Birmingham - Fantastic Shopping and Entertainment

The second largest city in the United Kingdom, Birmingham was long the forgotten sister of the nation, a place that despite its size and diversity never managed to grab the attention of visitors in the same way as Liverpool, Manchester or Bristol have. There are many reasons for this, the fact that the city does not lie on a great river, or that it does not boast any buildings that could be described as being truly great, are just two, but there is another.

The fact is that until recently, Birmingham was a city that looked in on itself. Unlike Liverpool, which has always been the gateway to the world, Birmingham has always been a city that has been at the heart of the nation. This has made it a place that is in many ways quintessentially British, but also a place that has changed a great deal in the past few years, and developed into a truly international city.

One of the main changes to Birmingham was the growth of the airport. It has more than doubled in size in the last ten years, and is now the fourth largest in the country. Every year, millions of people travel through Birmingham on their way into and out of the country, and every year, more and more of them choose to stay in the city for a few days in order to get a taste for it. And there is a surprising amount to enjoy during a stay of any length.

Birmingham always had a reputation for being a sporting city, and as the home to both Aston Villa and Birmingham City football teams, as well as the Edgebaston Cricket ground, the locals are spoiled for choice when it comes to sporting entertainment.

If this is not your thing, then the selection of art galleries in the heart of the city including the Cadbury Collection are quite remarkable - any city that boasts a genuine Leonardo da Vinci painting has some claim to cultural greatness! In recent years, the unveiling of the stunning new Bullring shopping center in the heart of the city, coupled with the integration of the remarkable architecture of the Millennium Center and the new Selfridges Department Store

It is in the evening that Birmingham is at its best. The nightlife in Birmingham is one of the most compelling reasons to visit the city, and of all the places to go, the Balti restaurants on Brick Lane, with their lively music and spicy food are a great place to spend your evening.