Etiquette tip for Birmingham

Hotels listed near the NEC or the airport sit around Birmingham International station, not in the city centre. The train from New Street takes about nine minutes, and a covered walkway links the station to the NEC. That suits an exhibition trip, but for the canals, restaurants and evening gigs you will be commuting…

Each September, Moseley Park, a hidden woodland glade about two miles from the centre, hosts the Moseley Folk and Arts Festival over a long weekend. Expect several stages of live music, plus comedy, poetry and a traditional procession through the crowd followed by a hay-throwing ceilidh. The 2025 edition sold out in…

On the first Friday of each month, contemporary galleries and studios in Digbeth open in the evening for performance, installation, film and photography. Venues such as Centrala and Grand Union change from month to month, and no two nights are alike. Check the official listings a few days ahead, start around six and…

Symphony Hall is the home of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and is widely considered one of the finest concert halls in the world. The orchestra's 2026-27 season opens in September 2026 with Mahler's Resurrection Symphony and runs to June 2027, including all nine Beethoven symphonies in 2027. Book ahead for…

On the third Saturday of every month, the Jewellery Quarter Artisan Market sets up in the heart of the district, a good place to buy handmade pieces from the people who make them. Build your visit around it, then add the museum or a stroll past the workshops. Because it falls on one Saturday only, check the date in…

The Hare and Hounds on Kings Heath High Street is a 600-capacity live music venue with dozens of gigs listed through 2026 and 2027, spanning many genres from indie to club nights. Check the What's On page before you go and buy tickets early for popular acts. Kings Heath has cafes on the high street, so arrive early…

The Rag Market is an indoor market on Edgbaston Street beside the Bull Ring, known for fabrics, haberdashery and household goods. The Bull Ring's trading history began with a charter of 1154 and started with cloth, so textiles suit the place. It is not in Digbeth, so walk down from the Bull Ring instead of heading to…

Gravelly Hill Interchange, better known as Spaghetti Junction, looks best from the towpaths below, where the Birmingham and Fazeley and Tame Valley canals meet at Salford Junction. Concrete pillars, calm water at Salford Reservoir and plants growing under the road make strong frames. Take the cross-city train to Aston…