Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
VISITOR INFORMATION The Birmingham Visitor Centre , at the Rotunda,
150 New St., in the city center ( &   0870/2250127 ; www.visitbirmingham.com), is
open Monday to Saturday 9:30am to 5:30pm, Sunday 10:30am to 4:30pm. It will
assist travelers in arranging accommodations, obtaining theatre or concert tickets,
and planning itineraries.
GETTING AROUND Birmingham's city center hosts a number of attractions
within easy walking distance, but if you opt to stay on the outskirts you'll likely use
either the city's buses or trains of Midland Metro system. Centro ( &   0121/200-
2787 ; www.centro.org.uk) provides information on all local bus and rail services
within Birmingham and the West Midlands area. Bus routes are mainly operated by
National Express West Midlands; Day-Saver tickets are £3.60, while single journeys
are £1.60-£1.80 (no change given). Midland Metro is a 13-mile tram system con-
necting Birmingham Snow Hill train station with Wolverhampton (£3.20), but there
are plans to extend the line into the city center.
Taxis line up at various spots in the city center, at rail stations, and at the National
Exhibition Centre. Travelers can also ring up a radio-cab operator such as TOA Taxis
( &   0121/427-8888; www.toataxis.net).
Exploring the Area
Stephenson Place, at the intersection of New and Corporation streets, is a good
starting point for touring the city center. A short walk east along New Street leads to
the new Bull Ring shopping center, where the real star is the distinctive bubble-wrap
exterior of Selfridges (www.selfridges.com). Opened in 2003 and designed by archi-
tects Future Systems, the famous department store is smothered in 15,000 alumi-
num discs. It's open 10am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 11am to 5:30pm on
Sundays.
A 5-minute stroll in the other direction along New Street leads to Victoria Square,
where Council House ( &   0121/303-2438; www.birmingham.gov.uk), the city's
most impressive Victorian building, anchors the piazza. Built in 1879, it is still the
meeting place for the Birmingham City Council and an impressive example of the
Italian Renaissance style.
Continuing west along Broad Street is the Gas Street Basin ( &   0121/236-
9811 ), dotted with canal boats and waterside pubs. From the Basin, you can take a
cruise along the canals via Second City Boats ( &   0121/236-9811; www.second
cityboats.co.uk) or just walk by the towpaths to the Mailbox ( &   0121/632-1000;
www.mailboxlife.com) on Wharfside Street, a fashionable shopping and entertain-
ment center.
Another up-and-coming area to check out is Digbeth on the east side of the cen-
ter. Once the city's industrial heartland, it is now the home of dilapidated warehouses
being converted into cutting-edge art galleries. For more information about the East-
side area, visit www.weareeastside.org.
Aston Hall MUSEUM This stunning Jacobean mansion reopened in 2009 fol-
lowing a £13 million development project. Completed for the Holte family in 1631,
it became, in 1864, the first stately home to be owned by a municipality. Inside,
display rooms chronicle the history of the mansion, including its role in the English
Civil War, while the Astonish Gallery describes the history of Aston itself, through
historic bric-a-brac and hands-on displays. The artfully renovated interior of the man-
sion is the real highlight, however, especially the magnificent Long Gallery.
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