Be an explorer in Europe’s youngest city

Have fun discovering Birmingham with the new guide, ‘Explore Birmingham’, published by Marketing Birmingham. The 84 page, A5 size, full colour glossy is packed with ideas on places to visit, things to do and helpful tips on planning your stay.

Shopping
As the UK’s favourite retail destination outside of the West End, Birmingham is made for shopping. 1,000 shops, including more than 100 independent retailers can be found in the stylish malls, Victorian Arcades, department stores and markets.

The Bullring provides an equivalent of 26 football pitches of retail space with all your high street favourite brands including Karen Millen, Reiss, Top Shop, DKNY Jeans and Ben Sherman. The thousands of shimmering aluminium discs on the outside of Selfridges, inspired by a Paco Rabanne dress, shine as a beacon to four floors of shopping heaven, with the UK’s first outlet for funky Irish brand a:wear and luxe labels Matthew Williamson, Issa and Missoni.

More luxurious purchases can be made at The Mailbox which is bursting at the seams with international designer labels including Armani, Hugo Boss, Jaeger and the only UK store for Belgian contemporary men and women’s wear designer Olivier Strelli. The Mailbox is also home to a bijoux Harvey Nichols who has brought Pucci, Louboutin and Burberry Prorsum to the city which have never been available in the West Midlands before.

Young designers and vintage outlets can be found in the Custard Factory and make sure that you visit the capital of bling - the Jewellery Quarter. Unique in Europe, the Jewellery Quarter is home to 400 jewellery designers, manufacturers and retailers and produces almost half of the jeweller in the UK. The triangle of designers, studios and shops

Eating and drinking
Refuel at in Birmingham you can literally taste the world in one city with dishes from 27 different countries available in canal side settings, bustling retail outlets and the city’s only Georgian Square. From award winning Michelin star chefs to foodhalls there’s something fro every taste and budget. The Chinese Quarter, The Arcadian, Summerrow and the Balti Triangle, now among the Rough Guide’s Top 25 must-do experiences in the UK, are dedicated to tickling your tastebuds and sating your thirst in relaxed, friendly, welcoming venues.

Arts and entertainment
With more than five thousand works of art in one square mile and venues that provide up to 17 million seats a year to watch performances Birmingham’s arts and entertainment really are the hottest tickets around. From music and visual arts, theatre and dance, poetry and comedy to some of the best festivals in Europe, Birmingham’s reputation is growing as a city overflowing with artistic diversity and talent.

Birmingham’s cultural resurgence is thanks to world class venues, award winning performers, innovative risk-taking artists and being the longstanding home to companies like the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Events
Some of the biggest consumer shows in the country have made Birmingham their preferred venue, BBC Good Food Show, Clothes Show Live and Crufts return year after year to the National Exhibition Centre (NEC). Chinese New Year, St. Patrick’s Day and Pride are good enough reasons for the city to party together and Birmingham has well established Comedy Festival, Jazz Festival, Artsfest and Book Festival to enjoy during the year.

Sport
Birmingham has a rich sporting heritage and enjoys a worldwide reputation for staging major sporting events, from the European Athletics Indoor Championships, to the Davis Cup and international cricket. Test Matches at Edgbaston, the Ryders Cup at The Belfry Hotel, international athletics at the National Indoor Arena more World and European Championships are held in Birmingham than any other UK city. No other city has more sporting venues. Not one to rest on its laurels, Birmingham continues to build on this impressive track record and future plans include hosting Olympic football at Villa Park in 2012.

Hotels
With more than 25,000 beds within the city centre and in the wider Birmingham region from chic city inns to quiet country retreats all add up to a good night’s sleep. From beds on a budget to luxury pampering and presidential suites you’ll find Birmingham very accommodating. Malmaison, Hotel du Vin, City Inn, Radisson SAS, The Hyatt Regency and the UK’s first opening for nite nite are some of the familiar hotel brands that you’ll find here.

Attractions

There’s lots of family fun to be had in the city – and some of it is even educational! The Sea Life Centre in Brindleyplace, the hands on science museum ThinkTank and IMAX cinema in Millennium Point in the Eastside of the city or the historic National Trust Back2backs properties are all worth a visit. For green spaces head out of town for ten minutes to Cannon Hill Park and Birmingham Botanical Gardens or wildlife at the Sutton.

And finally, as gateway to the West Midlands region, other leisure attractions in Stratford upon Avon, Drayton Manor Park, West Midlands Safari Park, Warwick Castle and Alton Towers are all within easy reach.

Getting here
Birmingham lies at the heart of UK’s motorway network. With three train stations and a National Express coach station in the city centre and Birmingham International Airport ten minutes away getting here couldn’t be easier.