A trip to Birmingham

Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county of England. Birmingham's metropolitan area, which includes surrounding towns to which it is closely tied through commuting, is also the United Kingdom's second most populous with a population of 3,683,000. Birmingham was the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution in England, a fact which led to it being known as "the workshop of the world" or the "city of a thousand trades". Although Birmingham's industrial importance has declined, it has developed into a national commercial centre, being named as the second-best place in the United Kingdom to locate a business. Birmingham is a national hub for conferences, retail and events along with an established high tech, research and development sector, supported by its three Universities. It is also the fourth-most visited city by foreign visitors in the UK, has the second-largest city economy in the UK. In 2010, Birmingham was ranked as the 55th-most livable city in the world, according to the Mercer Index of worldwide standards of living. The Big City Plan is a large redevelopment plan currently underway in the city centre with the aim of making Birmingham one of the top 20 most liveable cities in the world within 20 years. People from Birmingham are known as 'Brummies', a term derived from the city's nickname of 'Brum'. This may originate from the city's dialect name, Brummagem which may in turn have been derived from one of the city's earlier names, 'Bromwicham'. There is a distinctive Brummie dialect and accent, both of which differ from the adjacent Black Country.

Duration of stay: 1st Oct, 2010 – 8th Oct, 2010 (1 week) Transportation 1. Flight Reservation-Tickets can be found cheapest on internet by doing online booking. Prices vary depending on factors like date of travel, airline, number of flight changes etc. www.makemytrip.com 2. Lowest fares and advance booking- Round trip tickets are cheaper than one way tickets. Airlines have a choice of cabin class to offer. Economy class is cheapest and preferred by most of the travellers. Some flights are not direct and travellers have to change flight and thus it increases the travelling time. But, in most cases travellers have to pay less for non-direct flights. A quick search on airline websites shows lowest fares available for a particular flight. After some research on internet, I found the following flight suitable to my needs. Flight can be reserved online and payment can be finalized by using internet banking or credit cards. Airline: Eimrates Cost: £563 = Rs 40268.6 Source: www.makemytrip.com Number of changes: 1 Single/Round trip: Round Outbound Flight# EK 515 New Delhi (DEL),India to Dubai (DXB),United Arab Emirates Depart: 01 Oct, 2010 09:50 PM Emirates Boeing 777-300ER Arrive: 01 Oct 2010 11:45 PM EK 515 Economy Stop over: 3hr 25min Flight# EK 39 (DXB),United Arab Emirates to Birmingham (BHX),United Kingdom Depart: 02 Oct, 2010 08:05 AM Emirates Boeing 777-300ER Arrive: Fri 02 Oct, 2010 12:35 PM EK 39 Economy Inbound

Flight# EK 40 (BHX),United Kingdom to Dubai (DXB),United Arab Emirates Depart: 08 Oct, 02:15 09:15 PM Emirates Aircraft: 332 PM Arrive: 09 Oct, 2010 12:15 AM EK 40 Economy Stop over: 7 hr Flight# EK 510 Dubai (DXB),United Arab Emirates to New Delhi (DEL),India Depart: 09 Oct, 2010 04:35 AM Emirates Aircraft: 77W Arrive: 09 Oct, 2010 09:15 AM EK 39 Economy Map of New Delhi Airport

Map of Birmingham Airport Trains and Buses

1. Travel Times- From Jalandhar to Delhi distance is 364 km. From Jalandhar city to New Delhi I had train reservation and from New Delhi Railway Station to New Delhi Airport I took bus as the distance was about 20-22 km and bus takes 45 min. 2. Fares- Date Train Number Train Name Source Station Destination Station (DD-MM-YYYY) 2716 ASR NED EXPRESS 1-10-2010 JALANDHAR CITY NEW DELHI Train Type Distance (kms) SUPERFAST 369 Fare/Charges Class -- Sleeper Base Fare 153 Reservation Charges 20 Superfast Charges 20 Other Charges 0 Source- http://www.indianrail.gov.in/cgi_bin/inet_frenq_cgi.cgi From Railway Station I will take bus to International airport Delhi. It will cost me around Rs. 20. 3. Booking Tickets- I booked the tickets for ASR NED EXPRESS by doing online booking. And booking was done 2 weeks ahead of the journey. Rental cars It is not advisable to rent a car in Birmingham. Traffic rules are very strict and it takes long time for someone to get aware of good driving habits in UK. Birmingham boasts of good taxi rank. There are black cabs that are registered and very safe to travel. Private taxis are cheaper and there are many companies that operate in Birmingham. Usually, we don’t need to make advance arrangement for hiring a taxi. We can find contact number of taxi rental companies online and taxis are at your service in 5 – 10 minutes. Birmingham Taxis Taxis can be perfect for comfortably carrying us where we've got to go in a convenient manner. Although it's often the case that there never seems to be a taxi around when we're in desperate need, or we don't happen to have a number! If this happens fairly often, then you should have a browse

though our online taxi directory for a good taxi service where you'll probably find information for taxis in Birmingham. Even if we've already got a taxi service that we're using, we can often become irritated at the bill they hand us when we get there. On this basis taxi services are now using a taxi fare calculator to demonstrate that they're providing good rates. If you are concerned that the taxis you're using are too expensive then take a look at our listings directory where you can find a long list of highly regarded taxi firms. Often known as minicabs, taxicabs or cabs, taxis can be ideal when we are going away as we can leave behind the car and jump in a taxi instead. There are hundreds of taxi services that will be able to help you with airport taxis, nevertheless you may wish take a quick look through our website for a trustworthy airport taxi in Birmingham that can conveniently collect both yourself and your luggage. If all you are looking for are contact information for a black and white cab, as most of us are aware that they're, value for money and reliable, then we have the solution right here Taxis in Birmingham T O A Taxis Ltd 0121 427 8888 100 Vivlan Road, Harborne, Birmingham, B17 0DJ Birminghams largest fleet of black cabs. Sky Radio Cars 0121 554 5555 147a Soho Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, B21 9ST Taxis, Private Hire, & Airport Transfers in B'ham. Book online Able Cars 0121 694 6666 5 Newborough Road, Shirley, B90 2HA 24-7 service, airport transfers, taxi and minibus service

Galaxy and Sutton Cars 0121 350 1000 Woodland, Erdington Birmingham, B24 9QL 24-7 Service, airport transfers, Taxi and minibus service Kelly's Cars 0121 5547777 Unit 6, 16 Hollyhead Road, Hansworth Birmingham, B21 0LT Reliable, free ring back service, 10% discount for students Charlie's Cars 01527 403468 20 Ashperton Close, B98 7NG A little care goes a long way! Castle Cars 0121 427 5000 13 Oak Tree Lane, Selly Oak, Birmingham, B29 6JE Taxis, Airport Transfer, Minibus Hire Birmingham However, most economical mode of transport between airport and Birmingham city centre is by train. Birmingham International Station serves the airport, and is connected directly into the terminal buildings via a free 'Air-Rail Link' monorail system. It takes around 20 minutes to reach city center by train. Tickets can be purchased easily online by visiting www.nationalrail.co.uk. The trainer fair can be anywhere between £2.50 to £3 depending on the train.

Birmingham city center is located in the heart of the city. It is the busiest area in the city and is served by three train stations. New Street is the biggest train station here. There are three gates which opens to different location in the city main shopping areas. The city is very well connected by bus network. The frequency of bus service is every 5 – 10 minutes in peak hours. After arriving in the city, it makes sense to have a one week bus pass for west midland bus service here. The pass costs £13.50 and entitles us to have unlimited travel in the city in any of west midland bus for one week. Bus routes can be easily discovered on www.travelwm.co.uk. Busses usually run as late as midnight and are safe to use than other mode of transportation because they have CCTV to monitor and prevent crimes on the bus. A local “pay as you go” phone number is often cheaper than using a phone on international roaming. Moreover, we can use internet from local service provider on our phone to use google maps on phone and keep track of our current location. Some of well known phone companies here are O2, orange, T-mobile and many others. Weather condition Climate The climate in Birmingham is classified as a temperate maritime climate, like much of the British Isles, with average maximum temperatures in summer (July) being around 20 °C (68 °F); and in winter (January) is around 4.5 °C (40.1 °F). Extreme weather is rare but the city has been known to experience tornados – the most recent being in July 2005 in the south of the city, damaging homes and businesses in the area. Occasional summer heatwaves, such as the one experienced in July 2006 have become more common in recent years, and winters have become milder since the 1990s with snow becoming much less frequent. Similar to most other large cities, Birmingham has a considerable 'urban heat island' effect.During the coldest night recorded in Birmingham (14 January 1982), for example, the temperature fell to −20.8 °C (−5.4 °F) at Birmingham International Airport on the city's eastern edge, but just −12.9 °C (9 °F) at Edgbaston, near the city centre.Relative to other large UK conurbations, Birmingham is a snowy city, due to its inland location and comparatively high elevation.Snow showers often pass through the city via the Cheshire gap on North Westerly airstreams, but can also come off the North Sea from North Easterly airstreams. The climate in Birmingham is classified as a temperate maritime climate. Average maximum temperature of Birmingham in month of October is 13.8 °C and average low is around 6 °C. It is wise to carry warm clothes because weather is known to change suddenly here

Landmarks Aston Hall Aston Hall was built by Sir Thomas Holte in 1618. Well, it was started in 1618, and completed by 1635 Aston Manor Transport Museum Set up in 1978 the Aston Manor Transport Museum can be found on Witton Lane just down from the Aston Villa Football Ground Avoncroft Museum Avoncroft is a fascinating world of historic buildings covering seven centuries, rescued and rebuilt on a beautiful open air site in the heart of the Worcestershire countryside Back to Back Houses Birmingham The National Trust has restored Birmingham's last back to back houses in a 19th century courtyard just by the Hippodrome in Hurst Street. Baddesley Clinton Knowle The property dates back to the 15th century and has changed little since 1634 Bantock House Bantock House was originally completed in 1788 and inherited from his father by Baldwin Bantock in 1896 Barber Institute The Barber Institute is located on the Birmingham University campus and features works of art by Gainsborough, Monet, Turner, Renoir and many others. Botanical Gardens The Birmingham Botanical Gardens has 15 acres of beautiful gardens and is located in Edgbaston on Westbourne Road Birmingham Wheel Standing at a height of 60 metres the Birmingham Wheel towers over Centenary Square Black Country Museum Established in 1975, the Black Country Museum is a wonderful collection of history and heritage from the Black Country region Brindleyplace Brindleyplace is a 17 acre mixed use redevelopment site on a grand scale British & Midland Museum of Transport The Birmingham & Midland Museum of Transport has been on its present site for around 25 years Broadfield House Glass Museum Glassmaking has taken place in Stourbridge for over 400 years. Glass and Crystal is still made here today Bull Ring The New Birmingham Bull Ring Shopping Centre is a world apart from the old Bull Ring. Cadbury World Cadbury World is an adventure into the world of chocolate Cannon Hill Park This is the pride of Birmingham Parks. Birmingham claims to have over 200 parks, more than any other European city in fact

Castle Bromwich Hall & Gardens Castle Bromwich Hall was built in 1599 and was the property of Sir Edward Devereux. Clent Hills The view from Clent Hills is spectacular. Around a 1000 feet in height this is great walking country Coughton Court Splendid Tudor House. The Throckmorton family have been here since 1409 Coventry Cathedral To walk from the ruins of the old Cathedral into the splendour of the new Crooked House The Crooked House at Himley near Dudley is famous for the fact that it has subsided heavily due to old underground mines. Curzon Street Station This was the main railway terminus into Birmingham before New Street Station was built Dudley Zoo This well known British Zoo has played host to thousands of children over the years, author of this website included Edgbaston Reservoir Edgbaston Reservoir was never really built specifically as a reservoir. It was built as a feeder for the canals Gas Basin At the canal's peak in the late 1700's over 100 canal boats a day passed through the city of Birmingham Hagley Hall Hagley Hall and Park is a wonderful example of 18th century English Architecture Handsworth Old Town Hall Handsworth Old Town Hall is located on the corner of College Road and Slack Lane Himley Hall In 1740 Himley Hall was a manor with a medieval moated manor house Hatton Country World The Farm Park does have an entrance charge but there is plenty to do and see for the children Indoor Market Under a complete new redevelopment of the Bull Ring shopping centre, a brand new indoor market has been built International Convention Centre ( ICC ) This is one of Europe's premier conference centres. The interior is well laid out and a pleasure to walk through. Ikon Gallery The Ikon Gallery is a well known art gallery for new art. Exhibitions from the UK and further afield Ironbridge and Ironbridge Gorge Ironbridge is a settlement beside the Severn in Shropshire, that grew up beside the cast-iron bridge that was built across the river there in 1779

Jerome K Jerome Museum Jerome K Jerome is Walsall's most distinguished literary figure, born here on the 2nd May 1859 Jewellery Quarter Birmingham has a craft and jewellery history dating back hundreds of years. Kings Heath Park An award winning Birmingham Park and home to the BBC television series 'Gardeners World'. Lapworth Museum The Lapworth Museum is based at the University of Birmingham and has an extensive collection of fossils, minerals and rocks Lickey Hills Lickey Hills is one of the regions oldest parks. An area of outstanding beauty this has long been a favourite destination for the citizens of Birmingham Merry Hill Shopping Centre The Merry Hill Centre is the perfect destination if you fancy a day of shopping Millenium Point Based in the heart of the city at Millenium Point, one of the country's landmark lottery funded projects. Moor Street Station Birmingham Moor Street railway station is situated in Birmingham city centre, and has been extensively rebuilt and refurbished Moseley Old Hall Moseley Old Hall is located on the outskirts of Wolverhampton and far enough away from the city to retain its dignity and serenity Museum & Art Gallery The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery situated in Chamberlain Square is an appropriate setting for some of the world's finest examples of Pre-Raphaelite art. National Exhibition Centre (NEC) Now 25 years old the NEC is the largest exhbition centre in Europe. It was opened in 1976 by HM The Queen and the first exhibition was the Spring Fair National Motorcycle Museum The National Motorcycle Museum has worked to restore the museum to its former glory National Sea Life Centre Having welcomed over 2 1/2 million visitors, the magnificent National Sea-Life Centre overlooks the city's canal network and has over 60 displays of different sea and freshwater creatures. Nature Museum The Birmingham Nature Centre can be found situated on the Pershore Road not far from BBC Pebble Mill Neville Chamberlain's House Neville Chamberlain was born in 1869, the son of Joseph Chamberlain Numbernine Gallery Birmingham's most exciting and ambitious art gallery which has created ripples of enthusiastic interest, at both local and international level. Oak House West Bromwich The Oak House was donated to the people of West Bromwich by Alderman Reuben Farley

Oratory Hagley Road After several oratory locations in the city the current location in Edgbaston commenced in 1852 Packwood House Packwood is well known for it's topiary garden which is breathtaking in the spring Pen Room Birmingham used to be at the centre of the world pen trade. Many of the larger pen companies had their factories in the Jewellery Quarter. Public Parks Here is a selection of some of the more well known parks and country parks in Birmingham and the West Midlands Ragley Hall The Stately Home and Gardens include extensive parkland, a large lake with a picnic and play area, an Adventure Wood, Maze, Woodland Walk, Stables and the Jerwood Sculpture Park Red House Glass Cone Museum There are only four surviving glass cones in the UK. This one at Stourbridge is the best preserved Ruskin Glass Centre Glassmaking has taken place in Stourbridge for over 400 years. Glass and Crystal is still made here today. Sandwell Valley Park Farm Sandwell Park farm occupies a place within the 2000 acres of the Sandwell Valley Country Park Selfridges Birmingham The Birmingham store is covered in 15,000 spun aluminium discs Selly Manor Selly Manor is one of Birmingham's oldest buildings. It used to stand in Bournbrook Road Severn Valley Railway The Severn Valley Railway has done well in its preservation over recent years Shakespeare Express Birmingham ( Snow Hill ) to Stratford and back twice a day on Sundays during July, through to the beginning of September and occassionally on other Sundays Soho House Soho House is an important and historic building. Home of Matthew Boulton one of the great pioneers of the Industrial Revolution Star City The Warner Village cinema complex at Star City is just off Junction 6 and Cuckoo Road near the Heartlands Spine Road Sutton Park Sutton Park is not just another park. It is a nature reserve which consists of woodland, heathland and wetland Symphony Hall The Birmingham Symphony Hall opened in 1991 and is situated just opposite the Hyatt Hotel adjacent to Centenary Square Think Tank Thinktank is Birmingham's new £50 million museum of science, technology, and discovery.

Town Hall Birmingham Designed by architect Joseph Hanson but based on Palladio's Books of architecture the Birmingham Town Hall is an impressive sight. Vintage Trains Tyseley depot began its life as an operational steam depot in July 1908, and replaced an earlier and smaller shed located at Bordesley closer to the centre of Birmingham. Walsall Aboretum Walsall Arboretum is a magnificent park near the centre of Walsall. It has quite extensive grounds and a large and popular childrens play area. Walsall Art Gallery The New Art Gallery with an enviable retail park and the Wharf 10 café-bar over- looking the canal was opened by Her Majesty the Queen on 16th February 2000 Walsall Leather Museum The Walsall Leather Museum attempts to demonstrate this tradition and features a live working examples of tanning and the production of leather in the region Waseley Hills Country Park Waseley Hills Country Park is situated just off Junction 4 of the M5 Motorway West Midlands Safari Park This is one of the Midlands top destinations. It is located in Worcestershire A456 through Kidderminster to Bewdley Weston Park Weston Park is a magnificent Stately Home, set in 1000 acres of Parkland and situated on the Staffordshire/Shropshire border Wightwick Manor Wightwick Manor just has to be one of the best properties on show in the West Midlands. Lodging Cheap hotels are now being found in the city centre, one of the best is The Etap Hotel, £35 per night for a double bed.

ETAP HOTEL Birmingham Centre • Hotel code : 5678 • Number of rooms : 250 Address : 1 Great Colmore Street B15 2AP BIRMINGHAM UNITED KINGDOM Tel : (+44)0121 622 7575 Fax : (+44)0121 622 7576 GPS coordinates:N 52° 28' 17.84'' W 1° 54' 1.67''

• Close to central Birmingham, the hotel offers comfortable, affordable rooms; each room can accommodate up to 3 people and has a private shower and a separate toilet. • Close to the very heart of the city, the Etap Birmingham Centre is just half a mile from Birmingham New Street Train Station, the Bull Ring shopping center and the Mailbox. • The hotel is also close to the National Indoor Arena (NIA) and Birmingham's International Convention Centre (ICC). The National Exhibition Centre and Birmingham International Airport are a 20 minute drive from the hotel, with trains running regularly from the center of the city. • All of the rooms have a TV with cable channels, BBC News 24 and European channels such as TV5. • An affordable continental buffet breakfast is available each morning. • The on-site cafe offers a range of fresh hot and cold snacks, including sandwiches, salads, soups, pastries, fruit and yogurt. Soft drinks and alcoholic drinks are also available. HOTEL FACILITIES General 24-Hour Front Desk, Non-Smoking Rooms, Rooms/Facilities for Disabled Guests, Elevator, Heating, Baggage Storage, Gay Friendly, All Public and Private spaces non-smoking. Services Laundry, Dry Cleaning, Fax/Photocopying. Internet Wi-fi is available in public areas and charges are applicable. Guest Parking Public parking is possible on site and costs GBP 3 per day. HOTEL POLICIES These are general hotel policies for Etap Birmingham Centre. As they may vary per room type, please also check the room description. Check-in From 12:00 hours Check-out Until 12:00 hours Cancellation Free! If cancelled up to 18:00 on the date of arrival, no fee will be charged.

If cancelled later or in case of no-show, the first night will be charged. Children and extra beds/cots Baby cots are not available. There is no capacity for extra beds in the room. Pets Pets are allowed on request. Charges may be applicable. Groups When booking for more than 15 persons, different policies and additional supplements may apply. Accepted credit cards American Express, Visa, Euro/Mastercard, Diners Club, Maestro, Solo, Switch The hotel reserves the right to pre-authorize credit cards prior to arrival. Other Lodgings There are also Ibis aplenty starting from £49 per night. Other well known hotel includes, • Birmingham Central Backpackers, 58 Coventry St, Digbeth, B5 5NH, +44 121 643 0033, [134]. Birmingham's only independent hostel features a central location only streets from The Bull Ring, and next to the famous nightclubs of Digbeth. Beds in a shared dorm can be found for as little as £9.00 if you've got a sharp eye out and both breakfast and various foods in the evening are included, making it the West Midlands only half-board hostel. It is in the oldest part of the city, Digbeth, right near where the original manor house once stood. The area can look a little uninviting (this is what you will find outside the very centre of this industrial city), but the hostel makes up for it by being socially inviting (films/football can be watched and they have a Wii, playstation and xbox) and, as mentioned, still being close to The Bull Ring. They offer nightly events such as quiz night, beer tasting, movie nights and disco, and the common room is probably the best around. • Hatters Birmingham, 92-95 Livery Street, Jewellery Quarter, B3 1RJ, +44 121 236 4031, [135]. Located in the vibrant Jewellery Quarter, less than a 10 minute walk to the centre, Hatters Birmingham have upped the norm in hostel accommodation boasting all ensuite rooms and, finally, after eight long months of waiting (yet advertising that it was there) they've got a common room. Beds start from £14.50 and includes bed linen & a free light breakfast which is served all day • Bilberry Hill Residential Centre, [136] — Ideal for groups looking for accommodation in the scenic Lickey Hills, but with easy access to Birmingham City Centre.

Most of basic amenities can be found here in super stores. Tesco, ASDA and Sainsbury are the biggest stores here. In addition, there are small off-license shops all over the city which remains open till late in the evening. It is best to go to shop here in mornings or afternoons because most of the shops open at 9 AM and close at 5 PM.

Birmingham doesn't have a reputation for being especially picturesque, but there is a lot of interesting architecture in the city centre that the shops and crowds sometimes obscure. For such a (relatively) large population centre, the countryside (in the form of country parks) is surprisingly close.

Museums and art galleries For a place with a strong industrial heritage, Birmingham does not have the large range of historical attractions you may expect, however, this is offset by the arts being extremely well-represented. • Aston Hall, Trinity Rd, Aston (Train to Aston or Witton or #7 bus), ☎ +44 121 327 0062 (bmag_enquiries@birmingham.gov.uk), [26]. closed until summer 2009 for a £10 million makeover, though the exterior can still be viewed. Restored Jacobean mansion built between 1618 and 1635, containing period rooms and artwork. Cannon damage from the English Civil War is still visible. The Hall was visited by Arthur Conan Doyle and Washington Irving, inspiring the latter's 'Bracebridge Hall'. Aston Hall by Candlelight is a popular Christmas event that takes place every two years (even numbers) where the whole grounds are lit by candles for 17th-century festivities (fee charged). Free entrance. • While you're in the area make your way down to 14 Lodge Road, birthplace of Ozzy Osbourne. This is a private house (so please respect the occupants' privacy) but a popular photo-spot for heavy metal fans. Lodge Road is about 1/2 a mile from Aston Hall and runs between Witton Road and Trinity Road. Most crime in Aston occurs after dark so you should be fairly safe during the day. You'll also experience the inspiration behind Black Sabbath's grim early lyrics! • Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston B15 2TS (on the University of Birmingham campus, off Edgbaston Park Rd, train to University or #61, #62 or #63 bus), ☎ +44 121 414 7333 (info@barber.org.uk, fax: +44 121 414 3370), [27]. M- Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. Small gallery with an excellent permanent collection, including many pre-Raphaelites. Good Britain Guide gallery of the year 2004. Free (donations welcome). • Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery, Chamberlain Square B3 3DH (Central), ☎ +121 303 2834 (bmag_enquiries@birmingham.gov.uk), [28]. M-Th Sa 10AM-5PM, F 10:30AM-5PM, Su 12:30PM-5PM.. Large museum with some local history, several temporary exhibitions and large permanent collection including an extensive collection of Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Includes the Gas Hall and Waterhall Gallery of Modern Art. Free (donations welcome). edit

• Cadbury World, Linden Rd, Bournville B30 2LU (train to Bournville), ☎ +44 845 450 3599, [29]. Opening times vary enormously but tend to be daily 10AM-4PM in the spring, summer and autumn. Huge chocolate factory south of the city centre. Tour includes the history of chocolate and the Cadbury company, plus a brief look at some of the factory floor. Some free chocolate, plus relatively cheap mis-shapes in the shop. £13.90 (concessions £10.50, children £10.10. Combined train and entry tickets available). • IKON Gallery, 1 Oozells Square, Brindleyplace B1 2HS (off Broad St), ☎ +44 121 248 0708 (marketing@ikon-gallery.co.uk, fax: +121 248 0709), [30]. Tu-Su 11AM-6PM. Small gallery with two or three temporary modern and conceptual art installations. Excellent cafe (see below). Free (donations welcome). • Sarehole Mill, Cole Bank Rd, Hall Green B13 OBD (#4, #5, #6 #11 buses), ☎ +44 121 777 6612 (contact@birmingham.gov.uk, fax: +44 121 236 1766), [31]. Apr-Oct, T-Su 11:30AM-4PM (closed Mondays except Bank Holidays). Built in 1765, Sarehole Mill is a fine example of one of more than fifty water mills that existed in Birmingham at one time. Matthew Boulton used the Mill for making buttons and for metal rolling until he moved his operations to Soho in 1761. In the late 1890s Sarehole was the childhood haunt of Hobbit author J.R.R. Tolkien, and famously influenced 'The Shire' in The Lord of the Rings. Free entrance. • Soho House, Soho Ave, Handsworth, B18 5LB (Located off Soho Rd, Buses: 74, 78 and 79, Metro: Benson Road (there is a steep uphill walk to the house)), ☎ +44 121 554 9122 (contact@birmingham.gov.uk), [32]. 8 Apr-29 Oct, Tu-Su 11:30AM-4PM (closed Mondays except Bank Holidays). The elegant home of industrial pioneer Matthew Boulton, who lived at the house from 1766 to 1809. Here, he met with some of the most important scientists, engineers and thinkers of his time - the Lunar Society. Free entrance. • Thinktank, Millennium Point, Curzon St (directions), ☎ +44 121 202 2222 (ffindout@thinktank.ac), [33]. Daily 10AM-5PM (last admission 4PM). Science museum with lots of hands-on activities, vehicles and industrial machines, however it must be noted that the activities all smell of their popularity. IMAX cinema (see Cinema section) in the same building. £6.95 (concessions £5, children £4.95. Family and IMAX combination tickets available). • Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, 75-79 Vyse Street, Hockley, Birmingham, B18 6HA, ☎ +44 121 554 3598, [34]. Tuesday-Saturday 10:30-16:00 (last admission one hour before), closed Sunday and Monday except Bank Holiday Mondays. Jewellery workshop abandoned in working condition, later reopened as a museum. Visits are by tour, lasting approximately one hour. Worth seeing, especially in the context of the wider, still working commercial jewellery quarter. Free, though donations are requested..

Parks and nature There are small parks and green spaces all over the city and suburbs, and the countryside is only about thirty minutes away in any direction. The country parks and nature reserves usually contain a wealth of information about local flora, fauna and conservation efforts. • Birmingham Botanical Gardens & Glasshouses, Westbourne Rd, Edgbaston (#21, #22, #23, #29 or #103 bus), +44 121 454 1860 (admin@birminghambotanicalgardens.org.uk), [35]. M-Sa 9AM-7PM, Su 10AM-7PM (Closes at 5PM or dusk Oct-Mar). Large botanical gardens with a huge range of plants and workshops throughout the year. £6.10 (concessions £3.60, family tickets available). • Birmingham Nature Centre, Pershore Rd, B5 7RL (#45 or #47 bus, adjacent to Cannon Hill Park), ☎ +44 121 472 7775 (nature.centre@birmingham.gov.uk, fax:+44 121 471 4997), [36]. Daily 10AM-5PM Apr-Oct, Sa Su 10AM-4PM Nov-Mar. Six-acre centre with lots of animals and birds, including deer, otters, owls and two rare Red Pandas. £1.70 (concessions £1.10, children free). • Cannon Hill Park, Pershore Rd (#45 or #47 bus), +44 121 442 4226 (cannon.hill.park@birmingham.gov.uk), [37]. Well-maintained park with flowerbeds, tennis, bowling and water features. Contains tea rooms and the Midlands Arts Centre. Free. • Lickey Hills Country Park, Rednal (train to Barnt Green or #62 bus), +44 121 447 7106 (lickey.hills@birmingham.gov.uk), [38]. Popular park (heathland, coniferous forest and deciduous forest) covering over 200 hectares with a visitor centre, pub and golf course. Best visited in the spring (for bluebells) or autumn (for bilberries and turning leaves). Free.

• National Sea Life Centre, Brindleyplace, +44 121 643 6777 (24 hour information line +44 121 633 4700), [39]. Daily 10AM-6PM (last admission 4PM M-F, 5PM Sa Su). Large sea life centre with a multitude of aquatic animals, including piranhas, turtles, sea horses, rays and otters. Feeding demonstrations throughout the day. £9.95 (concessions £6.95, family tickets available). • RSPB Sandwell Valley, 20 Tanhouse Ave, Great Barr, B43 5AG (Train to Hamstead; No 16 bus; or signposted from local roads), ☎ +44 121 357 7395(mailto:sandwellvalley@rspb.org.uk), [40]. Tu-F 9AM-5PM, Sa Su 10AM-5PM (closes at dusk in winter). A bird reserve on the border with Sandwell which organises regular guided walks, talks and family activities. free entrance. • Sutton Park, Sutton Coldfield (train to Sutton Coldfield or #66A bus), +44 121 355 6370 (sutton.park.visitors.centre@birmingham.gov.uk), [41]. Enormous (over 900 hectare) park including heathland, wetland, marshes, woodland and lakes. Designated an English Nature National Nature Reserve in 1997. Lots of activities on offer including golf, angling, cycling and bird watching. Free. • Woodgate Valley Country Park, Bartley Green (#23 or #103 bus), +44 121 421 7575 (woodgate.valley.country.park@birmingham.gov.uk), [42]. 450-acre meadow, hedgerow and woodland park containing Woodgate Valley Urban Farm and Hole Farm Trekking Centre. Best visited in spring and summer when there are hundred of wild flowers and butterflies. Free. Religious buildings Birmingham's population is very diverse, and communities from just about any country in the world can be found somewhere. This is turn has led to numerous centres for all the world's major religions.

• Birmingham Buddhist Centre, 11 Park Rd, Moseley (#1, #35 or #50 bus), +44 121 449 5279 (info@birminghambuddhistcentre.org.uk), [43]. A centre run by the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order . • Birmingham Cathedral (a.k.a. St Philip's Cathedral), Colmore Row, +44 121 262 1840 (enquiries@birminghamcathedral.com), [44]. M-F 7:30AM-6:30PM (5PM from late Jul to early Sep), Sa Su 8:30AM-5PM. Church of England cathedral, built between 1709 and 1715 and the centre of the Diocese of Birmingham. Grade 1 listed building in the UK, designed as a parish church in the Baroque style by Thomas Archer. Contains four spectacular pre-Raphaelite stained glass windows. • Birmingham Central Mosque, 180 Belgrave Middleway, Highgate (#35 bus), +44 121 440 5355, [45]. Daily noon-30 minutes after Isha (exact time of Isha varies with the seasons). Built in 1969, Birmingham was the second purpose-built mosque in the UK (the first was Woking). The working capacity is 2500, though this is expanded during special events such as Eid. Tour groups should book at least two weeks in advance. • Birmingham Central Synagogue, 133 Pershore Rd, +44 121 440 4044 (office@centralshul.com), [46]. M Th from 7:15AM, Tu W F from 7:30AM, Sa from 9:30AM, Su from 8:30AM. Large modern orthodox synagogue, popular with students. • Birmingham Peace Pagoda, Osler St, Ladywood, +44 121 455-0650, [47]. The pagoda is designed as symbol of peace, compassion and the noble exemplary qualities of the Buddha. • Ramgarhia Sikh Temple, Graham St, +44 121 235 5435. • The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Harborne Ward, Lordswood Road +44 121 427-9291. Typical meetinghouse, with services at 10:00AM on Sundays. • St Chad's Cathedral, St Chad's Queensway, +44 121 236 2251, [48]. M-F 8AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 9AM-1PM. Catholic cathedral built in 1841 and designated a Minor Basilica in 1941. Contains the Shrine of St. Chad. • St Martin in the Bull Ring, between the Bull Ring shopping complex and the Bull Ring markets. 10AM-5PM. St. Martin is the parish church of Birmingham, or "The Cathedral of the Bull Ring", as some would say. The first church was probably Norman, but was rebuilt in the 13th century. As it stands today, most of the church dates from 1875, though inside you can see the 1325 effigy of the Lord of the Manor Sir William de Bermingham. The church is a Grade II* listed building in the UK. • Shree Geeta Bhawan, 107-117 Heathfield Rd, Lozells (#46 bus), +44 121 523 7797, [49]. M-Sa 9AM-1PM and 5PM-8PM (Tu 9PM), Su 9AM-8PM. Hindu temple, opened in 1967.

Clubbing The city hosts some of Britain's most popular clubs and events. Student nights are especially fun, with cheap drink and entry offers and busy clubs. Do not miss out on visiting at least one of these brilliant events: • Ramshackle, giving visitors a brilliant experience of the UK and International indie scene combined with fantastic prices. Held at the 2000+ capacity Carling Academy, Dale End. • Snobs, very similar to Ramshackle; with DJs offering more focus on up and coming music, also with a 60's room. "Big Wednesday"'s are big with the large student population Birmingham has, with shots at just £1 each all night. • Oceana, the new super club boasts 5+ bars, 2 huge dance floors, and a roof top seating area, all new within the last 2 years. An amazing experience, if a little expensive on popular nights. A good night to go is a Wednesday. • Risa, located on Broad Street, is one of the most popular clubs among students in Birmingham. However it is being gradually taken over by clubs like Oceana. Still it is good fun on Monday and Wednesday night. • Gatecrasher, now the biggest club in Birmingham, is on Broad Street. Do Concerts, theatre shows and other events are comprehensively listed and reviewed on Birmingham Alive! [50]. • The Custard Factory, Gibb Street. Hosts a range of shops during the day, this ecclectic venue is the home of various club nights on weekends and some weekdays. On bigger nights the large pool at the centre of the venue is drained and turned into a dancefloor with

a heated marquee over it. If you want a true feel of what Birmingham's nightlife has to offer, this is not to be overlooked. edit Cinema Birmingham's cinemas are quite reasonably priced due to stiff competition for the student market. Don't expect a huge range of "alternative" films, as even the independent places screen mainstream blockbusters to keep their revenues up. • The Electric Cinema, 47-49 Station St, +44 121 643 7879 (info@theelectric.co.uk), [51]. Daily, doors open 30 minutes before the film starts. The oldest still-operating cinema building in the UK (opening in 1909), famous for its Art Deco interiors, home baking and cocktail bar. The cinema now features sofa seating, waiter service and the best in intelligent mainstream and independent films. £6 (concessions £4, sofa seat £10). • Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Cannon Hill Park, Edgbaston/Moseley (#1, #45 or #47 bus), +44 121 440 3838 (info@macarts.co.uk), [52]. M-Sa 9AM-11PM (Su 10:30PM). The newly refurbished Midlands Arts Centre located in the leafy suburb of Edgbaston has a small but perfectly formed arthouse cinema £6 (concessions £4.50). • IMAX, Millennium Point, Curzon St, +44 121 202 2222, (findout@imax.ac), [53]. Daily 10AM-5PM. Part of the Thinktank science museum. 2D and 3D films shown on an enormous (five story) screen. Some mainstream films, mainly documentaries. £6.50 (concessions £5, children under 16 £4.50, family and joint Thinktank tickets available). • AMC, 220 Ladywood Middleway, Broadway Plaza, +44 870 755 5657, [54]. Daily 10AM-1AM. A large modern multiplex showing recent mainstream films. £5 (£3.50 concessions and before 6:30PM).

• Cineworld, 181 Broad St, +44 871 200 2000, [55]. Daily 10AM-1AM. A large modern multiplex showing recent mainstream films. £5.50 (£3.50 concessions and before 6:30PM, family tickets available). • Odeon, New Street, +44 871 224 4007, [56]. Cinema showing mainstream films, near to Bullring shopping centre and New Street station. You can't really call it much of a multiplex. It is a 1930s building with very few screens and the seats are so close together your legs hurt after the advertisements! £5.20 (£4 before 5PM M-F). • Vue, 29 Star City, +44 871 224 0240, [57]. Multiplex within the Star City entertainment complex north east of the town center (which also boasts restaurants, bars, nightclubs, bowling and a large casino). The cinema offers 24 screens, including 3 gold class screens with larger, more comfortable seats, at-seat service, free popcorn and a bar. £5.70-£6.60 (£8-£15 for gold class). • Birmingham International Film Society, [58] Events Birmingham hosts some of the largest events, exhibitions and conferences in the country, which may or may not be of interest to a visitor. • National Exhibition Centre (NEC), Marston Green, Solihull (train to Birmingham International or #900 bus), +44 870 909 4133 (cs.boxoffice@necgroup.co.uk),[59]. A huge exhibition centre, staging more than 180 exhibitions each year in 21 halls totalling 200,000 square metres. Free-£40 (price varies with event). o NEC Arena, Marston Green (located within the NEC. Train to Birmingham International or #900 bus), +44 870 909 4133 (cs.boxoffice@necgroup.co.uk), [60]. A 12,000-seat arena hosting national and international sporting and entertainment events. £6-£50 (price varies with event and seating). • National Indoor Arena (NIA), King Edwards Rd, +44 870 909 4133 (cs.boxoffice@necgroup.co.uk), [61]. A fairly large, modern arena hosting many national and international sporting and entertainment events. £6-£50 (price varies with event and seating). • International Convention Centre (ICC), Broad St, +44 121 200 2000 (info@theicc.co.uk), [62]. A modern convention centre sharing a building with Symphony Hall.

Lap dancing Birmingham has seen a rapid proliferation of lap dancing clubs in recent years, to the extent that they are now touted as a typical night out for business people. Around a dozen clubs are scattered over the city centre, including Legs Eleven (a favourite haunt of Premiership football players) and two Spearmint Rhinos. Live music The live music scene in Birmingham is vibrant and varied, and something can be experienced just about any night of the week. Libraries, tourist information offices and music-related bars and shops will stock copies of The Fly, a free fortnightly publication with exhaustive listings of every music event going on in the city and surrounding area . • Barfly, 78 High St, Digbeth, +44 121 633 8311 (ticket line +44 870 907 0999, carlo@barflyclub.com), [63]. Alternative indie and rock music, usually every day. £6-£15 (price varies with band fame). • Carling Academy, 52-54 Dale End, +44 121 262 3000 (info line +44 905 020 3999, mail@birmingham-academy.co.uk), [64]. Large club playing alternative rock and indie, usually every day. Next door is the Bar Academy, a pre-club bar and gig venue in its own right. Gig tickets usually allow entry to the club night going on afterwords. £6-£20 (price varies with band fame). • CBSO Centre, Berkley St (off Broad St), +44 121 616 6500 (ticket line +44 121 780 3333, information@cbso.co.uk), [65]. Modern rehearsal facilities for the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO). Concerts usually once a week, including Centre Stage intimate chamber music. £5-£12.

• Flapper and Firkin, Cambrian Wharf, Kingston Row (near the National Indoor Arena), +44 121 236 2421, [66]. M-Th noon-11PM, F Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-10:30PM. Friendly pub, popular with students. Live music Th-Sa from 8:30PM, usually underground rock, punk and indie. £4 (£3 with promotional flyer). • Symphony Hall, Broad St, +44 121 200 2000 (box office +44 121 780 3333, boxoffice@thsh.co.uk), [67]. Internationally renowned concert venue with two to four classical concerts per week. Also offers Sounds Interesting free pre-concert talks. £7.50-£40 (price varies with seating. Some £5 tickets available 1 month in advance. Student standbys £3.50 from 10AM / 1PM on performance day) Theatre In addition to the main venues mentioned below, there are several small theatres scattered around the city and the suburbs; pick up a What's On guide from a library or tourist information office for full listings. • Alexandra Theatre, Station St, +44 870 607 7533, [68]. Edwardian theatre showing pre- and post-West End plays and musicals. £6-£50 (price varies with seating). • Birmingham Hippodrome, Hurst St, +44 121 870 730 1234 (tickets@birminghamhippodrome.com), [69]. Large, recently refurbished theatre showing varied performing arts. Home of the Patrick Centre for the Performing Arts and the Birmingham Royal Ballet. Preferred venue for the Welsh National Opera. £6-£50 (price varies with seating. Concessions £3-£5 off or £10 student standby 24 hours in advance. 3%-6% transaction fee if not paying by cash.). • Crescent Theatre, 20 Sheepcote St (off Broad St), +44 121 643 5858, [70]. Box office M-F 4:30PM-7PM, Sa noon-7PM. Independent local theatre company performing both old and modern plays. £7-£12 (concessions £1-£1.50 off). • Midlands Arts Centre (MAC). See Cinema. £5-£20.

• Old Rep Theatre, Station St, +44 121 303 2323 (boxoffice@birmingham.gov.uk), [71]. Home of the Birmingham Stage Company, puts on both professional and amateur productions. £5-£15. • Repertory Theatre, Centenary Square, Broad St, +44 121 236 4455 (stage.door@birmingham-rep.co.uk), [72]. Well-established theatre putting on classical and modern plays. Supports new work through The Door. £5-£15. Sports Council-run leisure centres [73] are liberally scattered throughout Birmingham, typically offering swimming pools, sports courts, fields and exercise equipment, all available at much lower prices than you'd expect to pay at privately-run gyms. There's also plenty of golf courses, both municipal and private, across the city including the world famous Belfry complex. • Villa Park, B6 6HE, +44 871 423 8100 ([74]). Home of Aston Villa F.C. [75]. Birmingham's most successful football club having won 7 FA Cups, 7 league titles, and one European Cup. £25-35, capacity 42,553. Accessed with the Number 7 bus from the City Centre, or a train to Witton (don't be fooled, this is next door to the stadium) or Aston, a fairly long walk from the stadium, just follow the crowd, from New Street station. • St Andrews, B9 4NH, +44 871 226 1875 ([76]). Home of Birmingham City F.C. [77]. Birmingham's other main football club. Less successful than Aston Villa, with only 1 League Cup to their name, City have nonetheless maintained a strong fan base throughout the years. £15-30, capacity 30,016. Accessed from Bordesley train station, catch a train from Birmingham Moor Street, opposite the Bullring. • Edgbaston Cricket Ground, B5 7QU, +44 870 062 1902 ([78]), [79]. Home of Warwickshire County Cricket Club [80]. Edgbaston hosts both county cricket matches and international test matches throughout the summer months. £6-£10, capacity 21,000. This is

walkable from the City Centre, however, for a warwickshire Mid-week Day game, don't be at all surprised if you're the only one there. • Alexander Stadium, Stadium Way, Perry Barr, B42 2LR, +44 121 344 4858 ([81]). The Alexander Stadium, situated in Perry Barr, is Birmingham's only large athletics stadium and plays host to international meets and trials to decide the English/British teams for major events as well as being the base for the Birchfield Harriers[82] athletics club. The stadium's various sporting facilities are also open to public use. £1-2, capacity 7,000. • Edgbaston Priory, Sir Harrys Rd, Edgbaston, B15 2UZ, +44 121 440 2492 ([83]), [84]. Edgbaston Priory is the main tennis club in Birmingham, with 29 tennis courts, 10 squash courts, 2 swimming pools and a gym available to the public. Every June the club also hosts the DFS Classic [85], a woman's tennis tournament that acts as a warm-up for Wimbledon. DFS Classic tickets £8-£20. • The Belfry, Lichfield Rd, Sutton Coldfield, B76 9PR, +44 8709 00 00 66 ([86]), [87]. The Belfry Golf Club runs three courses just to the north east of Birmingham, including the world famous Brabazon course which has been used for the Ryder Cup and continues to play host to tournaments on the PGA European Tour [88]. Green fees £25-£140, tournament spectator tickets £7.50-£20. • Grand Prix Karting, Adderley Rd South, B8 1AD, +44 121 327 7700, [89]. Large go- karting centre just east of the city centre. £10-£50. • The Ackers, Golden Hillock Rd, Small Heath, B11 2PY, +44 121 772 5111 ([90]), [91]. The Ackers is an outdoor activity centre offering a range of activities, ranging from kayaking and archery to rock climbing and dry slope skiing. Prices vary depending on activity. Skiing/snowboarding sessions £11 for one hour. • Birmingham Speedway, Aldridge Rd, Perry Barr B42 2ET (Perry Barr Stadium), 0870 840 7410, [92]. Open W 7:45PM. Come and see Premier League speedway racing at it's very best every Wednesday at Perry Barr, the place of pace! 4 riders, 4 laps, and no brakes. Come once and you'll be hooked for life! That's right the brummies are back. Theme Parks

• Drayton Manor, B78 3TW, +44 8708 725252 ([93]), [94]. Drayton Manor, located just outside Tamworth in Staffordshire, is the fourth most popular theme park in the UK, with 35 rides set in 280 acres of land as well as a 15 acre zoo. To get to the park during school holidays simply catch the special E22 bus in the mornings (typically just before 9 and 10) from Carrs Lane stop DK (near the Pavillions Shopping Centre). A return ticket should cost £10. Outside of school holidays you'll need to catch bus 110, which runs every half hour from Bull Street stop BF (near Snow Hill station) and get off at Fazeley. The return fare is £4. If you're unsure of where exactly the stop is (and it's easy to miss) ask the driver to signal you when you need to get off. Admission £18.95-£20.95. Spas • The Amala Spa and Club, Hyatt Regency Birmingham Hotel, 2 Bridge St, ☎ +44 121 643 1234 (birmingham@hyattintl.com), [95]. Learn • There are fifteen further education colleges dotted around the city, and community adult education centres in most suburbs. Most offer evening classes in a variety of academic and

vocational subjects. There are also regular workshops at places such as the Midlands Arts Centre (see Cinema) and the Country Parks (see Parks and nature). • Brasshouse Language Centre, 50 Sheepcote St (off Broad St), +44 121 303 0114, [96]. M-F 9:15AM-8:30PM, Sa 9:15AM-1PM (holidays M-F 9:15AM-4PM). Specialist language centre offering courses in over 30 languages, from beginners up to degree level. Also offers TEFL, residential courses and distance learning. Universities • Birmingham is home to three universities, who enjoy a mostly-friendly rivalry (mainly fought out in the student press). Aston and Birmingham are campus institutions, with Birmingham City University spread out over several buildings and campuses around the city. • Aston University, Aston, +44 121 204 3000, [97]. Formerly the Birmingham College of Advanced Technology, became a university in 1966. Offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses in many subjects, but specialises in business and engineering. Aston Business School is widely regarded as an extremely prestigious MBA business school. • University of Birmingham, Edgbaston (train to University or #21, #46, #61, #62 or #63 bus), +44 121 414 3344, [98]. Large redbrick university, founded in 1900 and a member of the Russell Group of research-driven institutions. Offers a huge range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses. The picturesque campus is worth a visit, it contains the Barber Institure of Fine Arts, Lapworth Museum of Geology, Winterbourne Botanic Gardens and several art installations. • Birmingham City University (Formerly: University of Central England (UCE)), main campus at Perry Barr (train to Perry Barr or #28A bus), +44 121 331 5000, [99]. Formed from several colleges in the 1970's and adopted the University title in 1992. Offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses, specialising mainly in arts (BIAD at Gosta Green, Aston) and vocational subjects. • Birmingham Conservatoire part of Birmingham City University. This high class institution specialises in refined music performance based degrees ranging from undergraduate to Advanced Postgraduate Diplomas and PhDs, and recently scored 3rd in student course satisfaction surveys across the UK's 9 music colleges as of September 2009. An ever growing number of well known names are stemming from the Conservatoire, such names have included Di Xiao, Christopher Orton and Rhydian Roberts.

Work • • Bullring shopping centre • The vast number of shops, bars and restaurants in the city centre means that there is rarely a shortage of menial job vacancies. You will often see positions for minimum wage service or retail positions advertised in windows. There are also a lot of temping agencies able to find temporary office, driving and other jobs for travellers packing suits and CVs. • Birmingham Broad Street Jobcentre, Centennial House, 100 Broad St, +44 121 480 3800. • Birmingham City Jobcentre Plus, 65-77 Summer Row, Ladywood, +44 121 237 8300. Buy • During the last few years Birmingham has developed enormously as a regional shopping centre, with the old Bull Ring complex (once a notorious 1960's eyesore) being demolished to make way for a large shopping centre that includes Selfridges. There are also a number of lesser known shopping centres located near to the Bull Ring complex [100] such as the Pavillions, The Mailbox [101] and the Pallasades (The Mall), which is located directly above New Street Station. The principal shopping streets are New Street, High Street and Corporation Street. All include the usual assortment of high street chain-stores and discount outlets.

• The Pavillions is home to the largest Waterstones, Virgin Megastores, Marks & Spencer and HMV stores in the region. • The Mall at the Pallasades has become run down as of late, containing only two known shops to speak of, Woolworths and HMV, however, it provides a fast link from the Debenhams side of the Bull Ring, directly into New Street Station, with relatively little pedestrian traffic. • Martineau Place is a small, recently developed shopping centre, which holds a Gap, H&M, O'Neill Store and Freespirit, as well as an obligitary Starbucks Coffee House. • Birmingham's High Street has become run down as of late, holding mainly discount stores, due to the attraction of the Bull Ring to larger name stores. However, New Street, going towards Victoria Square has many upmarket stores. As does the Mailbox, home to the region's only Harvey Nichols, as well as many other Designer Boutiques. • The Jewellery Quarter [102], to the north of the city centre, specialises in jewellery and contains many small workshops and retailers. • Some of the more useful, unusual or independent shops include: • Bull Ring Markets, The Bull Ring, +44 121 303 0300 (marketstalls@birmingham.gov.uk), [103]. Indoor market M-Sa 9AM-5:30PM, Rag market Tu Th-Sa 9AM-5PM, Open market Tu-Sa 9AM-5PM. The markets comprise the original trading centre that Birmingham was built upon. There are hundreds of stalls, and you'll be able to get everything from food to underwear to gaffa tape relatively cheaply. • Nostalgia & Comics, 14-16 Smallbrook Queensway, +44 121 643 0143. M-W 9:30AM-5:30PM, Th-Sa 9AM-6PM, Su noon-4PM. Comics, graphic novels, manga and the usual alternative oddities. Ideal if you want to catch up on your favourite series while on the road. • Oasis, 112-114 Corporation St, +44 121 233 4488, [104]. M-Sa 10AM-5PM. A large and intertwining collection of several small retailers over four floors, specialising in goth and alternative clothing and accessories. • Shared Earth, 87 New St, +44 121 633 0151, [105]. M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 11AM-4PM. A fair trade company supplying hand-crafted stationery (brilliant for travel journals), clothing and oddities. • New Street Farmers' Market, New Street (in the City Centre) [106]. The market is held on the first and third Wednesday of every month, plus the second Wednesday in December. Other such markets are held in the suburbs of Moseley and Sutton Coldfield.

• The Frankfurt Christmas Market, [107]. Every Nov/Dec, the city centre hosts this unique Christmas market which is the largest such market outside of Germany and Austria. Eat Birmingham is the balti capital of England, as the balti was invented here in 1977. The much-promoted "balti triangle" covers around 50 restaurants on Ladypool Road and Stratford Road in Sparkbrook, about 2 miles south of the city centre. Travel West Midlands has a deal with eight of the larger eateries whereby you can get a 15% discount for travelling by bus, pick up a Balti Triangle by Bus leaflet for full details. A taxi to the area will take around 10 minutes and cost £5. Although the area looks a bit run-down, there is little crime as the abundance of restaurants ensure that the streets are always busy. Budget Birmingham has a large student population, and the usual cottage industries have sprung up in campus areas to cater for their lack of cash. There are around a dozen cheap eateries in the Selly Oak area of Bristol Road, mainly Indian but also Chinese, Italian and English. • The usual fast food chains, kebab shops and burger vans are also scattered around the city and surrounding areas. • Simply Baguette, Opposite Wetherspoons, Corporation Street, you simply cannot miss out on this gem if you are travelling on a budget. A variety (and a big one at that) of baguettes ranging from 50-75p. An absolute bargain. • Cafe Face, 519 Bristol Rd, Selly Oak, +44 121 415 4651. M-Su 8AM-6PM. Absolutely excellent cafes, big helpings not shy on the cheese, garlic mayonnaise and chilli sauce if

you were to order them. Excellent reputation for their roasted vegetables or jacket potatoes. £3-£7. • Wok Delight [108] +44 (0) 121 357 0018 • Canalside Cafe, 35 Worcester Bar, Gas St, +44 121 248 7979. Daily 9AM-4PM. Fairly small cafe with a good range of organic and vegetarian foods. Excellent in the summer, as it's (unsurprisingly) right on the canalside. £3-£12. • Edwardian Tea Rooms, Chamberlain Square (inside Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery), +44 121 303 2834. M-Th Sa 10AM-5PM, F 10:30AM-5PM, Su 12:30PM-5PM. Authentic Edwardian cafe in the heart of the museum. The food is a lot better than the price suggests. £3-£12. Mid-range The mid-range chain eateries are much the same as the ones you'd find in any British city, and you'll rarely be more than a few hundred yards away from one. • Big Wok, 5 Wrottesley St, +44 121 666 6800 (info@bigwok.co.uk), [109]. Daily noon-11:30PM. All-you-can-eat fixed price Chinese buffet restaurant. Expensive drinks. Very popular with students and locals. Lunch £5, dinner (after 5PM) £9. • Varsha [110] +44 (0) 121 743 8100 • Cafe IKON, 1 Oozells Square, Brindleyplace, +44 121 248 3226, [111]. M noon-11PM, Tu-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-6PM. Modern cafe attached to the art gallery with efficient and friendly staff. Excellent muffins. £6-£20. • Cafe Soya, Unit 2, Upper Dean St, +44 121 622 3888. Popular Chinese and Vietnamese place and not exclusively vegetarian, despite the name. £6-£20. • Celebrity Balti Restaurant, 44 Broad St (above the Brasshouse pub), +44 121 643 8969. Decent Indian dishes. £12-£35. • Chung Ying Garden, 17 Thorp St (off Hurst St), +44 121 666 6622 (info@chungying.co.uk), [112]. Large, well-known Cantonese place. Also offers private rooms for groups, karaoke and disco. £10-£40. • Yasser Tandoori [113] +44 (0) 121 433 3023 • Hudson's, 122-124 Colmore Row, +44 121 236 9009 (info@hudsonsfood.com), [114]. Independent cafe with tailcoated waiters, also a luxury gourmet food retailer. Bookcrossing venue. £5-£20.

• Pasta Di Piazza, 11 Brook St, St. Paul's Square, +44 121 236 5858, [115]. Daily noon- midnight. Upmarket Italian place, can be a bit crowded. £12-£30. • Thai Edge, 7 Oozells Square, Brindleyplace, +44 121 643 3993 (birmingham@thaiedge.co.uk), [116]. Daily noon-2:30PM and 5:30PM-11PM. Contemporary Oriental surroundings. Wide range of Thai dishes. £12-£40. • The Green Room, Arcadian Centre, Hurst St, +44 121 605 4343 (info@greenroomcafebar.co.uk), [117]. M-W 11AM-11PM, Th 11AM-midnight, F Sa 11AM-2AM, Su noon-12:30AM. Varied contemporary menu, chilled-out atmosphere. Popular with the theatre crowd. £10-£30. • V2, 73-75 Pershore St, +44 121 666 6683. Home-style Chinese cooking, popular with the local Chinese community. Clean and bright inside with trendy decor. • Wagamama, Bullring plaza, (under Borders), B5 4QL, +44 121 633 6033. [118]. M-Sa Noon-11PM, Su12:30PM-10PM. Birmingham's restaurant of the Wagamama chain, tidy and minimal inside with a good, varied noodle menu. Specials change frequently and there are a few good vegetarian dishes. Can get busy, with a typical wait from 10-15 minutes during peak shopping times. • The Kitchen Garden Cafe, 17 York Road, Kings Heath. [119]. Picturesque area in the middle of a busy and bustling part of Birmingham, where you feel right at home the minute you walk in. Quality vegetarian options and excellent service. This is one of those places that, in time, will only get better. • Woktastic, Paradise Place Birmingham B3 3HJ (Located just outside Paradise forum on the same side as the theatres and ICC), ☎ 0121 236 3130(feedme@woktastic.co.uk), [120]. M-Sa 12PM-11PM Su 12PM-10PM. Japanese, surprisingly given the name. Fluorescent, authentic, accommodating, great £7-10. edit • Shangri-la Chinese Restaurant, 51 Station Street, Birmingham B5 4DY (Located close to Birmingham New Street Station, the Bull Ring, Chinese Quarter/Theatre District), ☎ +44 121 6162888 (shangrilachineserestaurant@yahoo.co.uk), [121]. Su-Thu 11:00-23:00 Fri-Sat 12:00-24:00. Catering to both British and expatriate Chinese communities the food is of good quality, and the service unobtrusive (you may have to wave for attention). Though they do have plates, ask to keep your bowls and chopsticks for a more authentic experience. Try the hot Chinese tea, the spring rolls (with spicy dipping sauce) or the vegetarian lettuce wrapped to start, the side of Shangri-la noodles (fried, dry with various meats), and the sizzling steak (in strips, with sauce and vegetables). It will be ample for two. £15-25. edit

• Kinnaree Thai Restaurant, 22 Water Front Walk, Holliday Wharf Building, Birmingham B1 1SN (Located across from the Qube, at the rear of the Mailbox), ☎ +44 121 665 6568, [122]. Elaborately decorated in the Thai style, with similarly dressed and attentive staff. Views over the canal. Food nice, many items spicy £15-30. edit • Chez Jules, 5a Ethel Street, New Street, Birmingham B2 4BG (Located near to the back entrance of New Street Station, just off New Street between the Town Hall square and the Bull Ring), ☎ 0121 6334664 (info@chezjules.co.uk, fax: 0121 6334669), [123]. Mon-Sat 12:00-15:00 and 17:00-23:00, Closed Summer Sunday, Sunday 12:00-15:00 during other seasons.. Good French food, with a more rustic feel than the nearby branch of the Cafe Rouge chain. Large bench seated tables for groups, and a more intimate area for couples. £15-30. edit Splurge Birmingham has quite a few upmarket places, mainly due to the number of high-rolling businesspeople that drift in for conferences and other dealings. • Aria Restaurant, 2 Bridge St (In Hyatt lobby), +44 121 643 1234, [124]. Daily 6:30AM-10:30PM. 3-course pre-concert table d'hôte menu. • Metro Bar & Grill, 73 Cornwall St, +44 121 200 1911, [125]. Seasonal seafood, pasta, salads and cocktails. £15-£40. • Opus Restaurant, 54 Cornwall St, +44 121 200 2323 (restaurant@opusrestaurant.co.uk), [126]. Non-smoking shellfish bar. £15-£40. • The Jam House, 1 St. Paul's Square, +44 121 200 3030 (info@thejamhouse.com), [127]. Varied menu and live music most nights. £20-£50. Vegetarian & Vegan • Considering its size, Birmingham does not have a wide range of vegetarian-specific places to eat. All the eateries mentioned above will have vegetarian options, but the Indian and Chinese places tend to have better variety. • Jyoti, 569-571 Stratford Rd, Sparkhill (part of the balti triangle, 4 miles south of the city. #5 or #6 bus), +44 121 766 7199. Tu-F 6PM-9:15PM (last orders), Th F noon-2:30PM, Sa

Su 1PM-9:15PM (last orders), closed M. Excellent Indian food, but relatively small portions. Extremely popular, so book ahead. £5-£20. • The Warehouse Cafe, 54 Allison St, Digbeth, +44 121 633 0261. Tu-F noon-12:30PM, Sa noon-3PM, F Sa 6PM-9PM. Wholesome organic vegetarian and vegan fare. Closely linked with Friends of the Earth. £5-£20. Selly Oak Selly Oak is in South Birmingham and has its own train station with frequent services from Birmingham New Street. It can also be reached by buses, which stop along the Bristol Road. The University of Birmingham is located close by, and hence the majority of residents in Selly Oak are students, who live in terraced houses mainly in a rather poor state. • The shops and services on Bristol Road cater for the student population. There are many take-aways / junk food places, letting agents, off-licenses, cheap restaurants and pubs. • The Soak A bar / pub that pretends to be a bit more posh than it is. Food is shocking. • The Goose Excellent old pub. Cheap food and drink of mediocre quality. Chips are not bad. Efficient service. • Gun Barrels Very studenty pub with pool tables and the like. Quite big. Cheap drinks. Very popular with students, gets very crowded on some nights. Has a large beer garden. Part of the Scream chain. • The Bristol Pear Again part of the Scream chain but much smaller than the Gun Barrels. Cheap drinks. Very slow chef. • Khanum Indian restaurant. Very good. Cheap. You can bring your own wine. • Chamon Indian restaurant. Pretty good. Cheap. You can bring your own wine. • Sheratton Indian restaurant, pretty good you can bring your own wine. They give you big discount • Cafe Eastern Delight Pretty Indian restaurant. You will have about 5 waiters behind your back if you eat there. • Sundarbon International Tandoori, 590-592 Bristol Road, Birmingham , Birmingham, B29 6BJ (Located in Selly Oak, close to the University), ☎ +44 121 472 7858.Similar to an Indian restaurant, this provides a somewhat higher quality of food than is common in

Selly Oak (studentville). The £10-15 centre menu items are complete main courses with rice or bread included. The rabbit, duck and veal make a change from the usual Indian faire (which Sundarbon also has in abundance). Recommended; however, larger groups sometimes have slow service. This may be uncorrelated with the value of alcohol they consume. The restaurant also tries to appear famous, the windows displaying many magnified newspaper cuttings about the restaurant selling its curries to famous celebrities. They are forgetting to include an article from the local student newspaper where a disabled student complained that the waiter was making fun of her disability. Scandal! £18-30. edit • Suzen's Noodle Bar Food often too oily. Cheap. • Rimini Italian restaurant. Prices higher than usual in the area, but quality of food and presentation is usually better than most local restaurants. You can bring your own wine. • Pizza Land / Mama Wia / Luciano's All little shops that serve very cheap (but good) pizza cooked by people who probably get paid less than the national minimum wage. • Dolphin Chip shop situated on Raddlebarn Road. Do not even think of venturing in there. They served me chicken that tasted of fish, as they clearly cannot be asked to change the oil. • Selly Sausage Popular cheap student restaurant. Good for paninis, pancakes, omelettes and the like. Host of "the campus mate" - a dating section by the local student newspaper. • Kebab Land Name says it all. • Rooster Hut closed down as bigger, better and cheaper Rooster House opened across the road. Good chicken at low prices. • Adam's Place Usual range of junk food at low prices. • Big John's Usual range of junk food at low prices. Has been refurbished and now looks slightly more fancy. • Woodstock Formerly a nice place with great atmosphere. Since the shop changed owner in early 2009 it has got much less cozy and the food is not as tasty as before. Still very high reputation. Drink General

• Dress code restrictions are rather common in Birmingham clubs, so be careful to check out each club's policy. Many clubs refuse to admit large groups of males in case of trouble, so go individually or in small groups. The usual excuse that door-staff give is that someone in the party is wearing the wrong type of shoes/coat/trousers etc. The general rule of thumb is no effort, no entry. This usually means shoes, not trainers, and a shirt, not a T-shirt. At the same time being dressed like that can be a hindrance, if you go to one of the cooler bars. It's best to check with someone who's been to the particular bar before. There are a number of areas in the city centre, which are defined below, but other areas to look for a night out are Moseley, Harborne and Selly Oak • When either of the city's two professional football teams (Aston Villa and Birmingham City) is playing at home, it is advisable to stay away from pubs becuase football supporters generally congregate in the city centres pubs before and after football matches, and chanting, aggressive football supporters may be an indimidating discovery for tourists. Stay away from all pubs in the city centre, and as violent clashes between rival supporters are common on match days, it would be wise to stay away from the city centre altogether. • If you are looking for the average drink, virtually any pub or bar will do. If you are a real ale aficionado, there are several excellent pubs to visit, where dress restrictions do not usually apply. City centre • Bull, 1 Price St, B4 6JU. +44 121 333 6757. Quiet and comfortable pub, in the Gun quarter. • Figure of Eight, 236 Broad St, B1 2HG. +44 121 633 0917. Large city centre pub belonging to the Wetherspoon chain. • Bacchus, Burlington Arcade, B2 4JH. +44 121 616 7991. Cheerfully insane ornate, gothic style cellar bar beneath The Burlington Hotel. Discretely hidden just off the bustling New Street. Bacchus is a relaxing oasis away from the buzz of the City Centre. A range of real ales is available. • Craven Arms, Upper Gough Street +44 121 643 6756. Situated out of the rear of the Mailbox complex, has great traditional blue tiled exterior. • Old Fox, 54 Hurst St, B5 4TD. +44 121 622 5080. • Old Joint Stock, 4 Temple Row West, B2 5NY (Faces St. Philips cathedral), ☎ +44 121 200 1892. Superbly decorated pub in a former bank, Grade II listed. Multi-award winning establishment. Sells mainly Fullers' brand.

• Old Royal, 53 Church St, B3 2DP. +44 121 200 3841. Single bar with large-screen TV. The pub is popular with office workers. • The Wellington, Bennets Hill (Just of Colmore Row), ☎ +44 121 200 3115, [128]. An outstanding and frequently-changing selection of well-kept real ales, lagers, ciders and perry (the current list can be viewed on-line), run by knowledgeable CAMRA members. No food served, but condiments, cutlery and crockery are available to people bringing their own. edit • Wetherspoon's, Unit 31, Paradise Place, B3 3HJ (Under Central Library, between Chamberlain Square and Centenary Square), ☎ +44 121 214 8970. Part of the eponymous Wetherspoon chain. Also handy for International Convention Centre, art gallery and museum. edit • Those looking for a cheap student night could do worse than check out Snobs which plays a mix of indie music. • Every two weeks an indie night called Resurrection [129] is held at Subway City. • The Malthouse, 74 King Edwards Road, B1 2NX (Sandwiched between the ICC and the NIA along the canal), ☎ +44 121 633 4171. 12am-11pm. Make no mistake this is a chain pub serving standard food and drinks. However, when the sun is shining it is difficult to find a nicer place to drink along Birmingham's canals as there is a plethora of outdoor seating. Visited by Bill Clinton during his Birmingham visit. edit The Arcadian In the middle of Birmingham's rather small Chinatown, this is an open at the centre shopping arcade which is mostly used by Chinese super markets and restaurants. Right in the middle though, its all bars. It tends to be a bit quieter and less rowdy that broad street and has some of the better clubs in the city. The dress code around here is extremely strict in regard to logos on clothes, they are a definite no! Most of the bars are interchangeable, but recommended are: • Sobar — Supposedly a noodle bar, as evidence by a small noodle based menu. Really this is just a pretty decent bar. It stocks the standard beers and drinks as well as a number of rarer Asian beers. Has a number of extremely comfortable sofas. • Bamboo — One of the best, but also one of the most pretentious clubs in Birmingham. Its not cheap but is still the place to be seen. The dress code here is very hard to define, they want "cool".

Broad Street • The Birmingham Canal Navigations between the International Convention Centre (left) and Brindleyplace (right) • Broad Street, the No 1 party street of Birmingham, has a large range of clubs, bars and pubs. This is a good location for a decent English Friday night. However, at the same time it is one of the more rowdy areas, and if trouble happens it will normally be on this road. The chances of this affecting you are slim. Just of to the side of this road is Brindleyplace [130], a classier and better area of bars, clubs and restaurants. Recommended bars are: • Revolution — Chain vodka bar. A cut above the normal broad street crowd, though it does get crowded. Great range of Vodka's. • The Works — Big 3 room club, with a variety of music. Great for kids. Over 23's will feel ancient in here. • The Pitcher and Piano — Canal side bar with a decent range of beers. Perfect for a nice lunch time drink in the summer months, sitting outside by the canal. • The Prince Of Wales, King Edward St (behind the I.C.C. 2 minutes from Broad St). Victorian pub with decent menu & many types of fine ales, worth a visit for the beer! Digbeth Birmingham has a large Irish community and many Irish pubs. Most of the city centre ones are spread along Digbeth High Street beginning with The Bullring Tavern near the Bull Ring and finishing with The Rainbow near Camp Hill.

• Some recommendations in Digbeth are: • Anchor, 308 Bradford St, B5 6ET. +44 121 622 4516. Victorian pub near Digbeth Coach Station. Grade II listed. • Woodman, 106 Albert St, B5 5LG. Phone: +44 121 643 1959. Grade II listed. Opposite the Thinktank at the Millennium Point. • Every two weeks an indie night called Panic! is held at the Sanctuary in Dibgeth. • For a more eclectic mix of music and people take a look at the Medicine Bar in the Custard Factory just off the A34 in Digbeth (it's the big blue building). • Just around the corner is a club called Air, host to nationally recognised nights such as Godskitchen [131]. • The Custard Factory, Gibb Street, Hosts a range of nights, from Drum n Bass to Electro, not to be missed. The Rainbow Pub, An ecclectic pub that hosts a variety of nights, one of the best places in Birmingham and is soon to be shut down. Also visit the Rainbow Warehouse, around the corner which is big on the rave scene and often joins with the Rainbow pub to host street parties such as S.L.A.G. Harborne Harborne was once a separate village, is now a mainly residential area a bit North of Birmingham University. The old village center, along Harborne High Street, now has a lot of pubs with a mixed crowd; students, faculty and others. There's a tradition among the crazier students; try to have a half pint in every pub in Harborne in one evening. With over 20 pubs and several km of walking involved, and the limited opening hours of British pubs, this takes some doing. • Bell Inn, 11 Old Church Rd, B17 0BB. +44 121 427 0931. Next to St Peter's Church, this cosy and quiet pub gets busy because of its attraction. • The Plough, near the East end of the high street Birmingham, cosy, moderately priced, popular with medical and nursing students. • "The Junction" on the High Street. An odd V shaped pub as the name suggests on the junction of the High Street and Vivian Road. A really nice pub sells some real ales and good selection of lagers. Sells good pub grub as well. Newtown

• The Bartons Arms, 144 High St, Newtown, B6 4UP (On A34 north of City Centre, and on many bus routes, including #8, inner circle), ☎ +44 121 333 5988, [133].Birmingham Pub Of The Year in 2004, and CAMRA-supported venue. Comprehensive Thai menu and bar snacks. Recently refurbished after previously lying derelict. Noted for its near-original and highly elaborate Victorian interior, and for being one of Ozzy Osbourne's old haunts. edit Contact Telephone • The national dialling code for the city is 0121, followed by a three digit area code, followed by a four digit number. A fully specified Birmingham number will be in the format 0121 000 0000. The minimum requirement is 000 0000 within the national dialling code area. • BT payphones are dotted around the city, and most will take both cash and credit/debit cards. International calls are by no means cheap. There are no telephone centres, so if you're going to be making lots of calls home a pre-paid phone card may be a good option. • All GSM mobile networks have excellent coverage in all areas of the city. Internet • All public libraries provide free internet access, though the connection can be slow and you may have to queue for a terminal; and, increasingly, you need a library membership card to use • It is also possible to get online from some BT payphones in the city centre (look for the ones with light blue broadband signs on them). • Wi-Fi is available in a number of cafes and other places. • Cafe Bebo Paradise Forum (By the Central Library). Quiet cafe with free wi-fi (password is on blackboard by door) • Dot Comm Cafe, 212 Broad Sreet, +44 121 643 6999. M-Sa 10AM-2:30AM, Su 10AM-4PM. Noisy cafe surrounded by clubs. £2 (free access with food costing £4 or more).

• Truly Everything, The Pavilions, 38 High Street, +44 121 632 6156. Standard internet lounge. • Express Internet, 181 Brighton Road, Moseley, B12 8QN, +44 121 449 1599. internet lounge part of Express Mini Mart. Mon-Sat 8AM-9PM, Sun 9AM-6PM. ONLY £1 per hour. Stay safe • As with the rest of the UK, in any emergency call 999 or 112 (from a landline if you can) and ask for ambulance, fire or police when connected. • In general, Birmingham is a safe city. However, like most large cities, there are some good and bad areas. Certain suburbs (see below) have had their share of gun crime problems, but these are extremely unlikely to affect you unless you make yourself part of the larger drug gang problem. Avoid any offers of cheap drugs as you'll probably be lured into a secluded place and robbed. • Muggers in Birmingham tend to operate in groups of two or three, typically one will ask you a question (to judge whether you're local or likely to hit back) while the others move in behind you so they can force you to the ground. If you find this happening to you, then move to the side, that way you've got a clear escape path and can't be grabbed from the rear. • The city centre is well-policed. The only trouble you might witness is a small scuffle on the Broad Street nightlife quarter as the nightclubs turn out in the early hours of the morning. However, take care at either end of Broad Street where the traffic flow speeds up. • It is advisable to stay away from the city centre when football matches between the city's two professional teams occur. Aston Villa and Birmingham City have a violent and raw hatred for each other, and violent clashes between supporters of both teams are a common occurence on match days. On other days, when the teams are playing at home against other teams, it is a little less unlikely for major violence to occur in the city centre, but you may encounter pubs full of chanting football supporters, and this may be intimidating for tourists. • As usual, common sense will keep you safe, avoid walking alone in deserted or poorly-lit areas, especially at night, keep your wits about you at cash machines, and do not get into

unmarked taxis. The only higher crime-rate areas that tourists might want to visit are Aston and Sparkbrook: even these are fairly safe during daylight. Canal towpaths at night, if relatively near a road access point, can also be hazardous. • Every Friday and Saturday night, unofficial motor-races take place around the city centre ring-road (Queensway). Although it's unlikely that you want to participate in this illegal activity, you should be aware of the danger that it presents to other road users.[147] • Birmingham, like many other large cities, has relatively high incidences of STDs compared to the rest of the UK. Having unprotected sex is asking for trouble. • The people in New Street, near the junction with Ethel Street, who offer you a free "stress test" are trying to recruit you into the Church of Scientology. • City Hospital (A&E), Dudley Rd (#80, #82 or #87 bus), +44 121 554 3801. Daily 24 hours. • Steelhouse Lane Police Station, Steelhouse Ln, +44 845 113 5000 (central- birmingham@west-midlands.police.uk). Daily 24 hours. • Selly Oak Hospital (A&E), Raddlebarn Rd, Selly Oak (train to Selly Oak or #61, #62 or #63 bus), +44 121 627 1627. Daily 24 hours. Events and Attractions of the week could be searched only on website http://www.activeculture.info/ index.asp which gives the events of the week in Birmingham Language – The spoken language in Birmingham is English and thus there wont be any need of translator. And more over with the internet facilities which could be easily accessed on Phone there won’t be any need of Guide to visit different places in Birmingham. Total Costs

Particulars Pound Rupee Air Tickets £563 40268.6 Transportation £17 1215.9 Lodging £250 17881.3 Food £50 3576.3 Travel £20 1430.5 Others £30 2145.8 Total £930 =Rs 66518.4 Maps Indian restaurants near city centre

Birmingham Rail Map Birmingham travel map

Birmingham UK map.png

Sources www.wikitravel.org www.makemytrip.com www.travelwm.co.uk www.nationalrail.co.uk www.birminghamairport.co.uk www.tripadvisor.co.uk www.maps.google.com www.frequentflier.com www.newdelhiairport.in http://www.city-visitor.com/birmingham/taxis.html http://www.eholidaysindia.com/cities/delhi.htm http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g186402-d602737-Reviews- Etap_Hotel_Birmingham_Centre-Birmingham_West_Midlands_England.html http://www.guidepicker.com/article/city/europe/united-kingdom/england/great-barr/10/what-to-eat- in-great-barr http://www.activeculture.info/events.asp?hidSearchType=link&chkCategory=Sports%20/%20Outdoors http://www.visitbirmingham.com/

A trip to Birmingham

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