Travel Budget for Birmingham

Birmingham On a Budget

Birmingham, England, is often known as Britain's second-largest city. It is located in the western Midlands of England. Birmingham is nearly in the center of England, so almost all rail and motorways cross here. The city gained popularity and status during the industrial revolution and is still one of the main cities for industrial production and power, ranging from electricity to metal. Because of its importance as an industrial hub, it is one of the most populated cities in England. In more recent years, Birmingham has done a lot to add to the overall cultural scene of the city with the addition of museums and art.

Sights

One of the top sights in Birmingham includes the state-of-the-art Library: The Library of Birmingham. The brightly colored architectural structure resembles a beautifully wrapped birthday present and its interior includes a spectacular amphitheater, observation decks including the top floor 360-degree view of the city, and even England's most impressive collection of Shakespeare.

Other popular sites include The River, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, and the Birmingham Cathedral. The River is an artistic fountain located in the Victorian Square with sculptured Sphinxes and naked lady. The Barber Institute of Fine Arts at the University of Birmingham has a spectacular collection of art including many Renaissance pieces. The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery has a great collection of ancient gems and Victorian art, and the Birmingham Cathedral is a small, but beautifully shaped Cathedral built in the early 1700's and is a popular sight in Birmingham.

Neighborhoods

Moseley is the most popular and bustling neighborhood in the city of Birmingham. Moseley was recently ranked as the best in the UK for a city living experience, beating out even London. Moseley is the best area for shopping and eating. It has great pubs and an excellent farmer's market. Moseley is great for public transportation as it has one the busiest bus routes in Europe.

Edgbaston is on the northern border of Moseley, is home of the University of Birmingham as well as some of the biggest houses in the city, and is home to one of the Michelin starred restaurant.

Harborne is another neighborhood in Birmingham containing a Michelin starred restaurant as well as many other fine restaurants and pubs.

Bournville is the neighborhood where you will find the Cadbury World experience. This area was built up mainly to house the workers of the factory and does not have the same pub atmosphere as the rest of the city, but it does have some pretty scenery to enjoy.

Activities

The Cadbury World chocolate factory is a fun activity with chocolate themed rides including a new 4D adventure cinema featuring motion seats. Prices are adult/child £16.75/12.30 and reservations are strongly encouraged.

Another great thing to do in this area is the “Back to Backs” tour. This tour takes you to see what some of the working class houses looked like between 1840 and 1970, The guided tours offer a lot of information about how the people lived in these places. The homes have been restored, but the look and feel of how things were has been preserved.

You could also visit the Symphony Hall in Birmingham to experience a live orchestra concert of superior skill and technique. Shows vary so you never know who might be there, but it will not disappoint for symphony lovers!

Birmingham is also a popular stop for fans of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. JRR Tolkien grew up in this area, so many of his writings were based on local landscapes. You can tour some of the trails from Tolkien's works for free! Stop at the Tourist Information Center for a guided map to follow the Tolkien trail.

Fans of BBC shows like Doctor Who will also enjoy a free tour of the BBC in the mailbox in Birmingham. You can even watch the live broadcasts there as well as get your picture taken with the TARDIS or a Dalek.

Food and Dining

Dining or Drinking in Birmingham is not hard to find. From Michelin starred restaurants to quality pubs to great Caribbean style menus, Birmingham has something for everyone.

Keep your eye out for Birmingham soup while in the area. The recipe for this soup was originally written in the 1700's when the economy was struggling from poor harvests. It is a stewed beef and vegetables plate and has been recreated from the rediscovered recipe.

Another dish called Brummie bacon cakes is believed to originate in Birmingham. It contains flour, salt, and butter to make bread along with bacon and cheese to give it some extra flavor.

Transportation

The best prices for buses and trains in United Kingdom can be found on Omio (formerly GoEuro). They let you search across all train, bus, and plane routes throughout Europe.

Dining or Drinking in Birmingham is not hard to find. From Michelin starred restaurants to quality pubs to great Caribbean style menus, Birmingham has something for everyone.

Keep your eye out for Birmingham soup while in the area. The recipe for this soup was originally written in the 1700's when the economy was struggling from poor harvests. It is a stewed beef and vegetables plate and has been recreated from the rediscovered recipe.

Another dish called Brummie bacon cakes is believed to originate in Birmingham. It contains flour, salt, and butter to make bread along with bacon and cheese to give it some extra flavor.


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