham Back to Backs are the last surviving court of back-to-back houses in the city, restored to show how working families lived from the 1840s to the 1970s. They can only be seen on guided tours, usually Wednesday to Sunday, and booking ahead is essential.
Cadbury World
In Bournville, the garden village built by the Cadbury family for its chocolate workers about 6 km south of the centre, Cadbury World tells the story of chocolate and the company, with free samples, a 4D cinema and a chance to see chocolate being made by hand. As of October 2026, standard tickets cost from £18 online or £28 on the day, and pre-booking a timed entry is essential. Trains run from New Street to Bournville station in about 10 minutes.
Thinktank and Millennium Point
Thinktank, the city’s science museum in Eastside, has hands-on galleries, a planetarium and the world’s oldest working steam engine, built in 1779. It is a good choice for families on a wet day; tickets are charged.
Symphony Hall and the arts
Symphony Hall, home of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, is famous for its acoustics. The city is also home to Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Hippodrome, the Rep theatre and free galleries such as the Ikon and the Barber Institute of Fine Arts at the university, with works by Rubens, Turner and Monet.
Peaky Blinders’ Birmingham
The TV series Peaky Blinders follows a family gang in Small Heath, east Birmingham, after the First World War, and has brought fans from around the world. Much of it was actually filmed elsewhere, especially at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, about 20 minutes west by car, where you can walk through rebuilt streets, shops and pubs of the early 20th century, go down a mine and ride a canal boat into a limestone tunnel. In the city, guided walks and themed bars cover the real history of the gangs; the Jewellery Quarter, Digbeth’s viaducts and the canals give the right atmosphere.
Things to do in Birmingham
Eat a balti
The balti, a fast-cooked curry served sizzling in the thin steel bowl it was made in, was popularised in Birmingham in the 1970s by Pakistani and Kashmiri cooks. Try one in the Balti Triangle around Ladypool Road, south of the centre, or in the city’s many curry houses.
Take a canal boat trip
Short narrowboat cruises leave from Gas Street Basin and Brindleyplace, and longer trips go out to the Black Country. You can also hire a boat for the day. See our boat trips guide.
Cycle the towpaths
The towpath of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal makes a flat, traffic-free ride from the centre towards the university, Bournville and beyond. See our cycling guide.
Shop and graze
Combine the Bullring and Selfridges with the Bullring markets, the boutiques of the Mailbox and the independent shops of the Jewellery Quarter. Digbeth’s street food markets and the city’s Michelin-starred restaurants show how far its food scene has come. See our city sightseeing guide.
Frankfurt Christmas Market
Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market, one of the largest German-style markets outside Germany, runs from 5 November to 24 December 2026 along New Street, Victoria Square and nearby streets, with craft stalls on High Street this year. Hours are 11:00–21:00 Monday to Thursday, 11:00–21:30 on Fridays, 10:00–21:30 on Saturdays and 10:00–21:00 on Sundays; on Remembrance Sunday, 8 November, it opens at 13:00. A big wheel and an ice rink return to Centenary Square.
Getting to Birmingham
By train from London. Avanti West Coast runs fast trains from London Euston to Birmingham New Street in about 1 hour 20 minutes, several times an hour. Chiltern Railways runs slower, often cheaper trains from London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street and Snow Hill in about 2 hours. Rail fares in England are frozen until March 2027, and a railcard takes a third off most fares.
From the rest of Britain. New Street is the hub of CrossCountry’s network, with direct trains to Manchester, Leeds, York, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Bristol and the south-west, and local trains run to Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwick and Worcester.
By air. Birmingham Airport is next to Birmingham International station, about 10 minutes from New Street by train. Most visitors need a UK ETA before travelling; see our United Kingdom travel guide.
By car and the Clean Air Zone. Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone covers all roads inside the A4540 Middleway ring road (not the ring road itself), 24 hours a day, every day. As of October 2026, cars, taxis and vans that do not meet the standard (generally Euro 4 for petrol and Euro 6 for diesel, so most petrol cars from about 2006 and diesels from about 2015) pay £8 a day. Hire cars are usually compliant, but check your number plate on the government’s vehicle checker. You must pay online at gov.uk or by phone within six days before or after driving in; otherwise a £120 penalty applies, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. Parking in the centre is expensive, so stay outside the zone or leave the car at the hotel.
Getting around Birmingham
The centre is walkable. The West Midlands Metro tram runs from Edgbaston through Centenary Square and the Bullring area to Wolverhampton, and local trains and buses cover the rest. As of October 2026, single bus fares in England are capped at £3 until 1 January 2027, when the cap falls to £2 for 2027. An nbus day ticket for unlimited travel on any operator’s buses across the West Midlands costs £5.50 for adults from 28 June 2026. Contactless payment works on buses and trams.
When to go and how long to stay
Birmingham, in the middle of England and well away from the sea, has a mild climate with moderate rain spread through the year, slightly warmer summers and colder winter nights than the coast. The table uses the Met Office 1991–2020 averages for Winterbourne, the University of Birmingham’s weather station in Edgbaston, about 3 km south-west of the city centre.
| Season | Average high / low | Rainy days per month | What it’s like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring (Mar–May) | 10–17 °C / 3–7 °C | about 10–11 | Fresh and often dry, blossom in the parks, good for canal walks |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | 19–22 °C / 10–12 °C | about 10 | Warmest and sunniest, canal-side terraces, festivals and outdoor events |
| Autumn (Sep–Nov) | 18 °C falling to 10 °C / 10 °C falling to 4 °C | 10–13 | Concert and theatre season, the Christmas market from early November |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | 7–8 °C / about 2 °C | 11–13 | Cold, grey and sometimes frosty, Christmas market until Christmas Eve |
Winterbourne records about 810 mm of rain a year on about 133 days, with October to December the wettest months and February to April the driest, and about 1,500 hours of sunshine a year. Most of the big sights are indoors, so Birmingham works in any season; May to September is best for the canals and day trips into the countryside.
Birmingham in 1 day
Start in Victoria Square and spend the morning at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery with the Pre-Raphaelites and the Staffordshire Hoard. Walk across Centenary Square to the Library of Birmingham’s roof terraces, then follow the canal from Gas Street Basin past Brindleyplace. Spend the late afternoon in the Jewellery Quarter and end with a balti or a night out in Digbeth.
Birmingham in 3 days
Add the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter and the Back to Backs, Cadbury World and Bournville, a concert at Symphony Hall, and the Black Country Living Museum. On the third day, take the train to Stratford-upon-Avon for Shakespeare’s Birthplace, or to Warwick for its castle.
Day trips from Birmingham
Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare’s home town, is about an hour by train from Moor Street or Snow Hill. Warwick, with its medieval castle on the River Avon, is about 30–40 minutes by train; as of October 2026, Warwick Castle day tickets cost from £26 booked online or £31 on the day. The Black Country Living Museum and Dudley are close to the west. Further south, the honey-stone villages of the Cotswolds are about an hour by car; see our Cotswolds guide. Oxford is about 1 hour 10 minutes by direct train; see our Oxford guide. Ironbridge Gorge, birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, and the cathedral city of Worcester are also within an hour.
Where to stay in Birmingham
- City centre and New Street: chain and design hotels near the station, the Bullring and the Christmas market, easy for day trips by train.
- Brindleyplace and the Mailbox: canal-side hotels and apartments close to Symphony Hall, restaurants and bars.
- The Jewellery Quarter: boutique hotels and apartments in converted workshops, quieter but only ten minutes’ walk from the centre.
- Edgbaston: leafy Victorian streets with smaller hotels, near the university and the cricket ground, linked by tram.
Hotels fill up during big conferences and concerts at the NEC and the Utilita Arena and during the Christmas market, so book early for those dates.
Practical tips for Birmingham
- Check your car: if you drive into the centre, check the Clean Air Zone on gov.uk and pay within six days.
- Know your station: Birmingham has three central stations: New Street (Avanti, CrossCountry), Moor Street and Snow Hill (Chiltern and local trains); they are a 5–10 minute walk apart.
- Book the small sights: the Back to Backs and the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter run small guided tours that sell out.
- Check museum days: BMAG is generally closed on Mondays in term time, and the Library of Birmingham on Sundays.
- Pre-book Cadbury World: online tickets are much cheaper than on the day, and entry is timed.
- Use the day ticket: the nbus day ticket covers all bus companies in the West Midlands.
What to pack for Birmingham
Comfortable shoes for walking the centre and the towpaths, a waterproof jacket or umbrella, warm layers, a hat and gloves for the Christmas market, and something smart for a concert or a good restaurant. A contactless card or phone covers buses, trams and most payments.
Birmingham travel FAQ
How much is the Birmingham Clean Air Zone charge?
As of October 2026, £8 a day for cars, taxis and vans that do not meet the emission standards, and £50 for coaches, buses and lorries. Pay on gov.uk within six days before or after your visit; most modern petrol and diesel cars are exempt.
Do hire cars pay the Clean Air Zone charge?
Usually not, because most hire cars are new enough to meet the standard. Check the number plate on the government’s online vehicle checker before you drive inside the Middleway ring road.
Is Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery open?
Yes. It has been reopening in phases since 2024, and entry is free. It generally opens Tuesday to Sunday 10:00–17:00; some galleries are still closed, so check before you go.
How much does Cadbury World cost?
As of October 2026, standard tickets cost from £18 online or £28 on the day, and family tickets from £68. Pre-booking a timed slot is essential.
How long is the train from London to Birmingham?
About 1 hour 20 minutes from London Euston to Birmingham New Street with Avanti West Coast, or about 2 hours from London Marylebone with Chiltern Railways, which is often cheaper.
When is the Birmingham Christmas market in 2026?
The Frankfurt Christmas Market runs from 5 November to 24 December 2026 on New Street, Victoria Square and nearby streets, open from 10:00 or 11:00 until 21:00 or 21:30.
Can you visit the Library of Birmingham?
Yes, entry is free. As of October 2026, it opens Monday and Tuesday 11:00–19:00 and Wednesday to Saturday 11:00–17:00, and is closed on Sundays. Don’t miss the roof terraces and the Shakespeare Memorial Room.
Where was Peaky Blinders filmed?
The story is set in Small Heath, Birmingham, but many street scenes were filmed at the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley and in other northern cities. Guided walks in Birmingham cover the real history of the gangs.
How much is the bus in Birmingham?
As of October 2026, single fares are capped at £3 until 1 January 2027 and £2 during 2027, and an nbus day ticket for all West Midlands buses costs £5.50.
How many days do you need in Birmingham?
Two days cover the museums, the canals, the Jewellery Quarter and a night out. Add a third for Cadbury World or a day trip to Stratford-upon-Avon or Warwick.
Is Birmingham a good base for Stratford-upon-Avon and the Cotswolds?
Yes. Stratford is about an hour by train and Warwick about 30–40 minutes, and the northern Cotswolds are about an hour by car.
Nearby destinations
- Stratford-upon-Avon35 km
- Cotswolds76 km
- Oxford92 km
- Peak District97 km
- Manchester113 km
- Bath126 km
- Liverpool126 km
- Cambridge141 km
Plan your trip
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Sources · last reviewed 4 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. Clean Air Zone charges, area and penalties: Birmingham City Council’s Brum Breathes and the UK government; Christmas market dates and hours: Birmingham City Council; Library of Birmingham hours: Birmingham City Council; Cadbury World and Warwick Castle prices: their official sites; bus tickets: Transport for West Midlands and the UK government; museums: Birmingham Museums Trust and the National Trust; climate: Met Office 1991–2020 averages for Winterbourne, University of Birmingham. Prices, timetables and rules change, so check the official links before you go. For entry rules, money and general safety, see our United Kingdom travel guide; for day trips, our Cotswolds guide and Oxford guide; and for the capital, our London guide.
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Rates: ECB · Costs: World Bank ICP and price levels · Wikidata (CC0)