The city of Birmingham is the cultural, social, financial, and commercial capital of the West Midlands.
Since this is the case, Birmingham offers an abundance of fun places to visit, enjoyable activities to partake in, great clubs and pubs, as well as some of England’s best universities.
Right outside of Birmingham’s expansive borders, some of the United Kingdom’s most important cities – London and Manchester, to name two examples – are a quick train ride away.
Areas Of Interest In Birmingham
Birmingham offers many fun places to visit. You will find three of the best, and most enjoyable, places to visit below, as well as a brief description of the activities each place has to offer.
Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
Out of all the museums and art galleries within England, the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery is considered by many to be one of the very best. A combination of free entry, well-maintained spaces, and excellent exhibits make it easy to see why this is the case.
Some of the museum’s most notable exhibits include:
- The Staffordshire Hoard – A Large Collection Of Anglo-Saxon Gold & Silver
- Artefacts From Ancient Greece, Ancient Rome, And Ancient Egypt
- The World’s Largest Collection Of Pre-Raphaelite Art
- Several Collections Of Local Art From Birmingham’s History
- A Vast Assortment Of Ceramics, Sculptures, Paintings, And Jewellery
None of these exhibits cost any money. You can just walk into the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery and wander into the exhibit you wish to enjoy.
The Birmingham Canals
Right within the city of Birmingham lies a vast network of canals. This network of canals goes beyond the city limits and spans more than 160 kilometres.
Many of these canals are easily accessible. You can, as a result of this, take boat tours across these canals, or wander along the paths that serve as their edges.
Some of the best, and most popular, canals and canal attractions include:
- Dudley Canal And Caverns
- Roundhouse Birmingham
- Stratford Canal
- Canalside Walk
- Grand Union Canal
Every single one of these canals and canal attractions is easily accessible. Many of them stretch all across Birmingham, enabling you to see the city from a new perspective.
The Library Of Birmingham
The United Kingdom is home to 3,667 public libraries. Out of all those libraries, the Library Of Birmingham is both the biggest library and, in turn, the largest public cultural space in Europe.
Since the Library Of Birmingham is the biggest library in the United Kingdom, the library is home to a wide variety of unique spaces. Each one of these spaces possesses an elaborate, and ornate, architectural style, culminating in a peaceful, focused, and distinctive ambience.
Within the library, you will find a wide variety of:
- Books
- Comic Books
- DVDs
- CDs
- Photographs
- Archival Collections
- Computers
To go along with that, the Library Of Birmingham hosts classes and community events. Some of these classes and community events include:
- Business Classes
- Computer Classes
- Craft Classes
- Mindfulness Classes
- Music Classes
- Author Readings
- Children’s Storytime Readings
- Art-Making Community Events
- Book Clubs
Just like checking out items from the library, these classes and events are free.
Transportation In Birmingham
The city of Birmingham offers a reliable bus system and expansive railway network. Both of these methods go well with the city’s walkable streets and numerous cycling paths.
Cycling In Birmingham
Cycling in Birmingham is an absolute delight. The city is home to an extensive network of cycling paths, all of which are easily-accessible and well-maintained.
Some of the best cycling routes include:
- Rea Valley Route
- City Centre Canal Route
- Birmingham To Sutton Park Route
- Canal Loop
- Woodgate Valley Country Park Loop
Many of Birmingham’s roads are quiet and peaceful. Even if you aren’t travelling on a cycling route you will have an easy, pleasant time getting around.
Taking The City Bus
The city bus system in Birmingham is run by Network West Midlands. You can use the bus system Network West Midlands has built to go almost anywhere in Birmingham, during most hours of the day.
No matter when you go, though, or what your destination happens to be, the prices remain the same. Some key pricing figures to remember are as a follows:
- A Single-Use Bus Ticket Costs 2.40-Pounds
- A Full-Day Ticket Costs 4-Pounds
- A 1-Week Ticket Costs 15-Pounds
- A 4-Week Ticket Costs 55-Pounds
For the best possible experience, buy a full-day ticket. This way, you can travel as much as you want, without having to pay for a new ticket every time you step onto a new bus.
Riding The Train
The city of Birmingham offers an extensive railway network. You can, by riding the train, reach a variety of destinations. Some of the most popular destinations include:
- Coventry
- London
- Glasgow
- Leicester
- Sheffield
Many train tickets cost a little more/a little less than the others, depending on your destination and accommodation. No matter what, though, your trip will be affordable and pleasant.
What’s On?
A variety of clubs and pubs can be found within the city of Birmingham. You will find three of the best, and most memorable, right below.
The Tunnel Club
Situated right underneath an archway in a well-lit railway line, The Tunnel Club is true to its name. To further enhance this industrial aesthetic, the entire club is contained within an industrial warehouse.
Outside of these key aesthetic elements, the Tunnel Club is an unpretentious club that hosts a live musician or musical group at least once every week.
Many of the club’s live musicians come from the Dance/Electronic genres and much of the music performed by these musicians features thunderous drums and intense bass. Both of these elements work with the club’s acoustics, creating a loud, vibrant atmosphere perfect for dancing.
Even though the Tunnel Club offers infrequent discounts, many of their drinks are inexpensive and affordable. There are also many, many drinks on their menu, including ones that few other clubs offer.
The Hare & Hounds
Unlike the other venues on this list, the Hare & Hounds isn’t a club. Rather, it’s a pub. A pub often celebrated for its excellent live music performances and eclectic selection of musicians and bands.
Some of the musical genres you’ll hear being performed at the Hare & Hounds include:
- R&B/Soul
- Blues
- Hip-Hop
- Alternative
- Indie Rock/Indie Pop
Every live performance is easy-to-enjoy within the Hare & Hounds cosy, old-world style pub. During each and every live performance, you can enjoy a variety of inexpensive drinks.
Popworld
Many of Birmingham’s best clubs possess a unique aesthetic. But, few of them can match Popworld’s endearing retro colour-schemes, Disco decor, and constant 1970s Pop tunes.
Outside of Popworld’s aesthetic, the club hosts frequent events. Each of these events comes with discount drinks and energetic dancing. Some of the most notable events include:
- Piggy Bank – A Monday Event
- Hanky Panky – A Tuesday Event
- GOAT Thursdays
- Playground Fridays
- Fleek Saturdays
Since Popworld hosts so many events, it’s great if you’re on a budget, but still want to drink and dance.
Conclusion
Birmingham offers many places to visit and activities to enjoy, as well as easy access to nature and a great transportation system. Students who choose to study in Birmingham are in for a genuine treat.
Max Akin Writing 