Retire to a thriving, historical area in the UK's second city
From the deep heritage of the Jewellery Quarter to the iconic shopping mall at the Bullring, the ‘city of a thousand trades’ has plenty of fascinating architecture, museums and galleries to explore. You can travel the extensive canal network that made Birmingham a hub for trade and transport, or take a tour of the preserved ‘back-to-back’ houses of the 19th century.
There are more than 20 museums around the Birmingham region, including the Thinktank science museum and the Aston Manor Road Transport Museum.
It's also a city that's renowned for its shopping – from the household-name brands of the modern Bullring centre to the huge range of creative curiosities in the hundreds of stalls at the Rag Market.
Explore a cultural hub of events and performances
As a huge, multi-cultural urban centre, there's no shortage of things to do and see. You'll find touring West End shows, ballet, opera and symphony orchestras, as well as dance, film and comedy events all over the city, which makes it a perfect place to take your family out when they visit you at your new retirement property.
Birmingham also hosts a huge number of festivals throughout the year, such as the International Dance Festival, the International Jazz and Blues Festival and the Midlands Whisky Festival.
And if Birmingham's hive of activity isn't already enough, it's just a 20-minute train journey to either Wolverhampton or Coventry, giving you two whole new cities to explore in your retirement.