Birmingham, the second-largest city in the United Kingdom and a metropolitan borough in the West Midlands. It lies near the geographic centre of England, at the crossing points of the national railway and motorway systems. Birmingham is the largest city of the West Midlands conurbation—one of England’s principal industrial and commercial areas—for which it acts as an administrative, recreational, and cultural centre. The city lies approximately 110 miles (177 km) northwest of London.

The historic core of Birmingham, along with Edgbaston and northern neighbourhoods such as Sutton Coldfield, Erdington, and Sheldon, lies in the historic county of Warwickshire.

Birmingham Airport is the third-largest airport outside of London. The airport has its own rail station, Birmingham International, which is just 10 minutes from Birmingham New Street with many lines travelling directly to London Euston station.

New Street Station has the capacity for 52 million passengers a year.

Birmingham is the youngest city in Europe with more than 40% of its population found to be under the age of 25.

Venice is famous for its gondola rides along its canals, but Birmingham is, in fact, home to more miles of canal waterways with 35 miles to the Italian city’s 26.

J.R.R Tolkien spent much of his early life in Birmingham, and it is thought that areas such as King’s Heath and Sarehole were what inspired the home of the hobbits in his epic fantasy, ‘Lord of the Rings’