Happy new year! With the start of a new year, there comes the perfect opportunity to change your life. Some choose to go on a health kicks, others decide that they’re going to spend less time working and more time travelling. But some of us simply want to make the life we have right now as ideal as possible. “Romanticising your life” is a new trend among the younger generation, and we think it’s a great way to make your day a little brighter. Although it often focuses on New England, country cottage, or historic university living, there are ways to add a bit of romance to you day to day, even in the city. Here are some tips on how to romanticise your life in Birmingham.
Visit a Museum, Gallery, or Library
Museums, libraries, and galleries are some of the best places to go for a touch of culture without much cost. As naturally quiet places, they’re perfect for reflection and peace, even when in a busy city. Unfortunately, a sad (but temporary) loss has befallen Birmingham recently – the Museum and Art Gallery is closed for maintenance work. It will reopen in 2024, but for the next year or so we shall be without the Pre-Raphaelite and Staffordshire Hoard collections. Fear not, though, as there are many other places to choose from.
The museums around Birmingham have some pretty eclectic specialisms. In the Jewellery Quarter alone you can find the Pen Museum, Coffin Works, and the Museum of the Jewellery Quarter, and within the University of Birmingham is the Lapworth Museum of Geology. If art is more your thing then you have even more choice. Second only to BMAG is the Barber Institute, an art gallery also within the University that holds many fine art pieces. Modern art lovers may prefer the Ikon Gallery, which is just as beautiful outside as it is within. Literary fans will love the Library of Birmingham (colloquially known by locals as the Lampshade due to its exterior design). Inside is a circular wall of books, a gorgeous display of lights, and the Shakespeare Memorial Room. You can’t get much more cultured than that!
Take in the Sights
What’s more romantic than a long walk in the park? Luckily, despite being the second biggest city in the UK, Birmingham has more than enough options for those with the nature bug. There are large open spaces such as Sutton Park and the Lickey Hills, as well as smaller and more covered spots like Moseley Bog. if you want to stop and small the roses, visit the Birmingham Botanical Gardens or Winterbourne, and take in the curated gardens of plants and flowers.
And it’s not just nature that offers amazing scenery. Throughout Birmingham there are examples of hundreds of years of architecture. Some of the best can be found at religious sites, with St Philip’s Cathedral in the city centre being the most well-known. Some lesser-visited buildings include the Oratory, Shree Krishna Mandir, Singers Hill Synagogue, and the amazingly ornate Serbian Orthodox Church of the Holy Prince Lazar. For more secular examples of historic buildings, why not visit Soho House, Selly Manor, or Aston Hall, or just walk around the city and spot places like the Council House and Perrott’s Folly. Even trade buildings like shops and restaurants can be held within listed buildings. Speaking of…
Shop, Eat, and Drink
Birmingham might be known for the Bull Ring market, but that’s not the only place to go on a shopping spree – and it certainly isn’t the prettiest! Dotted around the city centre are a few arcades which play host to a number of independent and chain shops and other amenities, and they’re a great place to visit when you want to get out your card but avoid the rush of major shopping centres. The Great Western Arcade and the Piccadilly Arcade have to be our favourites, with the former being built in the 1870s as a railway tunnel and the latter having started out as a luxury cinema in the 1910s.
When in comes to sitting down to eat or drink, however, you’re spoiled for choice. Indulge your inner Parisian woman by sitting alone at an independent café reading an old book. Some great locations for this would include the Kitchen Garden Café, Yorks, and Knights Coffee House. Later in the night you may wish to go out for a slightly stronger drink, and The Old Crown is an old favourite. Very old, in fact, having been built in the 14th century. Other options include Bacchus Bar, with ancient Greek, Roman, and Egyptian design influences, and cocktail bars such as that at The Edgbaston hotel.
Watch a Performance
Sometimes you want to romanticise your life, but you don’t really want to do anything yourself. In times like this, turn off the Netflix and get yourself to the theatre instead! There are some rather spectacular places to watch a performance in Brum, be that theatre, ballet, opera, or music. Some of the biggest and best include Symphony Hall, the Town Hall, the REP, and the Hippodrome. All four of these places attract some of the biggest performers from around the world, as well as some more close to home such as the CBSO and the Birmingham Royal Ballet. For more intimate performances, it’s worth visiting the Barber Institute and the University of Birmingham’s Elgar Concert Hall and taking in one of their many daytime and evening classical performances – many of which are free!
Get on a Train
We would argue that the most romantic way to travel is by train. If you’re coming into the city from further out, then see if you can book a train that ends at Moor Street Station. It is a wonderful art deco-style station that houses two small but lovely cafés and a florist. For those who live in Birmingham and fancy a day trip, book a seat on the Shakespeare Express, and get to experience a vintage train ride, some afternoon tea, and a day out in Stratford all at once. There are many other romantic towns within a short distance of the big city, such as Warwick and Leamington Spa, so in the unlikely event of running out of places to see here, you can always hop on a train and be home in time for tea.
