I asked for tips on the Europe a la Carte Blog and on Twitter on what to do and see when I was on the Birmingham stop of the Summer 09 UK Blogging Tour. So if you’re planning a visit to Birmingham here are some insider tips from locals and tweets, to help you get the most out of your visit.

The Blooming Mini part of the Birminghal Floral Trail 2009

Tips

Dave Harte recommends having a peek inside a couple of Birmingham concert halls in the city centre. The Town Hall and the Symphony Hall. Both are free to look inside and are impressive. Take a quick look in the Museum & Art Gallery as well. The pre-raphaelites are superb and the Obama’s people photographs worth a peek.

Town Hall, Birmingham

Emily Bridgewater author of Meet and Two Veg suggests that in the city centre you should go to the Bull Ring Shopping centre and the iconic Selfridges building, also the famous bronze bull, which is great for photos.

The blue studded Selfridges at night

Birmingham Art Gallery is good. It’s in Victoria Square, home to the famous Anthony Gormley Iron Man, and currently the manmade beach! The Mailbox is the old Royal Mail Building which has been converted into a designer shopping area and there are lots of good places to eat and drink there too. Comore Row and the business district is very visually beautiful, as is St Paul’s Square in the famous Jewellery Quarter, which offers plenty of shops and workshops selling gold and contemporary jewellery.

St Paul’s Square, Birmingham by St Paul’s Gallery

Brindley Place is situated around the city’s canals and is a revamped area home to good restaurants, high class apartments and the Ikon Gallery, which is good for art and Spanish food! Places to eat include good burgers at Handmade Burger Company on the canalside, Edmunds in Brindley Place for fine dining, Chez Jules for rustic French in Ethel Street, chic breakfast or lunch at Hotel Du Vin in Church Street or fab sushi in Woktastic near to the library!

Or if you fancy a real taste of Bham go to the Balti Triangle and try Al Faisals in Sparkbrook, alternatively, if you like Oriental head to the Chinese Quarter and visit Cafe Soya in Cathay Street, or Chung Ying Garden in Thorp Street!

Tweets

@bmibaby_com retweeted the Guardian’s “Top Ten Brum Budget Eateries“. You can buy a scrummy Urban Pie at half price between 17.00 – 20.00 on weekdays.

Can you offer any tips?

If you have any tips for what to do and see in Birmingham, please leave a comment and I’ll add the best tips to the post.

Europe a la Carte Summer 09 UK Blogging Tour sponsored by