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Birmingham Life and Birmingham Travel Tips
(Birmingham, England)



Birmingham is an city to visit at any time of year and Birmingham has an enormous amount to offer tourists. With ongoing rejuvenation and restoration projects, Birmingham continues to reinvent itself and becomes an increasingly popular destination for tourist. The weather in Birmingham is typical of English weather and is usually best during the summer, and this is understandably one of the most popular times to visit Birmingham.

However, Birmingham remains popular throughout the year, attracting tourists to it excellent shopping facilities, tourist attractions, landmarks, monuments, concerts, Birmingham festivals and Birmingham events. Many people travel to Birmingham in December to enjoy the Christmas festivities and Birmingham's exceptional decorations, and also to do their Christmas shopping in Birmingham's large shopping centre.




Birmingham is at its quietest from January to mid-March and this is usually the only time when Birmingham hotels reduce their prices and hotel rates to attract extra tourists to Birmingham.

Birmingham Life and Travel Tips: Birmingham Tourist Information - Birmingham, England
There are a number of tourist information offices and outlets throughout Birmingham and these provide useful tourism and tourist information, such as brochures, maps, attractions information, opening hours, directions and general Birmingham tourist information. Here are the main tourist information offices in Birmingham.

Birmingham Life and Travel Tips: Birmingham Tickets and Tourist Information - Central Library Foyer, Chamberlain Square, Birmingham, B3 3HQ, England
Tel: +44 (0)121 235 4511
Situated in the heart of Birmingham city centre, in Birmingham's Central Library, the Birmingham Tickets and Tourist Information is full of useful tourism information, including brochures, opening times, maps and the latest Birmingham events information.
Open: Monday to Friday - 09:00 to 20;00, Saturday - 09:00 to 17:00

Birmingham Visitor Information Centre - 2 City Arcade, Union Street, Birmingham, B2 4TX, England
Tel: +44 (0)121 643 2514
The Birmingham Visitor Information Centre, in central Birmingham, is one of the major tourist information offices in Birmingham, providing tickets for theatrical events, concerts, festivals, together with a vast number of Birmingham leaflets and brochures.
Open: Monday to Saturday - 09:30 to 17:30

Solihull Tourist Information Centre - Homer Road, Solihull, Birmingham, West Midlands, B91 3QQ, England
Tel: +44 (0)121 704 6130
The Solihull Tourist Information Centre is part of the Solihull Arts Complex, in the south-east of Birmingham. This Birmingham tourist information centre provides attraction leafletes, transport maps of the Birmingham area, travel guides and events booking services.Open: Monday to Friday - 09:30 to 17:30, Saturday - 09:30 to 17:00

Birmingham Life and Travel Tips: Birmingham Safety - Birmingham, England
As in any large city, always maintain an awareness of your surroundings and try to blend in and not look like a tourist when visiting Birmingham. Although crime levels in Birmingham are not high, look like you know where you are going and be particularly careful with hand baggage. As a sensible precaution, wear a bag or camera across your body and consider using a concealed money belt.

Birmingham Life and Travel Tips: Places of Worship in Birmingham - Birmingham, England
The diverse city of Birmingham is home to a large number of different cultures and most religions have a presence. Many of the churches in Birmingham belong to the Church of England as places of worship for the Anglican faith, although all faiths are always welcome. Newspapers generally list times of services for the main denominations. Birmingham contains numerous cathedrals, chapels, mosques, temples and synagogues.

Birmingham Life and Travel Tips: Birmingham Pharmacies / Chemists - Birmingham, England
Most Birmingham pharmacies are open from at least 09:00 until around 18:00 and supermarkets often have in-store chemists. Birmingham drugstores will often open until 18:00, although some stay open until later, and these usually have a pharmacy counter for dispensing prescriptions. Drugstores in Birmingham resemble mini-supermarkets, with a wide range of products on sale.

Birmingham Life and Travel Tips: Language in Birmingham - Birmingham, England
English is the most commonly spoken language in the Birmingham and the United Kingdom, although regional dialects can vary greatly. The Birmingham accent can be quite strong, but is usually easy to understand.

Birmingham Life and Travel Tips: Tipping in Birmingham - Birmingham, England
Tipping in Birmingham is quite discretionary, with Birmingham taxi drivers usually being given a 10% gratuity or thereabouts - although this is not essential. Birmingham restaurants often include service charges and these are always clearly stated on the menus, otherwise a gratuity of around 10% is usually expected in recognition of prompt and courteous service. Some hotel staff in Birmingham happily accept a tip of one or two pounds. Generally, no other public service workers in the Birmingham area expect tips.

Birmingham Life and Travel Tips: Smoking in Birmingham - Birmingham, England
In many buildings and on public transport in Birmingham, rules restrict smoking and this is usually indicated by no-smoking symbols in prominent places. Public houses and bars in Birmingham now operate a complete ban on smoking inside, following the English anti-smoking law of July 2007.

Smoking in Birmingham, and England as a whole, is not as fashionable as it once was, so it is always worth exercising discretion and sensitivity when selecting a place in which to smoke. The best advice would be not to smoke in Birmingham unless others around you do so.

Birmingham Life and Travel Tips: Invitations to Eat in Birmingham - Birmingham, England
Much business is done over the dinner table in Birmingham and business lunches frequently take place at central Birmingham restaurants recommended by your host. In most good Birmingham restaurants there will be a comprehensive wine / beer list and tables should usually be booked in advance.

Birmingham Life and Travel Tips: Social Drinking in Birmingham - Birmingham, England
The British love pubs for their informality and social atmosphere. Pubs and wine bars in Birmingham are most often places to meet and be seen, though each has its own standing in the local Birmingham community, with some being frequented by business people, locals, celebrities and others by visitors and tourists. Most pubs and wine bars in Birmingham are friendly places - if there is a good mix of people you can be sure that it is a good pub, otherwise, just close the door and find another nearby.

One of the most common social customs associated with drinking in pubs in Birmingham is that of buying a 'round' of drinks when drinking socially with a group. Members of the group take their turn, in no particular order, and as people's glasses empty it is a good idea to reciprocate and offer to buy the next round.

 
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