The second largest city in Britain, Birmingham is a true gem in the heart of Britain. It’s a central destination, making it easy to travel to and it has incredibly competitive prices, making it a great choice for bigger groups.
Its innovative, eye-popping modern architecture, like the futuristic Library of Birmingham or Bullring shopping centre, make it a city that fuses contemporary flair with industrial character. There are historic markets, massive clubs and great food options. For a party weekend, you needn’t stray too far from Broad Street, where everything is just a short walk away, making it the perfect place for a bar crawl.
Explore the cities nightlife
Birmingham is known for having one of the youngest populations of any European city, and that means it’s a city that knows how to have a good time. Broad Street is where it’s all happening, a colourful strip of lively bars and clubs for whatever the mood. There’s all your favourite popular chains and lavish strip clubs, as well as late-night balti houses and tonnes of takeaways.
Popular clubs
There’s no shortage of clubs here – you’ve got PRYZM, the sixth in this popular chain, with multiple rooms playing the latest hits. Rosies has three signature rooms: the Montana bar specialising in Martinis and Mojitos, the luxurious Asian-inspired Dao, and a Retro room. Velvet Music Rooms plays all the best dance, house and hip-hop and The O Bar plays everything from the hip-hop and R&B to funk and soul.
Lively bars
Birmingham has loads of bars, perfect for pre-drinks and more casual drinks. Australian-themed Walkabout is a simple, no-nonsense kind of bar, as is Revolution with its chilled-out atmosphere. Players Bar is themed around an American sports bar, with clubrooms should you wish to stay. And don’t forget the stylish Mooch Bar.
Curry houses
Birmingham is the birthplace of the balti, meaning there’s no shortage of curry houses to try. There’s East Z East, an elegant and award-winning chain. There’s also Barajee with Tandoori speciality dishes. For more sophisticated guests, try Celebrity Indian Restaurant or Pushkar.
The best view of the city:
Head to the stunning new Library of Birmingham and nip up to the third floor terrace gardens for a panoramic view across the entire city.
Getting about:
There are lots of buses but they can be confusing to outsiders so taxis are the way to go. There’s no shortage of black cabs around the city, while some clubs offer free taxis home within a certain radius. For novelty transport, try boarding a water taxi to take in some of the city centre sights.
