What to see and do in Birmingham

As the UK's second largest city, Birmingham is buzzing with bars, restaurants, concert halls and theatres, art galleries and museums. The city also boasts some of the finest shopping in the country with everything from designer stores such as Harvey Nicholls and Selfridges to our famous markets.

Music

Very close to the NIA, where the championships are being staged, is the renowned Symphony Hall (www.thsh.co.uk), known throughout the world for its superb acoustics, and Birmingham Town Hall. During the championships, performances will include Vivaldi's Four Seasons, Shostakovich's Symphony No. 4 and Bach's Mass in B Minor.

Theatre

There are three principal theatres in the city - the Alexandra, the Rep and the Hippodrome, which is also home to the acclaimed Birmingham Royal Ballet.

Art Gallery and Museums

Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery's collections include fine art, archaeology, natural history and social history. It also has the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite works in the world,as well as Old Masters, Impressionists and contemporary art.

There are five further city council museums. Aston Hall is a fine example of Jacobean architecture and interior design. Soho House, a Georgian mansion, was once home to the great industrialist Matthew Boulton, Boulton also rented Sarehole Mill, one of only two remaining watermills in the city. Blakesley Hall is one of the last surviving timber framed buildings in Birmingham.

The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter is a perfectly preserved workshop giving a unique glimpse of the jeweller's craftsmanship.

Entrance to all Birmingham City Council museums is free. More information is available at:

www.birmingham.gov.uk/museums

The Jewellery Quarter

With more than 100 specialist shops, this historic district of Birmingham offers shoppers a wide choice of jewellery and silverware. Dating back more than 250 years, the area also features the city's last remaining Georgian square. www.jewelleryquarter.net

Eating Out

There are restaurants to suit all tastes and budgets - from three Michelin starred restaurants to brasseries and cafes serving food from around the globe.

Unique to Birmingham is the Balti Triangle (www.baltitriangle.com). Just three miles from the city centre, around 30 specialist restaurants serve authentic dishes which orginated in Pakistan and Kashmir.

For more ideas on places to visit in Birmingham, see www.visitbirmingham.com