Location

Birmingham is the second largest city in Britain, and its people regard their second city status with great pride. The city’s history is rooted in industry and innovation – it was at the forefront of the British industrial revolution. Birmingham’s extensive canal network – the largest in Europe – is a legacy of this industrial age, but today after extensive redevelopment, it is home to numerous canal-side bars, cafes, shops and apartments throughout the city. Birmingham has over six million trees, more parks than any other European city, a record-breaking 14 consecutive gold medals from the Chelsea Flower Show and was winner of the National Britain in Bloom awards – all signs of how the city has progressed from its industrial past.

The nightlife in Birmingham offers a large array of venues, whatever your tastes. Broad Street attracts more revellers than any other street in Britain every evening, while The Mailbox complex offers a selection of restaurants and bars. Birmingham has also recently been called “the shopping capital of Europe” due to the recent completion of the Bullring shopping centre – a huge and architecturally innovative development that attracts shoppers from all over the country.

Birmingham is a city of great social and ethnic diversity, offering the opportunity to experience the full range of the British educational system. There are three universities and over 430 schools in the city. The city is situated right in the heart of the country – 80 minutes train journey from London, and 90 minutes from Manchester or Leeds.

View Larger Map