48 Hours in Birmingham (By a Born & Bred Brummie)

48 hours in Birmingham – Updated for 2022!

Birmingham may not be the first city you think of for a weekend break. London, Liverpool, Manchester maybe. But this second city has a strong independent scene, architecture that is sometimes controversial and importantly, warm and friendly Brummies. Mostly. So it’s odd that I’ve never done a city guide for my own hometown. So what would I recommend for visitors with 48 hours in Birmingham to play with?

Friday night

If you’ve arrived on a Friday and are ready for a drink or two and a bite to eat, look no further than Digbeth. It’s about a 10 minute walk from the city centre. Even less if you’re arriving in Brum by National Express Coach.

Once the cool and hipster area of Brum, with it’s industrial units and spraypainted railway arches, Digbeth is now the nightlife playground for the young and beautiful. You can play crazy golf at Golf Fang (previously Ghetto Golf), table tennis at Dropshot, tenpin bowling at Roxy Ballroom or curling (amongst other things) at The Floodgate. There’s even a ball pool for grown-ups these days. There’s virtual reality at Inabox3, or retro arcade games at NQ64. On summer evenings, Luna Springs is a giant beer garden, although The Old Crown takes the – well, the crown – for the best Digbeth beer garden.

My Top Digbeth Tips?

Grab yourself an excellent pizza from Baked in Brick before finishing off your evening by dancing into the wee small hours at The Night Owl. Check their website for details of upcoming events, live music and regular club nights).

Saturday daytime

For a great breakfast or brunch, make your way towards Ju Ju’s Cafe on Browning Street. Full English (meat or veggie)? Hash served in a skillet? Eggs Benedict? The ubiquitous Avocado Smash? You can find them all, and they’re all equally tasty. It’s a great canalside cafe and everyone – locals or newbies – get the same warm welcome.

To walk off that breakfast, you can now take a walk along the canal. Did you know that Birmingham has more canals than Venice? Brummies will share this fact with you at every opportunity. If you pop up at Brindley Place, you could pay a visit to Ozzy and Ola the sea otters at Birmingham’s Sea Life Centre. Or if you fancy a bit of culture, there’s the Ikon Gallery on Oozells Square with its ever-changing contemporary and modern exhibitions. If you’re visiting in the springtime make sure you catch the cherry blossoms.

Back canalside, and you can walk down the Birmingham City Centre Path to the Mailbox. This is the former Royal Mail sorting office, now a entertainment and high-end retail complex. If you fancy a quick window shop at Harvey Nicks then this is your chance. There are also numerous bars and restaurants here if you fancy a quick drink. The Botanist has a perfect canal-side location; or Gas Street Social is a welcome break from some of the chains that have taken up residency here. If you have a sweet tooth then Medicine Bakery has both an elegant brunch restaurant and deli/bakery on Level 2.

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If you arrived in Brum by train then you may well have already come through Grand Central. No, not the New York one. The shopping centre which sits above Birmingham New Street. Its worth a pass through just to see the transparent armadillo which forms the glass roof and makes the atrium bright, light and airy. You can walk all the way from Grand Central to Birmingham’s famous Bull Ring without going outside by following Link Street.

You can find all the major chains in the Bull Ring, but make sure you pop outside and see the Bull. After all, have you really been to Brum if you haven’t posed for a selfie with the Bull? Whilst you’re outside, check out the controversial/much-loved (delete as appropriate) Selfridges building with its futuristic silver mirrored discs. We like a bit of quirky architecture here in Brum. Also check out the wedding cake shaped Library of Birmingham too for further “what-were-they-thinking” buildings. If you must, pay a visit to the world’s largest Primark. And the world’s largest Greggs.

Over to the Eastside of the city centre where you’ll find the Thinktank Science Museum, and an urban park which provides a peaceful haven away from the hustle and bustle. It’s close to a number of the city’s colleges and universities and it also provides a gateway down to the creative and independent hub of Digbeth. If you’re lucky to arrive on one of Birmingham’s Hidden Spaces open weekends you may even be able to look inside the historic Curzon Street Station building – the oldest surviving railway terminal in the world – before it’s utilised as a hub for HS2. Make sure you pop into The Woodman for a quick drink, another beautiful Victorian building restored into a traditional real ale pub.

AUGUST 2025: NOW CLOSED: Depending on where you’re staying, make sure you pop by Tilt on the way back for coffee, cake and the chance to spend all your hard-earned pound coins on pinball. There’s also a rotating beer menu; the staff know their stuff and are happy to make recommendations.

Saturday night

By day, Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter is a shopping and manufacturing hub. By night its the perfect bar crawl destination with lots of food options along the way. Of course, I’m biased when it comes to Brum’s Jewellery Quarter as it was our home for 18 months; I miss strolling out the front door and having a choice of wonderful bars and restaurants. There are award-winning venues tucked alongside stores and workshops which play important roles in the heritage of this city of 1000 trades. You can sip whisky, gin or craft beer in a trendy bar or a traditional pub. You can eat pizza at Otto’s, tacos at Tierra, or have an extravagant and provocative fine dining experience at The Wilderness.

My Top JQ Tips?

Head to Hockley Social Club (new home to Digbeth Dining Club) for some of Birmingham’s best loved street food traders (Andy’s Low n Slow and Buddha Belly are two of the permanent residents) with a chilled out vibe. Pop to Burning Soul Brewery for a beer or two (I’m a big fan of their Ice Cream Pale Ale) before heading to The Wolf. Sober up with a little stroll across St Paul’s Square, although you’ll probably want a top-notch g&t from 40 St Paul’s on the way. A 10 minute walk will take you to everyone’s favourite neighbourhood bar 1000 Trades.

Sunday

If you’re feeling a bit bleary-eyed after the night before, it’s time to get out of the city. It’s a 20 minute taxi ride or a jump on the No 50 bus to Kings Heath for a spot of breakfast at Kitchen Garden Cafe, on York Road. Or there’s always Cherry Reds in Birmingham on John Bright Street in you can’t face a bus ride.

If you want a bit of fresh air and greenery to blow the cobwebs away, Cannon Hill Park is south of the city. There’s mini golf, pedalos and tennis courts if you fancy getting a bit energetic. It’s also home to the MAC Arts complex, with it’s programme of dance, theatre, music and education; you can check what’s going on at the MAC here, or just pop into the café for a brew. Cannon Hill is also home to Birmingham’s Wildlife Conservation Park if you want to talk to the animals. It’s a bargain £6.25 for adults and they specialise in the conservation of endangered species.

If the MAC has given you the taste for culture, it’s back into the city for the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. It’s easy to while away a couple of hours roaming among the Pre-Raphaelites, the Staffordshire hoard and Ancient Egyptian artefacts. And you can pick up a few fab Birmingham souvenirs in their gift shop, from artwork to mugs, umbrellas to tote bags, and even a t-shirt from my favourite Yes Bab retailers Punks & Chancers.

And that brings the curtain down on a weekend in Birmingham. If you really want to live like a local during your 48 hours in Birmingham, get yourself the Independent Birmingham app. This gives you discounts at loads of Brum’s best independent bars, restaurants and shops. The app is £1.99 per month, but you can always cancel if you’re making a flying visit!

2018 Update: Did you know you can now download this city guide through the GPSmyCity app on iOS and Android? For other related city walks and tour guides you can find all the Birmingham content here!