@themarykcdiaries favourite spots in Birmingham and beyond

@themarykcdiaries favourite spots in Birmingham and beyond

Birmingham…. What can we say about you? It’s the UK’s second largest city after London located in the West Midlands. A diverse, vibrant city packed with amazing bars, independent restaurants/cafes, culture, arts, and history.

The city is also known for its history with industrial and manufacturing work which can be seen everywhere from Centenary Square, Birmingham Canals and beyond.  Plus, Birmingham is the home of the Balti Triangle, Jewellery Quarter, Cadbury World, world’s largest Primark and the upcoming Commonwealth Games 2022. The city is full of excitement, I am here to tell you some of the best places the city has to offer.

1- Birmingham Library

Located at the heart of Centenary Square next to Birmingham Repertory Theatre, the library which replaced Birmingham Central Library in September 2013 is the home of most important Shakespeare collections in the world. How cool is that? The building design was created by Mecanoo. Open to the public six days a week, the library is a great place for learning about the culture of Birmingham, a safe place for study and is tailored to all ages and backgrounds.

It is one of the largest libraries in the UK and has two rooftop gardens with one affectionately known as the Secret Garden, the Shakespeare room, the book rotunda, children’s centre plus its library of books that you can borrow with a Birmingham Libraries card. You can borrow up to 10 books from any Birmingham library including the library of Birmingham for 4 weeks with options to renew. Simply scan your card at the self-service desk or the main library desk and assign the books (or even CDs or films!) out ready to take out at your leisure.

2 - Digbeth

If you love a great night out, delicious food and street art graffiti, you have come to the right place! Digbeth is home to independent food trucks, night clubs and great activities such as the Big Bake (the Great British Bake-Off experience) and NQ64 (retro Nintendo and Sega gaming). Digbeth is definitely up and coming with creativity and fusion. Whatever you get up to in Digbeth, you will leave there with a memorable time!

3 - The Shire Country Park 

Named after the life and work of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings series, The Shire Country Park is a local nature reserve which follows the Cole Valley River including my favourite spots, Sarehole Mill and Trittiford Mill Pool.

The park covers a vast area of wetlands, grasslands and woodlands. It is such a peaceful walk and if you head over to Sarehole Mill, the museum has a Victorian bakehouse that serves great oven pizza where you can stop after exploring the J.R.R. Tolkien’s exhibits.

Coventry

Another city that is worth visiting is Coventry, also located in the West Midlands, recently celebrating their success as UK’s City of Culture 2021 through various festivals including Radio 1’s Big Weekend at War Memorial Park.

The city is known for its motoring heritage, home of Lady Godiva and the cathedral ruins after World War II. Like Birmingham, it is evolving with great bars, cafes, restaurants, culture, arts, and history. Here are their most iconic places that you can visit daily. From Birmingham city centre, you can catch the number X1 bus which will take you directly to Coventry.

1 - Coventry Cathedral

Referred to as the Cathedral Church of St Michael, Coventry Cathedral has an intricate design which was carried out when the original cathedral was bombed during World War II. It holds the third tallest spire in England plus is a backdrop for various events from weddings to food festivals.

2 - Broadgate

Located at the heart of Coventry City Centre, Godiva Square hosts a range of shops, cafes and restaurants with independent festivals from time to time. The famous Lady Godiva statue is situated in the middle of Broadgate square which is a must see. It was designed by Sir William Reid Dick in 1949, made with cast bronze and stone plinth.

To get around these amazing places, National Express West Midlands buses run daily in Birmingham, Coventry, and other areas such as Wolverhampton and the Black Country. You can ride on the bus for £4 which is the maximum you pay for a Day Saver ticket. Talk about great price for an unlimited ticket!

It is so easy to pay, all you need to do is tap your contactless card or use the mTicket app. It is much easier now than my childhood days making sure I had the right change before getting onto the bus.

There is so much to do in the West Midlands. So much that you will be spoilt for choices! It is constantly evolving with new innovations and I am proud to call the West Midlands home.