From the canals to catwalk fashion, from an eclectic arts scene to food from all corners of the planet, Birmingham has it all. As England's second city, and a genuine world city, Birmingham has undergone an incredible renaissance in recent years. Today, it's a thrilling multi-cultural mix of people, arts, food, sports, shopping, commerce, nightlife, history, culture and much, much more.

The city is home to the O2 academy Birmingham and the LG arena, which attract the world's greatest artists. In terms of nightlife, Birmingham has a wide range of clubs, bars, restaurants, live bands, comedy and cinema locations.

We couldn't mention Birmingham without talking about shopping. From the £500 million Bullring to The Mailbox to the Great Western Arcade, the stylish Jewellery Quarter and various independent retailers, you'll never be short of somewhere to spend your hard-earned cash.  We've great indoor and outdoor markets packed with bargains, and you'll pick up some fantastic art, literature and crafts from our quirky shops.

If it's sports you're after, we've the National Indoor Arena and Alexander Stadium, where both national and international events take place. We've test cricket at Edgbaston and a number of premiership football teams in the region. We host world-class ladies tennis with the AEGON Classic. And when it comes to getting involved, Birmingham is committed to getting more and more people into sport.

Birmingham is culturally alive, with a compelling arts scene. The Birmingham Royal Ballet is known for its avant garde works and interpretation of the classics. Art galleries proudly display the old masters, the contemporary and the controversial. And venues such as The Alexandra, Birmingham Repertory Theatre and The Public put on a variety of drama and entertainment. History and culture come together at the magnificent Aston Hall and breathtaking Birmingham Cathedral. The Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery is also well worth a visit.

Where to live? Where to start? Birmingham has a number of city centre developments, and there's also up and coming residential areas. The Rotunda building next to the Bullring has been developed as upmarket living accommodation. If you're after a more suburban lifestyle, there's Sutton Coldfield on the outskirts of the city or Edgbaston.

Birmingham is remarkably easy to get to, by rail, by coach, by road and by air. And when you're here, there's our taxi, bus, train and tram services to link you easily to everything else. You could take a water taxi out on our historic canals. Or maybe cycling's your thing. And our many attractions are often just a stroll away from each other.

For all you could ever wish to know about Birmingham, visit the Birmingham City Council website and visitbirmingham.