It is well known that Manchester and Birmingham are the second-biggest cities in the United Kingdom. And with good reason—both are sizable, energetic, and thriving cities that are enjoyable to explore.
Each has a flourishing university, a fascinating past, and a wealth of cultural attractions, entertainment, and things to do. However, only one-second city is possible!
Will it be Manchester, which has a huge name in the music and sports industries and is the entry point to the north of England? Or will it be Birmingham, the Midlands’ capital, which boasts an unrivaled eating scene outside of London?
We will definitively determine which city is eligible to win the title! We’ll also assist you in selecting which to see during your upcoming city trip to the UK.
1. Population and Popularity
With 1.15 million residents compared to Manchester’s 553 thousand, Birmingham is twice as large physically and in terms of population. However, Greater Manchester as a whole should be taken into account.
If you do, their population would exceed 2.6 million, but we wouldn’t be able to agree that these smaller outlying communities are “real” Manchester.
Manchester is the clear winner in tourism, although both cities are top performers in the UK economy. It boasts the busiest airport outside of London and is the third most visited city in the United Kingdom, after Edinburgh and London.
In addition, Manchester is dominating social media, having 70,000 Instagram followers when you compare to Birmingham’s 20,000.
2. Sporting Success
Because Manchester is unquestionably a global power, we must include football in the discussion of the city. This city is home to Manchester United and Manchester City, two of the biggest teams in the world.
In addition to taking tours of the Etihad or Old Trafford stadiums and watching home games, visitors may also visit the National Football Museum to discover more about the city’s lengthy history with the game.
Birmingham has its professional teams, but they are on a different level. One of them, Aston Villa, has a stadium that hosts exhibitions and tours and competes in the Premier League with the Manchester clubs.
Furthermore, sports are more than football, though, since Manchester is home to the British Cycling Team, hosted the 2002 Commonwealth Games, and still hosts the Paralympic World Cup yearly.
Birmingham will host the Commonwealth Games when they return to the UK in 2022, not to be outdone. They will also create history by adding women’s cricket and incorporating the para-sport program into the competition.
In addition, they promised it would be the first Commonwealth Games to be carbon-neutral!
3. All The Shops
Both cities have comparable shopping scenes and will not disappoint you if you need retail therapy. In Birmingham, you can visit the giant Primark worldwide and shop all the global brands at the massive Bullring shopping center!
Then, seek out the sophisticated retail arcades from the Victorian era for smaller-scale stores. Under their domed glass ceilings, lies some of the city’s best premium brands and award-winning stores.
The Birmingham School of Jewelry and skilled bespoke jewelers can be found in the Jewelry Quarter if you’re looking for something glitzy. Visit the Rag Market if you’re more interested in fabric and the Custard Factory if you’re looking for independent merchants.
In addition, the Trafford Center, Manchester’s enormous shopping and dining complex, is on par with Birmingham’s Bullring. If they need what you’re looking for, try Manchester Arndale.
Spinning fields and The Royal Exchange have equal designer stores, and Manchester even has Barton, a glass-roofed Victorian arcade. The quirky Northern Quarter and the indoor market Afflecks are the best places to find antique and independent goods.
If you’re traveling during the holiday season, Manchester and Birmingham’s Christmas markets are among the best in the UK.
4. Arts, History, and Culture
Manchester and Birmingham have world-class theaters, libraries, museums, and galleries. Both cities are fearless in celebrating their rich past.
Manchester’s significance as the cradle of the Industrial Revolution and its pivotal role in the Women’s Suffrage Movement is commemorated by numerous monuments.
What if you were to tour Manchester University? If so, you will follow in the footsteps of at least 25 Nobel laureates, and visiting the city’s Gothic cathedral from the 15th century is a must-do while there.
Manchester also frequentlyhttps://www.primark.com/en-us appears on lists of the UK’s most culturally significant cities thanks to establishments like the Whitworth Gallery, which has more than 55,000 art pieces, and the Manchester Art Gallery.
And there’s the Lowry, where you’ll find a mixture of galleries and theaters. Despite Birmingham’s lower cultural rankings, there is still much to explore. They honor the history of the Industrial Revolution by erecting monuments and heritage places.
Additionally, you may recognize some of them. Peaky Blinders was filmed in a number of the city’s historic locations. You can also visit Birmingham’s museums and tour the filming locations to learn the real story behind the drama.
Visit the Birmingham Hippodrome or the Midlands Arts Center for theater and performance art. Or see a performance by the Birmingham Royal Ballet of the highest caliber.
Behind all that sightseeing, Birmingham boasts the second-most Michelin-starred restaurants in the UK, behind London, so ensure you work up an appetite.
5. Music and Nightlife
Manchester’s music prowess is almost as well known as its football one. It’s produced such musical greats as The Smiths, The Stone Roses, Joy Division, Take That, and perhaps the most famous Mancunian of all time, Oasis.
Manchester, the birthplace of 90s rave culture, also shaped a generation’s clubbing habits. So, it’s no surprise that Manchester takes its music scene seriously.
You can catch gigs by some of the world’s most prominent performers at unique venues like Manchester Arena, the O2 Apollo, or Albert Hall. But you don’t have to go that big; in this city, you’ll find plenty of smaller venues hosting live music and homegrown talent any night of the week.
If live music’s not your scene, don’t worry; Manchester’s nightlife caters to everyone from students to tourists to celebrity footballers. Head to Canal Street for LGBTQ+ vibes, or check out world-famous G-A-Y Manchester.
You can also take a bar crawl through the Northern Quarter to drink cocktails in speakeasies, sample craft brews, or go celebrity spotting in the swanky lounge clubs of Deansgate.
Then hit up the incomparable Warehouse Project for clubland vibes, and parties like the ’90s are still here! And Birmingham? Well, they’re only the birthplace of Heavy Metal! This city gave the world Judas Priest and Black Sabbath with frontman Ozzy Osbourne!
It also gave us Duran Duran, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, and The Moody Blues. More recently, Birmingham has established a respected indie music scene and is the undisputed capital of Bhangra music in the UK.
And, like Manchester, this city’s nightlife caters to all sorts. Its large university has thousands of students to entertain, plus a reputation for having some of the best nightclubs in the country.
In addition, you can party in warehouses, factories, chapels, and rooftops. Listen to live music with a side of street food at Digbeth Dining Club, or head to the legendary Nightingale, a must-visit club in Birmingham’s vibrant LGBTQ+ district.
Get some retro soul at The Night Owl, enjoy rooftop jungle at PST, or get classy at one of the many VIP venues like Bambu or Sugar Suite. Birmingham’s got you covered, whatever style of night you’re looking for.
6. Nature in and Around the City
Cities are beautiful, but occasionally, you need a chance to return to nature and escape the urban sprawl. Fortunately, both towns have lots of open space and are conveniently located for day visits to some of the most beautiful places in the UK.
Both include sizable parks inside city borders, such as Heaton Park in Manchester, which is 600 acres and features a boating lake, playgrounds, a petting zoo, and wild peacocks.
Additionally, the view from Cathedral Gardens is stunning, and Cotton Field Eco-park provides a unique opportunity to engage in some city center birdwatching.
Birmingham’s Cannon Hill has formal gardens, sports grounds, boating lakes, fishing spots, and leisure amenities. Animal lovers will adore Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park, and Sutton Park, a 2400-acre national reserve, has seven lakes, wetlands, woods, and wild horses.
By taking a narrowboat ride around the canals, which were such an essential part of Birmingham’s industrial past, you can discover the city in a new manner. Both locations offer fantastic day getaways if you want to escape the city.
The Malvern Hills, the Cotswolds, Warwick Castle, or Stratford-Upon-Avon, the birthplace of Shakespeare and the Royal Shakespeare Theater, are all easily accessible from Birmingham.
Because the stunning landscapes of the Lake District, Peak District, Yorkshire Dales, and North Wales are accessible daily, Manchester is known as the “Gateway to the North.”
Final Thoughts
Choosing between Manchester and Birmingham as your preferred city depends on your taste and what you value most in your surroundings. Depending on your demands and lifestyle preferences, every town has unique attractions and possible downsides.