ESTS

Birmingham is a city of culture and heritage with a dynamic energy that truly offers something for everyone. From royal ballet and international art collections to premiership football and international cricket, world-class theatre to world-class cuisine, the city is a great European destination.

Birmingham ‘the city of thousand trades’ lies in the heart of the West Midlands and is the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom. This multiethnic city grew to international prominence in the 18th century at the heart of the Midlands Enlightenment and subsequent Industrial Revolution, which saw the town at the forefront of worldwide developments in science, technology and economic organization.

Birmingham's three universities and two university colleges make it the largest centre of higher education in the United Kingdom outside London and its major cultural institutions, including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Birmingham Royal Ballet and the Barber Institute of Fine Arts, enjoy international reputations.

The city occupies cleared land from the ancient Forest of Arden, whose former presence can still be felt in the city's dense oak tree-cover. There are over 8,000 acres (3,237 ha) of parkland open spaces in Birmingham. The largest of the parks is Sutton Park covering 2,400 acres (971 ha) making it the largest urban nature reserve in Europe.

Climate

The climate in Birmingham is classified as a temperate maritime climate, like much of the British Isles, with average maximum temperatures in May being around 15.8 °C (60.4 °F).

Transport

Birmingham is a major transport hub on the motorway, rail and canal networks.
The city is served by the M5, M6, M40, and M42 motorways which link it to the major cities of London, Bristol, Liverpool and Manchester.

The National Express Group operating from Birmingham Coach Station Digbeth, offers a great coach network to all corners of the United Kingdom and to Europe through the Eurolines network.

Birmingham Airport, located six miles east of the city centre is connected to the city centre both by Trains and coach network. It is a major base for airlines including Flybe, Ryanair, Bmibaby, Monarch Airlines and Thomson Airways; and is connected by flag carrier airlines to major international hubs including Dubai, New York-Newark, Frankfurt, Munich, Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam.

Local public transport is by bus, local train and tram.

The city's main railway station, Birmingham New Street, is the busiest interchange in the United Kingdom outside London, and second busiest station overall outside London. Birmingham Snow Hill station and Birmingham Moor Street connect the city to the suburbs and London.

Birmingham is also notable for its extensive canal system and the city is often noted for having more miles of canal than Venice. The canals which were integral during the Industrial Revolution have now been rejuvenated as tourist attractions.