Things to do in The Midlands
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Café Bar Inspire
Coventry's Christchurch church was destroyed during World War II, leaving only the spire, which now, slightly sacrilegiously, shelters this bar. This is forgivable as it is very good. It serves an international selection of bottled brews, as well as baguette and salad snacks throughout the day.
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Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery
One of the best collections of Pre-Raphaelite works in the world. Highlights include a gallery of creations by Birmingham lad Edward Burne-Jones – look out for his massive triptych The Last Judgement, a grand piano smothered in gilt plasterwork, and a vast, goldpainted, Renaissance-themed wedding chest. Paintings include Ford Madox Brown’s The Last of England, where British migrants pass Dover-esque white cliffs to leave the country, and Henry Wallis’ Death of Chatterton, a diminutive oil featuring a doomed, pale poet sprawled in his attic bedroom. Then there’s an image seen on countless cards worldwide: Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s iconic Proserpine, in which a soulful, aubu…
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Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
Tucked into the cliff below the castle, this fantastically atmospheric alehouse claims to be England's oldest pub; it supposedly slaked the thirst of departing crusaders. The phrase 'nooks and crannies' could have been invented for here. Just when you think there are no more, you'll find another - and there are usually more than enough to accommodate the many tourists who come to sample the brews.
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Electric Cinema
At the oldest working cinema in the UK (the projectors have been rolling since 1909), you can enjoy a mix of mainstream and art-house cinema, while sitting in plush two-seater sofas.
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Fresh
The downstairs eatery specialises in wholesome snacks, salads and sandwiches, while the thriving upstairs restaurant fuses culinary influences from such diverse sources as Thailand and the Mediterranean. Beautiful lilies deck the tables and brighten the surroundings.
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Great British Eatery
Slide onto a bar stool and inhale the tang of vinegar at this award winning chippy. There are pies and sausages aplenty, meal deals from £2 and roast chicken and chips from £3.50. You can wash it all down with a beer, too.
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Alley Cafe
Tucked away down a hidden alleyway, this place sets out to prove that vegetarian food can be cool. The globe-trotting menu ranges from tofu and tempeh to hemp-seed burgers, which you can munch to a DJ soundtrack.
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Punchinello
Low-slung beamed ceilings distinguish this established central restaurant, the oldest in town, but it has moved with the times with a hint of the Mediterranean infusing most of its dishes.
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Bank
Huge glass front panels make this swanky restaurant a bit of a culinary goldfish bowl, but most diners don't complain - the sophisticated modern-Brit dishes are quite special.
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Skinny Sumo
Frills are sparse, but taste is plenty in this basic, highly regarded white-tiled Japanese café-restaurant with a sushi-bar conveyor belt.
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Monsal Trail
On the northern edge of Bakewell, a former railway line has been converted to a walking and cycling track called the Monsal Trail. From Bakewell you can cycle about 3 miles north and 1 mile south on the old railway itself, and there are numerous other tracks and country lanes nearby. The nearest bike hire is near Buxton. Walkers on the Monsal Trail follow alternate sections of the old railway and pretty footpaths through fields and beside rivers.
From Bakewell, an excellent out-and-back walk (3 miles each way) goes to the dramatic viewpoint at Monsal Head, where a good pub, Stables Bar at the Monsal Head Hotel, provides welcome refreshment. Allow three hours for the round…
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Cadbury World
Chocoholics from miles around flock to Cadbury World, which provides a lip-smacking exploration into the history, production and consumption of the ever popular cocoa-based confectionery, seen through the eyes of one of the world's largest chocolate-makers.
Kids - and sweet-toothed grown-ups - will love it, but beware of the afternoon sugar-crash! Ride a beanmobile or take a wander down Cocoa Rd, paved with 'talking chocolate splodges'. If you're lucky, you may get to see the finishing touches being put to your favourite chocolate. Book ahead - it's very popular in July and August. Opening hours vary. It's closed for some of December and most of January, but open from 10…
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St Michael's Cathedral & Ruins
The pretty cathedral quarter is historically the richest part of the city. The wonderfully evocative cathedral ruins of St Michael's Church Cathedral, destroyed by Nazi incendiary bombs in the blitz of 14 November 1940, still stand as a permanent memorial. The 180 steps of its Gothic spire can be climbed for some panoramic views.
Symbolically adjoining the old cathedral's sandstone walls is the Sir Basil Spence-designed cathedral, a modern, almost Gothic, architectural masterpiece. It includes a giant Graham Sutherland tapestry of Christ, glorious stained-glass nave windows (best seen from the altar), and a towering etched glass front. Look out for the Jacob Epstein statu…
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Museum of the Jewellery Quarter
This is an industrial time capsule set in a former factory which has been preserved as it was when it closed after 80 years of operation. Displays reveal just what nine-carat gold is made up of (not as much gold as you might think), and showcase such things as a silver 1930s card case, 18th-century candlesticks and an Acme Thunderer railway guard’s whistle. The Jewellery Quarter is three-quarters of a mile northwest of the centre; walk or hop on a train or metro to the down Cocoa Rd or try your hand at chocolate-making. Opening hours vary, and booking is advised – and essential during July and August; phone or check the website for details. Cadbury World is part of Bournv…
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Custard Factory
So named because the building was constructed by custard magnate Sir Alfred Bird, this centrepiece of Digbeth’s regeneration is full of original, independent shops. At Urban Village and General Stores, rifle through artfully arranged rails of such vintage delights as handmade brogues, leather cases, woollen skirts and paisley cravats. The Bead Shop allows you to pick-and mix baubles to make your own designer piece. Commission your own T-shirt at Street Print (from £8), then check out the chaises longues and anglepoise lamps at Fragile Design’s 20th-century furniture store. Finally, top it all off by tucking in to a mezzaluna (baby naan) in Yumm Deli’s tiny dining space. L…
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The National Space Centre
The National Space Centre is a spectacular and successful attempt to bring space science to us ordinary mortals. Interactive displays cover cosmic myths, the history of astronomy and the development of space travel; in the Space Now! area you can check on the status of all current space missions.
Films in the domed Space Theatre (included in the admission price) launch you to the far reaches of the galaxy, and you can come back to earth with a coffee in Boosters Café. Don't miss the displays on zero-gravity toilets and the amazing germ-devouring underpants. The centre is off the A6 about 1.5 miles north of the city centre. Take bus No 54 from Charles St in the centre.
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Royal Shakespeare Company
Coming to Stratford without seeing a production of Shakespeare would be like going to Rome and not visiting the Vatican. The three theatre spaces run by the world-renowned Royal Shakespeare Company have witnessed performances by such legends as Lawrence Olivier, Richard Burton, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren, Ian McKellan, Patrick Stewart (of Star Trek fame) and former Dr Who, David Tennant.
There are three grand stages in Stratford – Royal Shakespeare Theatre and Swan Theatre on Waterside and the Courtyard Theatre on Southern La. The first two properties were extensively redeveloped between 2007 and 2010 – contact the RSC for the latest news on performance times at the three …
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Shakespeare's Birthplace
Start your Shakespeare tour at the house where the world's most famous playwright supposedly spent his childhood days. In fact, the jury is still out on whether this really was Shakespeare's birthplace, but devotees of the Bard have been dropping in since at least the 19th century, leaving their signatures scratched onto the windows. Set behind a modern facade, the house contains restored Tudor rooms, live presentations from famous Shakespearean characters, and an engaging exhibition on Stratford's favourite son.
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Shakespeare Birthplace Trust
The Shakespeare Birthplace Trust manages five buildings associated with Shakespeare. Three of the houses are central, one is an easy walk away, and the fifth a drive or bike ride out; a combination ticket costs about half as much as the individual admission fees combined. Opening times are complicated and vary during the off season (check the website for details). In summer, enormous crowds pack the small Tudor houses; a visit out of season is much more enjoyable. Note that wheelchair access to the properties is restricted.
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Sarehole Mill
Built in the late 18th century, it was a favourite haunt of the young JRR Tolkien, who played here after his family moved to Birmingham in the late 1800s. It’s said the mill and nearby Moseley Bog provided inspiration for the Shire – home to Bilbo, Frodo and Samwise Gamgee in Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Travel 5 miles south of the city on bus 11A, 11C or 11E to reach the mill. There you’ll see pulley wheels, sack hoists and lots of worn beams. Then look out for little folk with furry feet.
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Nottingham Castle Museum & Art Gallery
Set atop a sandstone outcrop worm-holed with caves and tunnels, the original Nottingham castle was founded by William the Conqueror and held by a succession of English kings before falling in the English Civil War. Its 17th-century replacement contains a diverting museum of local history, with an extensive collection of costumes, jewellery, Wedgwood jasperware and paintings, including works by Dante Gabriel Rossetti. Your ticket also gains you entry to the Museum of Nottinghamshire Life at Brewhouse Yard.
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Barber Institute of Fine Arts
The collection at the Barber Institute of Fine Art takes in Renaissance masterpieces by Martini, Bellini and Veronese, works by old masters such as Rubens and Van Dyck, British greats including Gainsborough, Reynolds and Turner, an array of Impressionist pieces, and works by the likes of Picasso, Rembrant and Schiele. The institute is at the University of Birmingham, 2½ miles south of the city centre. Take the train from New St to University station, or catch bus 61, 62 or 63 from Corporation St.
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Birmingham Central Library
Although each of the universities and university colleges has its own excellent libraries, you might still end up writing an essay or leafing through reference books in Birmingham Central Library. It’s the busiest public library in Britain and occupies eight floors. Shaped like an upside down ziggurat, it’s slap bang in the middle of town, making a spot of study possible between shopping trips. Plans are also afoot for a brand-new, multi-million pound library in nearby Centenary Sq.
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Jewry Wall Museum
You can see fine Roman mosaics and frescoes in this museum exploring the history of Leicester from Roman times to the modern day. In front of the museum is the Jewry Wall, part of Leicester's Roman baths. Tiles and masonry from the baths were incorporated in the walls of neighbouring St Nicholas' Church.
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Holy Trinity Church
The final resting place of the Bard is said to be the most visited parish church in England. Inside are handsome 16th- and 17th-century tombs (particularly in the Clopton Chapel), some fabulous carvings on the choir stalls and, of course, the grave of William Shakespeare, with its ominous epitaph: 'cvrst be he yt moves my bones'.
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