FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Becoming a Brummie for a Week

by Aoife O’Riordan

Jul 26, 2023

Last month I visited my best friend currently living in Birmingham, England. I stayed with her in the heart of the city and officially became a “Brummie” for the week.

Did you know that Birmingham is the origin of the Industrial Revolution? The city is the second-largest in the United Kingdom, and with towering buildings, busy streets lined with shops and a canal running through its center, the city buzzes with life day and night. Tying into its Industrial Revolution roots, the city features a section of preserved 18th– and 19th-century working-class houses. These houses are open for guided tours, showcasing what life was like at the peak of the Industrial Revolution in the city where it all began.

Fans of the hit series Peaky Blinders can find a series of murals near Birmingham New Street Station depicting the different characters. My favorite mural shows the gang together and looking as if they’re walking toward you in an intimidating way.

I did a lot during my time in the city. In the morning I went for a run to explore the streets before the rest of the city woke up, ending my run with a coffee at Black Sheep Coffee.

Birmingham doesn’t sit on any major river, but a lengthy canal weaves through a section of the city. Here you’ll find narrow sidewalks lined with restaurants and trendy pubs and bars. You’ll even see the occasional narrow boat slide by filled with passengers. At night, the canal is lit up with twinkling lights from lively restaurants and pubs. One night we dined at a trendy Mexican eatery called Perios Brindleyplace before hopping around different pubs like Slug & Lettuce and popular pub chain All Bar One. Another day we walked around the city and visited St. Philip’s Cathedral and the Library of Birmingham. We ventured to the top of the quirky-looking library and enjoyed views of the city as well as access to a cool and intimate Shakespearean library.

Of course, we couldn’t skip on the shopping, with trips to Zara, Waterstones (a popular bookstore chain) and more. On another night, my friend and her partner brought me to a few pubs to meet up with her partner’s co-workers, and we ended up spending many hours at some very fun pubs across the city. Some of the pubs we enjoyed a few pints at included The Trocadero, a former gin palace and fire station. Everyone we went out with was so nice, and we all came from different parts of the world, so it was fun to learn about everyone’s backgrounds and favorite things about Birmingham.

Birmingham is a great hub for travelers wanting to explore much of England, as it’s centrally located and offers easy access to many other big cities. For instance, my train to Manchester was only two hours, and the train to London was slightly less than two hours. Similarly, getting a rental car or knowing someone with a car, you can find yourself in the Cotswolds in less than an hour.

— Aoife O’Riordan, associate editor

Introducing

FX Excursions

FX Excursions offers the chance for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in destinations around the world.

Explore Excursions

#globility

Insta Feed
Daily
Sep 26, 2023

Perelman Performing Arts Center Opens in New York

The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC), the cultural cornerstone and final public element of the World Trade Center site, opened this September.  The new performing arts center in Lower Manhattan provides a dynamic home for the arts, serving audiences and creators through flexible venues enabling the facility to embrace wide-ranging artistic programs.

IHG® Hotels & Resorts Introduces Effortless WiFi Connection for Guests Worldwide

IHG Hotels & Resorts is thrilled to announce the launch of a new mobile product feature for members: IHG Wi-Fi Auto Connect. This feature is now available exclusively in the IHG One Rewards mobile app for both iOS and Android users and will automatically connect IHG One Rewards members to WiFi upon arrival at more than 5,000 IHG hotels worldwide — no separate passwords or log-ins needed. This is in addition to the exciting benefits of being an IHG Business Edge member. IHG Business Edge provides small- and medium-sized businesses access to a user-friendly portal that displays comprehensive spending and savings data while providing the convenience of direct booking with a guaranteed discount.

Daily
Sep 26, 2023

4 Sweet Spots for Vintage Clothing Lovers

Whether you call secondhand fashion treasure troves “thrift stores,” “fripperies,” “charity shops,” “vintage boutiques” or something else, shifting the paradigm from “old clothes” to “new finds,” you may find the best, most conversation-starting souvenirs inside these shops and neighborhoods located in the world’s most fashionable cities and a few unexpected places.

eFlyer Reviews
Sep 26, 2023

Viking Polaris Canadian Discovery Review

While the 372-passenger Viking Polaris expedition ship, launched in September 2022, falls midway in size between Viking Cruises’ intimate river cruise ships and large-scale ocean ships, it is operated with the same attention to detail and personalized service.

IHG® Business Edge: A Better Way to Travel

Many small- and medium-sized businesses face time and budget constraints when organizing corporate hotel travel for employees. To address this problem, IHG® Business Edge emerged as a cost-free business travel solution for small- to medium-sized enterprises, offering travel managers exclusive access to enticing perks, handpicked educational resources and comprehensive company travel metrics. IHG Business Edge connects our loyal customers to our portfolio of 5,800 hotels and resorts across 18 brands in more than 100 countries.

eFlyer News
Sep 26, 2023

New Four Seasons Property to Come to Dominican Republic in 2026

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts partners with Cisneros Real Estate to construct a new Four Seasons property in the Dominican Republic. The Four Seasons Resort and Residences Dominican Republic at Tropicalia is slated to open in 2026.

eFlyer Lead
Sep 26, 2023

Which European Countries Plan to Impose Tourism and Flight Taxes?

On Sept. 25, Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the prime minister of Iceland, revealed plans to add a tax on travelers visiting the country. The goal of the tax is to help offset the impact of tourism on the environment.

Why Buy Trip Cancellation Insurance?

Don’t risk losing all the money you’ve spent if you must cancel your trip at the last minute. Allianz Travel Insurance can give you: