Learn While You Walk

Last updated: 13/10/2006 - 16:18

Put your best foot forward - Birmingham invites visitors to take to their heels and walk the story of England's second city.

Time to listen up – and put your best foot forward as Birmingham launches a self-guided audio tour of the city centre, which will have one foot in the past and one foot very much in the present.

Breathing new life into a stroll through the heart of this reinvigorated city, the audio tour is available for purchase on a CD for £5.00, or can also be enjoyed on a pre-programmed MP3 player which can be hired for the day, for £6.00 (terms and conditions of hire apply).

St Philip's Cathedral

The step-by-step trail itself will guide the urban walker on an illuminating tour of many of the city's most historic buildings including St Philip's Cathedral, the Argent Centre, Victoria Law Courts and the Council House.

At the same time, it also takes in many of the new landmark buildings which have helped to transform the Birmingham skyline so dramatically in the last few years such as Selfridges and the Bullring, The Mailbox and Brindleyplace.

Pictured (left): The interior of St Philip's Cathedral in the heart of Birmingham City Centre.

The commentary, provided by Birmingham Civic Society and Marketing Birmingham, focuses on the architecture of the historic buildings, public art and new builds, but also includes plenty of 'quirky' facts which help to illustrate Birmingham’s great character. The complete walk should take approximately two hours, depending on the speed of walking.

CDs and MP3s featuring the Audio Tour of Birmingham can be obtained from the Rotunda Tourism Centre, 150 New Street, Birmingham. For more details, or to book a shortbreak to the city call 0870 225 0127 or visit: www.beinbirmingham.com.

Cultural Attractions

Pictured (right): Birmingham Repetory Theatre at the top of Broad Street.

Birmingham boasts a great deal of interest to the visitor by way of cultural attractions - including:

  • Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery - which boasts an outstanding collection of pre-Raphaelite - and other - paintings, silverware, sculpture, metal, glass and ceramics as well as wooden objects, ethnographical and archaeological collections.

  • The Gas Hall Exhibition Gallery

  • The Water Hall Gallery of Modern Art

  • The Museum of the Jewellery Quarter in Hockley

  • SNAP Galleries, now relocated to Fort Dunlop

  • The Royal Birmingham Society of Artists (R.B.S.A) Gallery, off St. Paul's Square in the city centre


    • See also on Lifestyle:

  • In The City - Enjoy the hustle and the bustle of our great urban centres.


  • Cardiff Gets 'Thumbs Up' - Architecture and buildings are just some of the enjoyable aspects of the city for visitors to the Welsh capital.


    • Birmingham Civic Society aims to ensure the city is attractive by stimulating interest and pride in its history and well being.

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    More information available in Days Out, Destinations, United Kingdom, Arts & Culture

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