24 best things to do in Birmingham right now

Address: Tipton Road, Dudley DY1 4SQ
Website: bclm.com
Price: £19.95

15. Soak in some luxurious views

103 Colmore Row’s sleek exterior climbs into the Birmingham sky, dwarfing all around it and showcases the city’s finest vistas. But the piece de resistance is that these views are experienced from the splendour of Orelle, a sublime French-inspired restaurant on the 24th floor with glorious floor-to-ceiling windows and a handsome navy colour scheme. While there’s more to see during the day, it’s best to visit at night when the city below is blanketed in shimmering lights.

Address: Orelle, 103 Colmore Row, Birmingham, B3 3AG
Website: orelle.co.uk
Price: Mains from £21

Great Western ArcadeAlamy

16. Browse Birmingham’s historic arcades

While the bulbous Bullring dominates Birmingham’s shopping scene, a Victorian treasure is hidden away across from Snow Hill Station. Packed with everything from whisky stores to sushi joints, the ornate Great Western Arcade is an under-the-radar institution. Don’t miss the equally unique Piccadilly Arcade and its lavish ceiling fresco (also, the sloping floor dates from a former life as an Edwardian cinema).

Address: Great Western Arcade, Colmore Row, Birmingham, B2 5HU
Website: greatwesternarcade.co.uk

17. Get a chocolate fix at Cadbury World

Cadbury’s chocolate might arguably be the most recognisable of Birmingham’s British cultural contributions, and out in leafy Bournville, there’s a shrine to those sweet little bars. An ideal family attraction for a rainy day, this chocolate-soaked nirvana has several zones, including a Crunchie rollercoaster, a hands-on place to make your own chocolate, an Aztec jungle and a history of the Cadbury family’s 19th-century rise. If you take the train to Bournville station from Birmingham city centre, you’ll get a glimpse of the factory’s huge purple CADBURY lettering too.

Address: 69 Linden Rd, Birmingham B30 1JR
Website: cadburyworld.co.uk
Price: £19.00