A first-timer's guide to Birmingham city centre

Birmingham has spent years shaking off an outdated reputation, and first-time visitors are often surprised by what they find. The city centre is compact, walkable and packed with things to see, from grand Victorian buildings to cutting-edge architecture, from quiet canals to buzzing food halls. If you are coming for the first time, this guide will help you get your bearings and make the most of your visit.

Getting your bearings

Most visitors arrive at New Street station, right in the middle of the city centre. Above it sits Grand Central, a shopping centre with plenty of places to eat, and from here almost everything is within a twenty-minute walk. Moor Street station, a short walk away, is worth a look in its own right, restored in the style of the 1930s with period details that make it feel like stepping onto a film set.

The city centre is roughly split into a handful of distinct areas, each with its own character. It helps to think of them as neighbourhoods rather than trying to take in the whole city at once.

The Bullring and the shopping core

Directly south of New Street is the Bullring, one of the biggest shopping destinations in the country. Even if shopping is not your thing, it is worth seeing for the Selfridges building, covered in thousands of shining discs, and for St Martin's in the Bull Ring, the historic church at the bottom of the hill. Nearby are the indoor and outdoor markets, which have been trading in this part of the city for centuries in one form or another.

The civic heart

A short walk west along New Street brings you to Victoria Square, surrounded by the Council House, the Town Hall and the elegant old Post Office building. Behind the Council House is Chamberlain Square, and beyond that Centenary Square, home to the Library of Birmingham, the Repertory Theatre and the International Convention Centre. This is where the city puts on its best face, and it is the ideal place to start a walking tour.

The canals, Brindleyplace and the Mailbox

From Centenary Square, head down to the water. Birmingham's canals run right through the city centre, and the towpaths around Gas Street Basin and Brindleyplace are lined with bars, restaurants and narrowboats. Follow the canal south and you will reach the Mailbox, a former Royal Mail sorting office transformed into shops, restaurants and offices, with the gold-clad Cube building just beyond it.

The Jewellery Quarter

A short walk or tram ride north of the centre is the Jewellery Quarter, one of the most fascinating parts of the city. For more than two centuries it has been a hub for jewellers and metalworkers, and hundreds of businesses still work here today. Look for the Chamberlain Clock at the heart of the quarter, and do not miss the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, where a workshop has been preserved almost exactly as its owners left it.

Nearby, the Coffin Works tells the story of a family firm that made coffin fittings, with a surprisingly moving and often humorous tour. The quarter also has excellent independent cafés, bars and restaurants, making it a great place to spend an afternoon.

Digbeth

To the east of the centre lies Digbeth, the city's creative quarter. Once a heartland of industry, it is now known for street art, music venues, independent businesses and a thriving food and drink scene. The Custard Factory, a former factory complex, is at its heart. Digbeth is at its liveliest in the evenings and at weekends.

Birmingham is not a city that gives itself away at first glance. Walk ten minutes in any direction from New Street and you will find a completely different side of it.

Food you should try

Birmingham's food scene is one of its great strengths. The city is famous as the home of the balti, a style of curry said to have been developed by Birmingham's Pakistani and Kashmiri communities in the 1970s. The so-called Balti Triangle, south of the city centre in Sparkbrook and Balsall Heath, is the place to try one. In the centre itself, you will find everything from street food halls to fine dining, with several restaurants having earned national recognition.

Getting around

• Walk. The city centre is compact, and walking is often quicker than any other option.
• Use the tram for trips to the Jewellery Quarter and along Broad Street.
• Buses connect the centre to the suburbs and are frequent on the main routes.
• Trains from New Street, Moor Street and Snow Hill reach many parts of the city, including Bournville and the University.

A perfect first day

Start with breakfast near New Street, then explore Victoria Square and the Library of Birmingham in the morning. Head down to the canals for lunch at Gas Street Basin, then walk or take the tram to the Jewellery Quarter for the afternoon. In the evening, choose between dinner by the water or a night out in Digbeth. By the end of the day, you will have seen enough to understand why so many people who visit Birmingham once find themselves coming back.