If you were to time travel to any point in the recent past and tell someone that in a few years the World’s Best Gin Bar is in Birmingham, they would probably laugh and then scold you for having such breathtaking hubris. The days where reactions like that would be commonplace have long since faded away however. It’s been an amazing turnaround for a city once so derided that it now boasts the most Michelin star restaurants in the UK outside of London (four) and will be proudly hosting the Commonwealth Games in three years. Britain’s ‘Second City’ is a young, vibrant place bursting with ideas and an exciting independent food scene.
Arrival
Birmingham is only 160km from London and there are plenty of rail options that will take you to either New Street or Moor Street Station in under two hours. If you’ve flown in to Birmingham International Airport then getting on one of the frequent trains into the city is far quicker than a taxi and also a fraction of the cost at £2.50 (about $5) for a single journey.
Getting Around
Despite being Britain’s second largest metropolis, the city centre is surprisingly compact so getting around on foot is your best option. You can walk from the industrial chic of Digbeth in the south side to the historic Jewellery Quarter in the north of the centre in around 30 minutes. If the weather is particularly disagreeable then an Uber will take you to most places in the city for less than £10 ($18).
Where to Stay
There are a plethora of hotel options dotted around the city. Avoid any of the ones on Broad Street as your night’s sleep may get interrupted by the unhinged revellers who roam Birmingham’s most notorious (and overrated) entertainment strip. Instead book a room at the Bloc Hotel in the Jewellery Quarter, just a stone’s throw from the elegant Georgian setting of St Paul’s Square. Less than a ten minute walk from the city centre, this green space is a hive of relaxed activity in the summer months and is surrounded on all sides by wine bars, cafes and 40 St Paul’s – The World’s Best Gin Bar 2019.
Head to the Water
‘More canals than Venice’ is a popular refrain here and while quantity isn’t always an indicator of quality, some of Birmingham’s finest city scenes are to be found by the waterside. Go for a walk down the Gas Street Basin and you’ll pass by welcoming waterfront pubs, gaudily coloured canal boats and enthusiastic photographers trying to capture the perfect moment. The James Brindley pub is a great place to grab a beer and take it all in.
Culinary Capital
BBQ season may still be lamentably short on these shores but the ‘bland’ British food stereotype is quickly becoming a thing of the past. I’m not guaranteeing that you’ll never receive a warm beer and a grim plate of fish and chips but things have changed considerably. The Michelin star restaurants show that there’s life outside of London and the Second City is leading the charge. Every culinary need is covered here from fine dining to mouth-watering street food but for a true taste of Birmingham’s cultural diversity head to the ‘Balti Triangle’, a frantic and friendly South Asian neighbourhood serving all varieties of its trademark fiery curry dish – The Balti.
Visit the Prince of Darkness
For better or for worse, Birmingham’s most recognisable musical export is undoubtedly metal legend Ozzy Osbourne. His band Black Sabbath are one of the most influential bands of all time and they’ve got a new exhibition on at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery celebrating 50 years since their debut. From showing off their gaudy stage outfits to recreating the bedrooms of superfans, it runs between June 26th and September 29th but you should definitely book tickets (https://homeofmetal.com/tickets/ ) in advance as it’ll be popular.
The Old Rivalry
It’s almost that time of year when Aussies and Englishmen become the best of enemies for a few weeks. The Ashes is upon us and Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham is one of the premier venues for the test match series taking place between August 1st and 5th. Located just outside the city centre, Edgbaston is known for its rowdy atmosphere where groups of grinning men can often been seen dressed up as superheroes, priests or anything else that might get them on camera. A voracious capacity for beer and a sense of humour are all that is needed to enjoy yourself here.
The Great Outdoors
If cricket isn’t your thing (amazingly there are some) then across the road from the stadium is the vast Cannon Hill Park. It’s home to a wide variety of attractions including an arts centre, a wildlife conservation park, tennis courts, crazy golf and a boating lake. It also contains a quaint amphitheatre which treats audiences to open air cinema screenings as well as theatrical and musical performances throughout the summer. Weather permitting, of course. The bars, cafes and street markets of cosmopolitan Moseley Village, named in 2015 by The Sunday Times as the best place to live in the UK, are only a 10 minute walk away.
Make Time for a Pint
Brits and Australians share a common affection for beer and Birmingham has seen an explosion of craft ale bars and breweries popping up all over the city with weird and wonderful offerings to satisfy every need. The purists though should head to The Wellington on Bennett’s Hill. ‘The Welly’ is the most gloriously unpretentious pub in Birmingham, free of any pumping music, elaborately-titled food options or jaunty décor. It offers 8 regular beers and a revolving door of 9 different guest ales as well as lagers, ciders and a formidable whisky collection for those who aren’t as hopelessly devoted to hops as the regulars here.
The Bard’s Country
If you must head out of the city then Stratford-upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare, is less than an hour away by train from Moor Street Station. The Bard’s medieval hometown is drenched in history with pleasant streets of wooden Tudor houses and a pretty waterfront however it does receive London-levels of tourists so be prepared for flailing selfie sticks and herds of guided tours. When you’ve had your fix of the world’s most famous dramatist, a return ticket back to Birmingham’s welcoming embrace will only cost you £8.40 ($15).
A version of this piece was first published in Escape in August 2019