Die Region West Midlands, die vom Herzen Englands bis zur walisischen Grenze verläuft, war das Epizentrum der industriellen Revolution Großbritanniens und beherbergt die zweitgrößte Stadt der Nation, das geschäftige, multikulturelle Birmingham. Viele Reisende kennen es wegen Stratford-upon-Avon, die Postkartenmarktstadt, in der Shakespeare geboren und gestorben ist, oder wegen Warwick Castle, eine Festung aus dem 11. Jahrhundert, in der Gerechte kämpfen und Falken kreisen. Etwas industrieller sind die Töpfereien von Stoke-on-Trent und Ironbridge Gorge, eine UNESCO-Weltkulturerbestätte, die Heimat der weltweit ersten Eisenbrücke, eines Hochofens aus dem 18. Jahrhundert und vieles mehr ist.
As with so many English destinations, the West Midlands are at their best during the elusive British summer, bookended by late spring and early fall, because the days May–September are longer and the weather is (usually) brighter. The second half of June and first half of July hit the sweet spot: Local kids are still in school, so family-friendly attractions are less crowded.
Like other European countries, England has a good rail network and public transit system. Birmingham is easy to get around, with trains, trams, and buses, and (strikes permitting) there are solid train links between most West Midlands towns and cities. If you’re hoping to pop out to quiet country pubs and stately homes or to explore the Malvern Hills or Shropshire Hills, consider a guided excursion that includes transportation or self-driving a car.
Birmingham is the home of the balti, a fiery curry cooked super-fresh in a vessel of the same name, similar to a wok. Created by the Pakistani community during the 1970s, the dish has given its name to a city neighborhood known as the Balti Triangle. Try it at Shababs, which has been hosting locals since 1987. If you fancy a pint where Shakespeare might have sipped, then Stratford-upon-Avon’s Garrick Inn is likely the town’s oldest pub, with a criss-cross Tudor timber frame that dates back to the 16th century.
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