A vibrant city known for its dedication to the arts
Just a short trip from London, in the beautiful West Midlands area is England’s second city, Birmingham. This vibrant city is known for its dedication to the arts and its pedestrian friendly atmosphere which makes Birmingham Holidays more popular than ever. A walk through Birmingham reveals a network of extraordinary canals along which inviting shop fronts blend with a mixture of cafes, restaurants and historic city landmarks, creating a delightful city to experience on foot. From its days as an 18th century industrial centre, Birmingham’s visionary outlook and innovative spirit attracted skilled labour from around the country and it is this progressive nature that helped Birmingham grow and diversify into the business and cultural centre that it is today.
While Birmingham is centuries old, little remains of the historic architecture that once existed here. The city was heavily bombed during the Second World War and as such many of the historic buildings were lost. There are however some wonderful examples that remain, including Birmingham Council House with its famous “Big Brum” clock tower, the neoclassical town hall and the 1809 Horatio Nelson statue located at the Bull Ring. This was one of the world’s first statues dedicated to the British Naval hero.
Birmingham is also blessed with many inviting parks and green spaces. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens and Glasshouses feature lovely gardens and a wide variety of plants and flowers. Cannon Hill Park is another natural oasis that also includes the Midlands Arts Centre and a tea room. If you love nature, then don’t miss the English Nature Reserve area of Sutton Park. This huge area consists of marshes, lakes and woodlands and is a great spot for bird watching.
Birmingham enjoys regularly scheduled air service from across Europe, the U.S. east coast and Middle East. Consider breaking up your journey to Birmingham with a multi-stop ticket and enjoy the cities and sights along the way. There are many different ticket options to choose from and your Flight Centre Travel Expert can help you choose just the right itinerary.