Birmingham for a morning??

[HopesBirminghamHasNaiceHam]

What should I do in Birmingham on a weekday morning? Possibly extending into the afternoon.

I've never been before and will have a few hours to kill. I'm not overly fussed by shopping but might have a quick browse.

Wouldn't mind looking at any local art galleries if anyone can recommend any.

I quite like walking and taking photos.

Also open to other ideas.

And a recommendations for lunch? I like most food!

Thanks in advance.

Go to the wee market by the Bullring and get a falafel wrap. Just watch out for the pigeons-they have a very discerning taste

Visit the huge primark!!

The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is a wonderful place to wander round for a few hours. It’s free as well and very central.

Digbeth is a short stroll from the centre and full of quirky independent shops, eateries and street art.

The Birmingham back to backs are fascinating too but you do have to book that.

There’s so many amazing places to eat there now it depends what you’re after. Fancy or casual? Any particular likes/dislikes?

The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is currently shut, and so are the back-to-backs.

The library is a fab building and you got great views from the top

Yup, late April opening for the Museum unfortunately.

There's the library? Are the roof gardens open yet? There's the Shakespeare room and a cafe downstairs but just getting the escalator to the top is fun. If you cut through you're right by the canal

I second the museum and art gallery, lovely place for a mooch. Gas street basin is lovely for a nice walk along the canals and very picturesque! Is it just the centre you have access to or can you go a little bit out? Cannon hill park and Moseley are lovely. Food wise there is literally everything! Some gorgeous tapas places up little side streets off colmore row! I love Birmingham-there’s so much there ❤️

Thanks for the ideas.

Been to Primark lots of times where I live, so think I'll give that a miss.

Little market sounds interesting and I love falafel.

The Birmingham museum & art gallery and back to backs would have been great. Shame they are shut. 🙁

Digbeth, the library and the gas basin all sound/look interesting from a quick google.

Not sure I will have time to go further out and I will be reliant on public transport.

Food wise, not too fancy is preferable. I prefer independent restaurants/cafes rather than chains. Although I like Italian restaurants there is one I go to regularly where I live so don't fancy an Italian.

Tapas sounds really good. 😘

Thanks for all the ideas.

Try www.tigerbitespig.co.uk/. It’s amazing. Go hungry.

The canal district is nice!

Tamatanga next to train station for food.

There’s the Ikon gallery but Digbeth has a lot of street art.
Check out independent Brum for somewhere to eat www.independent-birmingham.co.uk/

For a walk check out

www.gpsmycity.com/gps-tour-guides/birmingham-2653.html

When walking up New street- look up! The tops of the buildings are beautiful!

Agree the Ikon gallery is a good shout. It's cafe is good too.

Thank you for all the further suggestions. I will look those up too.

I've also just been told that there's a cat cafe in the shopping centre. Is it any good? I looked at the menu and would probably just have tea and cake. Are the cats friendly? Or do they all hide? I love cats but can't have one of my own as my dog would not be impressed.

Oh the kitty cafe. The cats walk around and they have things to play with and climb, they're all very chilled out and not shy.

We loved the cat café! The cats are very playful and it’s a fun experience. Brum is my hometown but I live abroad; can’t wait to finally make it back after this f*ing pandemic!

Another vote for the library. And Gas St Basin is very close by.

The fizz bar at Grand Central if you're arriving/leaving by train.

The cat cafe is very popular so I recommend prebooking

Chung Ying in Chinatown does good dim sum. Birmingham Chinatown is quite fun to explore IMHO and is near the train station. We walked through selfridges, wandered around markets and then ate a lot of good stuff. Might need to book as CNY- there were queues in London Chinatown this weekend.

Just another voice saying the kitty cafe is lovely! And the foods nice too!

Hi, just wanted to say thank you for all the ideas. And also thought I'd update in case anyone does a things to do in Birmingham search.

I ended up staying a bit longer and got to visit quite a few places.

The Kitty Cafe was brilliant! Also went to Rico Libre in Digbeth for tapas which was lovely.

Wandered the streets quite a bit and there was lots of beautiful buildings to see. Chamberlain Square is lovely and the Cathedral has amazing stained glass windows.

Also ate in The Lost and Found. The food was really good, the biscoff cocktail was amazing and the building was once a bank and is really beautiful.

I also popped into the library and up to the viewing platform and wandered along the canal from the Gas Street Basin to the Mailbox.

I also discovered they have trams and a water bus but didn't have time to go on either of them!

@HopesBirminghamHasNaiceHam

Thanks for updating us! Glad you had a nice time.

I am finally going back next month after not visiting since October 2019 due to the pandemic! Will be glad to see my family but also my home city again.

I see the lost and found is on Bennett’s Hill, so just off the main shopping area… will stop by!