Birmingham guide
🇬🇧 Packing List
What to pack for Birmingham
In May, Birmingham is typically cool, 9 to 17°c (9°C - 17°C). This list adapts to those conditions; adjust for your exact travel dates.
Birmingham essentials
- Weather: Cool, 9 to 17°C
- Summer layers
- Birmingham is a casual city. Smart-casual is fine for most restaurants and bars. Some Brindleyplace and Mailbox bars have a smart-casual door policy at weekends.
Documents
- Photo ID
- Passport (valid 6+ months)
- Visa / e-visa printout
- Return / onward flight tickets
- Travel insurance policy
- Hotel booking confirmations
- Passport-size photographs (2-4)
Clothing
- Casual day outfits
- One smart-casual outfit for dinners
- Comfortable walking shoes
- A warm jacket or fleece
- Layers for cool evenings
- Undergarments and sleepwear
- Enough outfits for 7 days
Toiletries & health
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, and toiletries
- Sunscreen (SPF 30+)
- Personal medication with prescription
- Basic first-aid: band-aids, painkillers, ORS
- Hand sanitiser and wet wipes
- Birmingham tap water is safe — Severn Trent supply drawn from Elan Valley reservoirs in Wales. Good Food Hygiene ratings (FSA 5-star) are common across the city.
Electronics
- Phone and charger
- Power bank
- Camera (optional)
- Power adaptor: Type G plugs, 230V.
Money
- Debit / credit cards
- Some cash for incidentals
- Forex card or local currency
- Local currency: British Pound (GBP)