If you’re coming to Birmingham for the first time for an Open Day it can be difficult to know what else to do, how do you make the most of a day in the city? Most university Open Days finish by about 3pm so you’ve got time to fit in a bit more sightseeing before you head home.
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Best places to go shopping
The Bullring and Grand Central
Birmingham is renowned for the Bullring shopping centre, with new shops and places to eat arriving all the time including Sephora, SDMN, Zara, Blank Street Coffee, Cinnabon and many more. There are also lots of fun things to do on top of shopping, like TOCA Social and Lane 7 which are activity bars where you can also get food.
Independent shopping
If you’re looking to find something unique during your visit to Brum, head to the Great Western and Piccadilly arcades or to Red Brick Market in Digbeth to find loads of independent retailers under one roof.
Places to eat
Best places to eat near BCU City Centre Campus
As a super-diverse city Birmingham is full of amazing food options for every budget. The Bullring is a 15-minute walk from BCU’s City Centre Campus and has lots of popular chain restaurants like Wingstop, Nandos, Wagamamas, Five Guys, Yo Sushi and many more.
If you’re keen to try some of Birmingham’s independent offerings, Damascena, Dishoom and Tiger Bites Pig are under 30 minutes walk away. You could also walk to Digbeth along the canal (15 minutes) and try HANBAO, Cafe Lovelife, BA-HA (great vegan food at the Rainbow) or more at the Custard Factory.
Places to eat near BCU City South Campus
If you’re looking for places to eat near our City South Campus, there are some great options nearby. The Physician, Boston Tea Party and Damascena Coffee House are cosy, casual options under 10 minutes’ walk away. Or if you’re feeling fancy, Michelin starred restaurant Simpsons is just next door.
Open days
Find out when our next open day is and book your place.
Things to see and do
Sights
From BCU’s city centre campus walk up to the Bullring Bull, this is the centre of Birmingham’s shopping area and a good place to get a feel for this bustling city. Looking down the hill you’ll see St Martin’s Church, which was at the heart of the historic city. Walk up New Street to Victoria Square where you can see some of the city’s oldest architecture and the much-loved "Floozie in the Jacuzzi" sculpture. Head through Chamberlain Square where you’ll find the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery on your right, with a variety of restaurants and cafes to refresh yourself at.
Then if you head across the bridge to Centenary Square you’ll be at the Library of Birmingham. This is Europe’s largest public library and is a unique bit of architecture. If you’ve got time, ride the escalators up to the top to find the Secret Garden, with a panoramic view of the city. Nestled on the very top floor is the Shakespeare memorial room which holds the People’s Folio and an exhibition about Shakespeare’s influence.
To get to the canals, walk straight through the ICC. You can do a short loop around here, don’t miss Gas Street Basin for a photo, then head to Brindley Place for dinner.
Fun things to do in Birmingham
If you’re coming to an open day with friends or family, Brum has lots of activities you can do together. Just a 10-minute walk from our City Centre campus, Digbeth has lots of options like board games at Chance and Counters, classic arcade games at NQ64 or skating at Rollerjam. In the city centre, you could also try bowling at Lane 7 or a virtual reality gaming experience at Sandbox VR.
Seasonal things to see and do in Birmingham
March: The cherry blossoms outside IKON gallery in Brindley Place are a beautiful sight to see in the spring, you might get lucky if you come to an Open Day in March.
November: Christmas markets take over New Street, Victoria Square and Birmingham Cathedral Square. These make the city look beautiful and are well worth a visit to get a hot drink and some festive food after an Open Day. There are also fairground rides and an ice skating rink in Centenary Square outside the Library.
Where to go in Birmingham
If you’ve got a bit more time in Birmingham, it’s worth exploring beyond the city centre. Here are some of our favourite areas in the city to visit.
- Digbeth: Birmingham’s creative quarter
- The Jewellery Quarter: the historic home of the jewellery industry with lots of bars and cafes to try
- Brindley Place: for restaurants and canalside bars
- Moseley and Kings Heath: a short ride from the city centre on the bus but full of independent shops, cafes, pubs, restaurants and great venues
- Stirchley and Bournville: Stirchley is an up-and-coming neighbourhood with lots of craft bars and independent restaurants, while Bournville is a historic village built by the Cadbury family for their factory
- Harborne: for charity shopping and more great food options