Birmingham is Britain's second largest city, and it is continuously transforming – so there is plenty to do and see!

Food:

Birmingham may be located in the heart of the UK, but once you enter the city, you’re surrounded by a vast array of cultural influences – including over 25 different nationalities and styles of cooking across the city’s restaurant scene.

Perhaps the most famous of Birmingham’s culinary offerings is the Balti Triangle: the centre of South Asian food, fabric and fashion. The city also has its very own Chinatown, with a range of restaurants and cafés offering authentic cuisine – from Northern China all the way to Malaysia.

Entertainment and culture:

Birmingham’s Museum and Art Gallery is home to the world’s largest collection of pre-Raphaelite artwork, and Birmingham Hippodrome is the busiest and most popular theatre in the UK.

Birmingham is also home to one of Europe’s biggest shopping centres – the Bullring – which houses over 160 shops and 2,000 leading brands.

Sports:

If you’re into your sports, you’ll be pleased to learn that Birmingham is home to the world-famous Edgbaston Cricket Ground and a Premiership football team! The University also offers outstanding sports facilities for students to make use of. The £8.5 million Doug Ellis Sports Centre features an 80-station fitness suite and an eight-court sports hall.

Studying:

Birmingham is the youngest major city in Europe, with under-20s accounting for 29% of its population – making it an ideal place to live as a student. The Library of Birmingham is a great asset for any student; it holds world-class collections of archives, photography and rare books, as well as a million printed volumes – the largest number held by any public library in the UK.

Exploring elsewhere:

It might be the second largest city in the UK, but it’s also one of the greenest. If you ever need to escape the urban landscape, the city offers 8,000 acres of parks and open space.

If you ever want to explore the UK beyond Birmingham’s borders, the city’s central location makes this very easy. You can get to London in 75 minutes by train and Manchester in 90 minutes.

Find out more about Birmingham here