The second largest city in Britain, Birmingham was once one of the world’s greatest industrial centres; a manufacturing metropolis in the West Midlands, particularly associated with the car making industry. Today it still enjoys a position near the geographic centre of England, with excellent air, road, rail and water links, and is an ideal base for exploring the Potteries and Cotswolds close by.

Culturally, Birmingham is enjoying something of a revival. Several inner-city locations have been redeveloped in recent years and the infamous Bull Ring is currently undergoing a much needed face-lift. The Arts scene in particular is thriving. The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is one of the largest outside of London and is famous for its English watercolors and its Pre-Raphaelite paintings. Educational institutions include the Birmingham and Aston Universities.

The National Exhibition Centre takes advantage of a location adjacent to Birmingham’s international airport and is the largest indoor centre of its kind in the country. Other attractions in the area include Sarehole Mill, the inspiration behind Tolkiens, “The Hobbit,” as well as Cadbury World, which tells the story of confectionary chocolate.