There's so much to do in the UK's second city, but where do you start if you only have a day to explore? Here's your perfect one-day itinerary to discover the best of Birmingham, plus a bonus second day if you're here for a whole weekend.
Day 1
Morning
Arrive at Birmingham New Street and hop straight on another train to Bournville, which takes about 15 minutes. This is the literal chocolate box village, created by the Cadbury family so their workers had a beautiful community to live in. It still retains its historic charm as the whole area is protected. Go to Kafenion on the village green for breakfast and watch the world go by.
Activity: Visit Cadbury World (around 2 hours) and experience Brum's chocolatey history, and pick up some tasters to keep you going through the day.
Afternoon
Where to eat: There are so many options inside the Bullring and Grand Central for you to take your pick from, some of popular favourites are: Shokupan, Zambrero, Wingstop, Shake Shack and Blank Street Coffee. We could go on and on. Plus, there's a Medicine Bakery on the ground floor of Selfridges where you can treat yourself to a pastry or light bite for lunch. The terrace here overlooks St Martin's church, which used to be at the historic centre of Birmingham.
Activity: It's time to shop. You could spend a whole day visiting all the shops in the Bullring, but on a tight schedule, head to the iconic Selfridges building and explore all four floors of designer clothes, beauty products and more. As you're in the city centre, it would be rude not to check out the world's biggest Primark, which features a massive Greggs, Disney café and more. If you're into sustainable shopping, then save your pennies for Digbeth, where you'll find plenty of vintage and thrift shops heaving with preloved items.
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Evening
Where to eat: Walk over to Original Patty Men (OPM) for dinner, located under the railway arches on your way to Digbeth. This independent Birmingham restaurant describes itself as "purveyors of filth", but the best kind of filth: burgers stacked high and dripping with toppings.
Travel: Walk down to Digbeth and check out the street art along the way, get some aesthetic photos on Floodgate Street with the festoon lighting as dusk falls. Digbeth is Birmingham's creative quarter and is full of quirky activity bars, restaurants and loads of music venues.
Activity: Watch a film at Mockingbird Cinema, a quirky independent that shows a mix of the latest releases, cult classics and event cinema.
After: Finish your evening with a coffee at AutoBrew, arcade gaming at NQ64 or visit Birmingham's oldest pub The Old Crown, which has survived multiple demolition attempts and remains standing as a historical landmark and community hub.
Got a Second Day to Spend in Birmingham?
If you've got a taste for the city and want to discover more of what it has to offer, spend a second day exploring, or mix and match these activities with day one to choose your own adventure.
Day 2
Morning
Where to eat: Get breakfast at Dishoom and eat your way through Bombay with a delicious naan roll and chai, overlooking the historic Chamberlain Square.
Activity: Enjoy a bit of culture? Pop in for a quick look around Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery (BMAG) to learn about the city's history and check out some art, put aside 30 minutes to an hour for this. Then it's a short walk over to Birmingham Library, where you can head up to the Secret Garden for panoramic views of Birmingham, the perfect spot for a selfie.
If you've got a bit more time, then you can't miss stopping by Birmingham's famous canals. Walk 10 minutes through the ICC and turn left to visit Gas Street Basin with its colourful canal boats.
Afternoon
Where to eat: Go to Damascena Coffee House for a delicious Middle Eastern mezze lunch or pick up a wrap to eat in the park at Top Falafel.
Activity: Head to Lane 7 in Grand Central to game to your heart's content. There are so many options in this massive venue: karaoke, bowling, virtual reality, shooting, arcade games and more!
Evening
Get the train home, or if you've got a bit longer, get dinner in the Chinese Quarter. There are so many great restaurants to try here; Itaewon or Topokki for Korean, Chung Ying for Chinese dumplings, or get a taste of everything at Asia Asia Food Hall.
