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Things to do in Birmingham, UK

Our most recommended things to do in Birmingham, UK

Birmingham: National Sea Life Centre Entrance Ticket

1. Birmingham: National Sea Life Centre Entrance Ticket

Prepare for an underwater realm full to the brim with glittering scales, humongous tentacles, and razor-sharp teeth. Marvel at the cheeky antics of the Gentoo penguins before meeting a crab or starfish at the Interactive Rockpool. Discover the majestic jellyfish, be brave and take a peek at the piranhas and feel part of the story in the 4D Cinema. Venture into an underwater realm like no other and get face-to-fin with some of the strangest creatures you’ll ever meet in the UK’s only 360° Ocean Tunnel, home to sharks, rays and a giant green sea turtle!

Alton Towers Resort: Entrance Ticket

2. Alton Towers Resort: Entrance Ticket

Discover the excitement of Alton Towers Resort with its variety of rides, attractions and entertainment for thrill-seekers, families and kids of all ages! See the Alton Towers Dungeon which was launched in 2019 and is a hilariously hideous journey through Staffordshire’s darkest history. Experience 7 world-class rollercoasters throughout the resort. Ride on the latest addition, "Wicker Man", that brings together wood and fire, as well as "Nemesis" with its iconic twists and turns, "Oblivion" with its sheer vertical drop, and "The Smiler" with its world-record 14 inversions. For those with little ones in tow, explore "CBeebies Land", which is the perfect place to meet some of your favourite CBeebies friends including the Teletubbies, Peter Rabbit, and Postman Pat. Families can also discover Sharkbait Reef by SEA LIFE, learn to drive at Cuckoo Cars Driving School, catch the Runaway Mine Train, or enjoy the spins and thrills on Spinball Whizzer!

Birmingham: Daily City Center Walking Tour (10:30am)

3. Birmingham: Daily City Center Walking Tour (10:30am)

Find out how Birmingham grew from a small market town to the second largest city in the country on this guided walking tour of the city center. Gain authentic insights into modern life in the city and explore some hidden gems along the way. Meet your guide amid the lush greenery in Cathedral Square where you can admire the English Baroque architecture of St Philip’s Cathedral. Continue down Broad Street which is popular for it's vibrant nightlife.  Listen as your guide tells you about Birmingham’s boom during the industrial revolution. Hear the story of its iconic canals and about how it is the home of Cadbury chocolate. Make your way to Centenary Square where you can admire the fountains. Stoll past the modern Symphony Hall and head to Victoria Square in the center of the city. View the Town Hall and the Council House. Finish your tour at the 19th-century Ikon Gallery. 

Birmingham: Winterbourne House and Garden Admission Ticket

4. Birmingham: Winterbourne House and Garden Admission Ticket

Only minutes from Birmingham city center, Winterbourne House is a unique heritage attraction set within beautiful botanic gardens. Find yourself in a 7-acre oasis home to over 6000 different plant species, and enjoy a peaceful stroll in tranquil surroundings. Inside, escape the modern world as you explore period rooms filled with antiques and Edwardian era soft furnishings. Learn about the families that lived here and how Winterbourne came to be part of the University of Birmingham.

Birmingham: Victorian Canals to Today's City Walking Tour

5. Birmingham: Victorian Canals to Today's City Walking Tour

Start at the modern Library of Birmingham in the brand new Centenary Square. The public art of the Square gives some early clues on the history of this central birthplace of the Industrial Revolution. Buildings all around help you understand the depth of arts and commerce that Birmingham overflows with today. Heading through the International Convention Centre, appreciate the modern Symphony Hall known as one of the finest concert hall acoustics to experience in the world today. Discover why the opening of James Brindley’s canal into the town in the 1770s was hugely important to the development of Birmingham. Experience these rejuvenated waterways and see the many new uses that they have been put to. Moving through Brindleyplace see the huge efforts of the Victorians in working to make the burgeoning town into a model for others to follow. This was the home of the Civic Gospel with the Municipal Revolution seeing efforts to educate, bring clean water to the town and clear poor quality housing. Modern architecture is all around and the walk through the city squares gives an appreciation of the way old and new has been integrated into the modern city.

Birmingham: City Exploration Smartphone Game

6. Birmingham: City Exploration Smartphone Game

A playful experience to discover the secrets of Birmingham, a mystery walk similar to an escape room but outdoors! Your team will receive clues on their phones that, once deciphered, will guide them around a route that showcases it's secret sights and great pubs/bars/cafes. The routes are all walking distance and clues get you working together and interacting with the city surroundings to find the answers, no prior knowledge required. Discover fascinating and amusing facts about Birmingham's past and present as you weave your way through the city. Make the day your own as you solve clues and challenges as a team; with friends, family or colleagues. Get competitive - race to the finish and set a leader board time, or simply go at your own pace and soak it all in. With recommended refreshment stops at top-rated pubs/cafes/bars that you can choose to indulge and refresh along the way. There are two stops on this route; - Half way; Lovely modern bar with a terrace overlooking the canal. Historic brass foundry, now a busy pub and restaurant with red-brick walls and wooden flooring. - Finish location; Classic British food, plus sandwiches and cocktails, in quirky rooms in a grand Victorian building. Monthly challenges are available for teams to submit pictures/videos of their experience to win cash prizes each month. Links sent in the welcome message and information available on our website. For larger group bookings we recommend splitting up into teams of up to 5-8 people - this helps keep everyone in the team immersed and interacting with the game. Corporate bookings and packages are available, please email us at hello@thesecret.city for more information. Tickets can be used on any day and we have a 'love it or your money back' guarantee, we aim to provide a fantastic day for you! The Secret City awaits.

Birmingham's Luxurious Jewellery Quarter Tour

7. Birmingham's Luxurious Jewellery Quarter Tour

Our charismatic guide walks you through The Coffin Works, the former factory that's now a famous museum and the city's largest immigration office. Discover the place where famous inventor scientist James Watt lived for over 20 years. Isn't it interesting that 40% of all jewelry in the UK is produced in the Jewelry Quarter? It's 19th-century workshops, cafes, and bars display unique history. Catch us at the main entrance of Colmore row. This tour ensures to impress with its cozy unique exploration. Thus, making it a trending tourist attraction. Also, explore how were the toys in the Birmingham quarter, why a peg is essential for jewelers past and present, and grab a prime seat at the Jeweler's church.

Birmingham: Haunted City Exploration Game

8. Birmingham: Haunted City Exploration Game

You are invited to discover the haunted Birmingham with an interactive city exploration app. You will be guided step-by-step to the cursed buildings where they carry out their eternal punishments while you learn all of their stories. Brace yourself and come explore Haunted Birmingham, all with the help of your smartphone. Each clue will lead you from one place to another, giving you exact directions, so you won’t need a map, a GPS or a guide. When you solve it and guess the answer, the secret story of that place is unlocked. Along the way, you’ll find horror stories that will give you the chills. Dare you go on this tour? Complete the tour at your own pace as there's no time limit, though around two hours is normally enough. Pause the game at any time, and restart whenever you want from the last place you visited. For larger groups, one person can purchase access for the entire group by selecting the number of people in the group. All group members will be able to play the city game on their smartphone. Alternatively, each person can purchase their own ticket. You can play as a group and solve the clues together as you walk, or you can split into smaller groups/teams and compete against the others. Each person can also play on their own, separate from the group, and meet the group at the end.

Digbeth, Public art and Peaky Blinders Guided Walking Tour

9. Digbeth, Public art and Peaky Blinders Guided Walking Tour

We start at the famous Bull statue in the Bullring and walk down to the historic Digbeth & Deritend area to discover it's history, public art, and possible locations for the Peaky Blinders feature film. Conducted by Jonathan Berg, author and photographer, who runs the top-rated Positively Birmingham walking tours. His book on the public art of Birmingham is due to be published in November 2023. This 2-hour takes you from the city centre to bohemian Digbeth using pavements, footbpaths and towpaths with a route of over just 4 km. This area is soon to be the location for the Peaky Blinder feature film, with production due to start in the next year or so. The coming of HS2 and the Metro tram and the modernity of this place as it becomes ever more part of the city centre adds to tour excitement. We return to the city centre to finish at a 'not for profit' pub in Great Western Arcde.

Birmingham: Discovering Birmingham Walking Tour

10. Birmingham: Discovering Birmingham Walking Tour

Understand how Birmingham developed and see that many of today’s ways of working have deep roots in our past. Explore the canal system and learn the origins of the original canal. Wander through the ‘secret canal’ to the Jewellery Quarter, which developed as a key home of Birmingham’s Industrial Revolution starting in Georgian times. Continuing on to Victorian times, your walk vividly demonstrates how innovative inventors and entrepreneurs seized the moment. Ideas were turned into large-scale factory productions in amazingly short time periods.  You'll experience today’s Quarter and learn about its role in the modern city.   The post-war redevelopment of Birmingham and the serious issues that it has caused are vividly demonstrated. The way the city is rejuvenating itself to become a modern world city is clear for all to see. Back in the city center, St. Philip’s Cathedral offers amazing English Baroque architecture. The churchyard hides some of the many difficult issues the town grappled with, as it became the ‘workshop of the world.’

Top sights in Birmingham, UK

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What people are saying about Birmingham, UK

Overall rating

4.6 / 5

based on 180 reviews

A hidden gem in Birmingham! A beautiful family home where I could happily kick off my shoes, take a book from the shelf and sit looking out of one of the many windows overlooking the gardens. Lovely tea room serving light lunches, cakes and a variety of drinks. Access from the garden to Edgbaston Reservoir with a variety of water fowl. Another visitor had seen 8 herons the previous day!

Stunning architecture

A great day of viewing the palace and Trianons. Stunning and opulent. Enjoyed so much seeing their magnificent palace and surrounds. Gardens are amazing!

It was great to be so close to the penguins. My little granddaughter didn't want to come any further.

Peter was knowledgeable and personable - a really great guide and tour.

Peter are guide was very knowledgeable. Well worth doing