Explore Birmingham’s diverse neighbourhoods, from the vibrant city centre and Digbeth to the historic Jewellery Quarter and the student hub of Selly Oak.
Birmingham is a sum of its parts. The people, the culture, the food and students all contribute to the electric and lively energy of this city. When walking through its streets, I feel as though Birmingham has many sides to it; many different personalities and identities that have become the core of this beautiful city.
The city centre is home to some of the most famous spots in Birmingham. Firstly, you can start by exploring Bullring, which has a range of shops to offer. Another shopping centre is The Mailbox is by the canals where all the bars and restaurants have a beautiful view, especially at night when the canal is lit up by fairy lights!
Something that is less talked about – but is my favourite activity - is to explore the indoor and outdoor markets. I would really recommend passing through the winding aisles and looking at all the produce you may not see in the supermarkets.
The city centre has amazing nightlife with lots of deals for students. Some popular clubs are Barbara’s and Rosie’s, but there are all sorts of bars and clubs depending on what your vibe is. However, there’s also a range of sober activities, such as Lane 7 where there’s all sorts of activities to choose from including bowling, arcade and karaoke.
A 14-minute walk from the centre will take you to what was named ‘the coolest neighbourhood in Britain’ by the Sunday Times! Digbeth is full of cool vintage and thrift shops with affordable prices for students. One of my favourite places to explore is the Redbrick Market! It has all sorts of individual thrift shops as well as a photobooth and a vending machine where you can get surprise packages of stickers. There are also art exhibitions which are usually free, and some are student-run. Another activity to get up to is to explore the graffiti and ruin bars which are unique to Digbeth. Overall, it’s a cool environment and has such an authentic and up-beat atmosphere.
The Jewellery Quarter is a 10–15-minute walk from the centre! It’s known for its production of bespoke jewellery and rich history. It has a museum detailing how it became the hotspot of jewellery production during the 18th and 19th century! There’s a lot of independent restaurants including places that serve great fresh pasta and pizza. I also had the best coffee of my life in a coffee shop called Tranquillity Coffee. If you think I’m exaggerating, please go try it because I promise it won’t disappoint! Overall, I’d describe Jewellery Quarter as a quiet town-like place, which can be the perfect place to fall in love with small businesses and cute shops!
China Town is about a 4-minute walk from the Bullring and offers so many authentic East Asian restaurants! Some of them offer a great student discount, such as Chung Ying - a Cantonese restaurant which students can get 20% of off. As well as restaurants, there are delicious bakeries that smell amazing when you walk past them. One of my favourites is a bakery called Hey Sugar. They offer fresh and flavourful pastries which I can’t get enough of. There are also a range of Chinese supermarkets, which have a wide range of ingredients and household items. It has strings of fairy lights and colourful decorations making it a cool place to walk around at night too.
Selly Oak is the place where most continuing students live. The area has a homely feel to it, with Hey Brew being a local coffee spot that can’t be found elsewhere. It has cute, Instagram-able decor and most importantly study spaces so you can enjoy your coffee while being productive! There is also a small shopping centre near Sainsbury's, so you don’t have to go to the city to get essentials. For example, it has Nando’s, Superdrug and Next. If shopping isn’t your thing, you could always have a walk in Selly Park which is full of trees and benches.
The home of Cadbury World and Selly Oak Manor happens to also be a cosy and green area of Birmingham. It’s a 15-minute from Selly Oak; the streets are filled with big houses and gardens making it a pretty place to have a walk. There are small bakeries and coffee shops in the centre. Of course, as mentioned, Cadbury World is part of its appeal, with lots of chocolate to eat and the history of Bournville to explore if you decide to go!
Hi! My name is Zoe, and I study English and Creative Writing at the University of Birmingham! When I graduate, I want to...
