Visiting Birmingham – West Midlands County
Birmingham – West Midlands is a city that one cannot enjoy fully with a short holiday. The city requires a vacation that will provide you with the time to take in both the historic and modern beauty of this marvelous city. There are many historic sites and unique elements to the city that lie waiting to be discovered by the visitor taking their time to wander.
Birmingham is home to the International Dance Festival. Here you can see participants from around the world gather to showcase their unique dance styles. Birmingham is home to the Birmingham Royal Ballet, Hippodrome, and Xchange dance troupes who all perform during the festival. A visitor can take part in dance lessons and activities that occur during the four week festival.
There are performances as well by members of the Hippodrome, Xchange and other dancers who make their way to the festival. You can watch performances and musicals each day and evening or participate in classes and dance at one of the many events that dot the city.
Visiting the Jewelry Quarter is like stepping back in time. This excellently renovated Victorian working district is still world renowned for its fine jewelry. You can visit the shops and boutiques that line the streets or spend time in one of the wonderful cafes or pubs. There are also many fine restaurants in the district that provide international cuisine for the visitor who wants to try different flavors and tastes.
There are many historical sites and buildings to see. St. Martin’s Cathedral built in’73 provides the classic architecture and lines of that era and is breath taking. You will find that Birmingham is one of the few English cities to have building designed in the English Baroque style of the early 1700s’. Visiting the Castle Bromwich Gardens brings together this classic style and formal English garden within a walled ten acre garden. At the end of Holly Maze is an excellent example of the period in a glass house. Throughout the garden you will enjoy the mature growth and foliage of over 600 species of plants from the period.
Taking advantage of the many canals that flow through Birmingham gives a visitor the chance to stroll and stop at the many shops and boutiques that line the canals. You can even take a tour of the city on one of the canal boats. These tours offer you a chance to see many sites that may be missed in a walking tour.
The Botanical Garden is a beautiful fifteen acre site that provides you with a wonderful opportunity to see the Victorian style in a garden. The bandstand in the central garden is home to many of the events that take place in Birmingham year round. You will enjoy the renovated glass houses that provide themes ranging from sub-tropical to desert climates.
Visiting Birmingham, one sees a perfect blend of the historic and modern. This thriving city gives a visitor who likes to shop and enjoy modern luxury the chance to enjoy the theatre, and malls. For visitors who love the history of England and the architecture that embodies it, you are given the opportunity to enjoy buildings, museums, and galleries that offer relics and history dating back to medieval times. The city is truly enjoyable for people with varied interests.
For accommodation in Birmingham check this list of Birmingham hotels.
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