Birmingham — Travelrags

The GuardianSep 25, 2026

‘Everything is golden’: readers’ tips for a great autumn day out in the UK

With autumn officially here, our readers savour days of fruitful mellowness, from Cornwall to Loch Lomond • Tell us about a great wellness experience – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucher I love Loch Lomond in autumn. I’d start with a walk around Balmaha village and a stretch of the West Highland Way , pretending I’m there for the scenery rather than earning the right to eat something mass…

20 things in this story

Winterbourne House and GardenCaféArts and Crafts style house set in stunning gardens.
HarborneSuburbHead here for lunch or dinner.
Elsewhere
West Highland WayTrailLoch Lomond, United KingdomWalk around Balmaha village and a stretch of it.
GodrevySightCornwall, United KingdomWalk along the staggered cliff edges between here and Portreath.
PortreathSightCornwall, United KingdomWalk along the staggered cliff edges between Godrevy and here.
CragsideSightNorthumberland, United KingdomNational Trust property with 1,000 acres of trees.
Glentress ForestSightScottish Borders, United KingdomTrails surrounded by copper, red and gold in autumn.
PeeblesNeighborhoodScottish Borders, United KingdomWander along the river and around its independent shops.
River RoddlesworthSightWest Pennine Moors, United KingdomFlows through a wonderful wooded valley at the edge of moors.
Hollinshead HallSightWest Pennine Moors, United KingdomRuins to explore in the woods.
Royal ArmsRestaurantWest Pennine Moors, United KingdomPub at Ryal Fold.
Hare & HoundsRestaurantWest Pennine Moors, United KingdomPub at Abbey Village.
Longshaw estateSightPeak District, United KingdomPerfect for an autumn stroll with varied fungi.
Padley GorgeSightPeak District, United KingdomTwisted oak trees look spectacular on early autumn misty mornings.
Clumber ParkParkNottinghamshire, United KingdomNational Trust property with peaceful woodlands and golden leaf carpets.
Hadrian's WallTrailNorthumberland, United KingdomMoorland turns copper and gold; every climb rewards with views.
Steel RiggSightNorthumberland, United KingdomTake a trip to Steel Rigg in Northumberland National Park and treat yourself to some of the best viewpoints on…
Llangollen RailwayPlaceLlangollen, United KingdomSteam train trip through the Dee valley when leaves turn.
Oaks WoodSightPeak District, United Kingdom
Bolehill QuarrySightPeak District, United Kingdom

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Lonely PlanetSep 2

The 17 Best Things to Do in Birmingham, England

From seeing street art to tasting fiery curry to strolling atmospheric canals.

25 things in this story

Gas Street BasinSightStroll its canal past Brindley Place.
Brindley PlaceSightLively waterside bars, bistros, and restaurants.
DigbethSuburbSeek its vivid street art and graffiti.
Balti TriangleNeighborhoodSpiritual home of the balti dish.
Custard FactorySightRough-and-ready streets for street art.
BanksySightFestive work above a bench near Vyse St station.
Grand HotelHotelOpulent Victorian hotel, reopened in 2021.
St Philip's CathedralSightImpressive views from the Grand Hotel.
University of BirminghamSightElegant grounds and the Barber Institute of Fine Arts.
Barber Institute of Fine ArtsMuseumUnderrated art institute on university grounds.
Birmingham Back to BacksSightLast remaining 19th-century attached, terraced houses.
Library of BirminghamMuseumOffers panoramic outdoor views from its Secret Garden.
Hare & HoundsPubVictorian pub, site of UB40's first gig.
Sunflower LoungePubCity center venue for intimate gigs.
The FlapperPubCanal-side rock pub with beer garden and venue.
Utilita ArenaBarVenue for big-name acts at Brindleyplace.
02 InstituteSightHistoric Digbeth venue, formerly a church.
Lickey Hills Country ParkParkOffers panoramic views and charming woodland trails.
Stirchley Beer MileTrailCraft-beer haven with pubs and taprooms.
Attic Brew CoPubVibrant taproom on the Stirchley Beer Mile.
Birmingham Brewing CompanyRestaurantTaproom on the Stirchley Beer Mile.
Birmingham Museum & Art GalleryMuseumHome to world's largest Pre-Raphaelite collection.
St Phillip's CathedralSightFeatures Pre-Raphaelite stained-glass windows.
Jewellery QuarterSuburbProduces 40% of the UK's jewelry output.
Elsewhere
Black Country Living MuseumTheme parkDudley, United KingdomCanal-side sets for Peaky Blinders fans.

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Atlas ObscuraAug 11

19 Creepy Catacombs Around the World You Can Visit

Catacombs—underground rooms and tunnels used as cemeteries—date back to first-century Rome, but the most famous (and infamous) were created across Europe in the 17th century. Overcrowding in Paris’s more traditional burial spaces, as well as sanitation issues, led authorities to turn the miles of tunnels connecting quarries under the city into crypts. It’s believed that more than six million pe…

21 things in this story

Warstone Lane Cemetery CatacombsSightTiered, semicircular catacombs resembling a Roman amphitheater.
Elsewhere
Templo ExpiatorioPlace of worshipLeón, MexicoNeo-Gothic church providing entry to an underground world.
Catacombs of Washington, D.C.SightWashington, United StatesCreated by Franciscan monks to channel the Holy Land.
Petrovaradin FortressSightNovi Sad, SerbiaHidden underground military galleries, a four-story network.
Old St. Patrick’s CathedralSightNew York, United StatesCatacombs open to the public for candlelight tours.
Delmonico familyPlaceNew York, United StatesFounders of New York’s oldest surviving restaurant.
Sanità districtNeighborhoodNaples, ItalySite of Greek-era catacombs with oldest surviving Christian art.
St. Paul’s and St. Agatha’s catacombsSightRabat, MaltaHolds one of the finest surviving examples of an agape table.
Fontanelle Cemetery CavesSightNaples, ItalyCave complex used as a burial ground since the 1500s.
Santa Maria delle Anime del Purgatorio ad ArcoSightNaples, ItalyBegan burying Naples’s poor and unclaimed in 1638.
Catacombs at Templo ExpiatorioSightLeón, MexicoLabyrinth of catacombs formed from seven interconnected crypts.
Maltese Catacomb ComplexesSightRabat, MaltaComplex holds tombs for over 1,000 bodies.
Igreja de São Francisco CatacombsSightPorto, PortugalCatacombs hold tombs for members of the Franciscan order.
Ta’ Bistra CatacombsSightMosta, MaltaLargest catacomb complex found outside Rabat.
The Sacconi Rossi CryptSightRome, ItalyCrypt decorated with bones of deceased brothers.
The Catacombs of St. Peter’s AbbeySightSalzburg, AustriaServed as a sacred burial site and hermitage.
Melník Chapel of BonesSightMelnik, CzechiaVault holds exhumed bodies from plague-ridden cemeteries.
Klatovy Catacomb MummiesSightKlatovy, CzechiaVentilation system naturally mummified bodies.
Museum Romeinse Katakomben (Roman Catacombs Museum)MuseumValkenburg, The NetherlandsFaithful reproduction of Roman catacombs in a quarry.
Capuchin Monastery CatacombsSightPalermo, ItalyNearly 8,000 corpses dressed in their Sunday best.
Catacombes de ParisMuseumParis, FranceHolds remains of six to seven million Parisians.

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Lonely PlanetJul 14

How to experience football in England like a local

With 65,000 traveling fans during the World Cup and record-breaking numbers of fans tuning in, football means more to the English.

23 things in this story

Aston VillaSightClub traced back to the foundation of the English Football League.
Villa ParkSightStadium in Aston, Birmingham, for Premier League football.
Birmingham CitySightPlays in the Championship at St Andrew's Stadium.
St Andrew’s StadiumSightHome stadium for Birmingham City.
Elsewhere
Old Trafford StadiumSightManchester, United KingdomHome ground of Manchester United FC, offers stadium tours.
Premier LeaguePlaceLondon, United KingdomWorld's richest football tournament, hosts top teams.
English Football LeaguePlaceLondon, United KingdomOldest football league in the world, founded in 1881.
ArsenalMetro stationLondon, United KingdomTop Premier League team with passionate fans.
ChelseaSuburbLondon, United KingdomTop Premier League team, plays at Stamford Bridge.
Manchester CitySightManchester, United KingdomTeam on the ascendancy with an emerging entertainment hub stadium.
Manchester UnitedSightManchester, United KingdomHuge football team with a famous stadium, Old Trafford.
Tottenham HotspurSightLondon, United KingdomNorth London team with a 62,850-seat stadium.
Queen Elizabeth Olympic ParkParkLondon, United KingdomPark includes London Stadium, playgrounds, trails, gardens.
London StadiumSightLondon, United KingdomHosts concerts, sporting meets, and West Ham United FC matches.
Emirates StadiumSightLondon, United KingdomHome ground for Arsenal, replaced Highbury ground.
Tottenham Hotspur StadiumSightLondon, United KingdomHub for American football, replaced White Hart Lane.
Hillsborough StadiumSightSheffield, United KingdomHome stadium for Sheffield Wednesday FC.
Hillsborough ParkParkSheffield, United KingdomBoasts lovely hilltop views, hosts Tramlines music festival.
EtihadSightManchester, United KingdomStadium for Manchester City.
National Football MuseumMuseumManchester, United KingdomCharts the evolution of football, housed in a glass building.
Anfield StadiumMuseumLiverpool, United KingdomHome stadium for Liverpool FC.
St James' ParkSightNewcastle-upon-Tyne, United KingdomHome stadium for Newcastle United Football Club.
Stadium of LightSightSunderland, United KingdomHome stadium for Sunderland AFC, set beside the River Wear.

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