For visitors who love the great outdoors, meet the red pandas and meerkats at Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park, or soak up the tropical splendour of Birmingham Botanical Gardens – which also hosts events throughout the year. Or take on the daredevil high-ropes at The Bear Grylls Adventure, with challenges designed by the world-renowned British explorer himself.
The streets of Birmingham also provided the inspiration for the hit TV show Peaky Blinders. With many scenes filmed at the Black Country Living Museum, here visitors can walk in the footsteps of Cillian Murphy and learn how to speak like a Peaky. There’s even themed evenings in September for an immersive feel of the show. A Peaky Tour of the city reveals even more about the original gangs, with a walking tour of their former hangouts, grisly insights from expert historians, and dinner in the city’s oldest pub.
If it’s striking city views visitors are looking for, venture to the top of the Library of Birmingham. This striking contemporary landmark is home to two secret rooftop gardens – they’re free to visit, as are the library’s various exhibitions, which feature leading authors and artists. But that’s just the tip of Birmingham’s diverse cultural scene. From Chinatown’s eateries and Centrala’s Eastern European art exhibitions, to the South Asian music and dancing at Birmingham Mela (27–28 August 2022), countless customs are represented here.
And foodies will love the ‘Balti Triangle’, an area of balti restaurants in the south of the city, where this spicy dish was reportedly invented in the 1970s. Fusing traditional Kashmiri recipes with British ingredients, and named after the dish in which it is cooked, this vibrant area is full of hidden gems serving their fresh take on this regional favourite.