10 Walking Tours in West Midlands That You Shouldn't Miss

Embark on a quest around Birmingham by solving clues that will help you save the captive souls of the workers who died building the city, all on your smartphone. Unlock new stories as you discover on your own the Cathedral of St. Paul, the Town Hall, the Hall of Memory, Birmingham City Center, and more. + Discover the most haunted streets, villas, and squares in the city + Find out the horror stories of the people who used to live there + Solve clues on your phone while you visit haunted Birmingham + Try a new type of experience: a mix between a self-guided tour, an outdoor escape game, and a treasure hunt where you solve clues on your phone Each clue will lead you from one place to another, giving you exact directions, so you won’t need a map, a GPS, or a guide. When you solve it and guess the answer, the secret story of that place is unlocked. Along the way, you’ll find horror stories that will give you the chills. Dare you go on this tour?

Inclusions: Full flexibility: start at any hour, take a break at any time and resume later, This is the safest tour you can book: private, no human contact, you will avoid crowds., This tour is always available to book. We are open 24/7, every day of the week., Play offline: you DON'T NEED an internet connection to play this city game

Exclusions: A physical tour guide

This is a virtual tour of Birmingham, UK. You can visit the city now from anywhere in the world. You can take this tour any time you like. Bookings from Tripadvisor are sent an email explaining how to undertake the tour - but this is done manually and does not happen at once. If you wish to undertake the tour straight away then you should book from the Positively Birmingham website where you get an immediate download to the tour. We have a low resolution versions for you if you are actually doing this as a self-guided tour on your phone in the city. In 'virtual mode' we have a HD version you can choose. Travellers who are unable to come on one of our live guided tours can use this self-guided tour instead.

Inclusions: A link to enter our self-guided tour of Birmingham

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This is a tour that immerses you in the local culture and a chance to understand the city's diverse communities. Handsworth has a bad reputation, but it also has a strong character with diverse people who live in the area from musicians, celebrities and sports. The area has been visited by Prince Charles and many others. They say that to find the real heartbeat of the city you have to visit the gritty areas that most tourists are told to avoid. The BHWN team will safely guide you through this historic area to capture the unique history of the African Caribbean community in the city.

Inclusions: Licensed Guided

Exclusions: Please bring your own bottle of water for hydration, Hotel pickup and drop-off

Every tour is guided by an individual local to the area in a personal, bespoke fashion. Our guides are receptive to the interests and knowledge of the private group and accordingly adapt the tour’s material to their audience. Moreover, our guides are able to highlight the overlooked and forgotten parts of Warwick’s history because of their local knowledge. We do not simply focus on the most eye-catching attractions, but explain and bring to light the hidden treasures of the town in order to provide a more comprehensive historical picture.

Inclusions: Private guided tour

Exclusions: Entrance fee to go inside of Lord Leycester Hospital

Love podcast? You'll love our immersive podcast tour of Stratford-Upon-Avon! Join our local historian Josh and Katie on a walk through the charming town of Stratford-Upon-Avon. On this walk, we will discover historic buildings, beautiful architecture, and hear lesser-known stories about Shakespeare’s life, and discover tales and mysteries that live on in this quaint market town. Vidi Guides creates immersive audio experiences that are like podcasts. Download the Vidi Guides app & your Stratford-Upon-Avon tour to explore the city independently and safely!

Inclusions: Digital audio mobile guide

Exclusions: Earphones

Find out more about Birmingham with a walking tour starting and ending at the Library of Birmingham in Centenary Square. We look at the canals, Birmingham’s industrial Georgian pioneers our Victorian heritage and the more recent architecture that is all around us. Current redevelopments taking place right in front of our eyes are explained and the directions that the city is taking into the future considered. The tour is based loosely on the book Positively Birmingham, currently available at the special price of £12 in the Library shop (normally £20) at tour end. Starting and ending at the Library of Birmingham in Centenary Square this 1 3/4 hour walking tour gives a great introduction to the city and is of interest to local people and visitors alike. We support Sifa Fireside who work on acute and longer term homeless issues in Birmingham with at least 10% of all ticket sales going to their work. Donations are clearly stated on our website.

Inclusions: We use a live audio system. Each guest is loaned a receiver to hear the guide who wears a radio transmitter. Guest bring their own earphones with a 3.5mm socket or we provide a new pair.

Exclusions: This tour may use an audio system - but not always.

Discovering Birmingham - Positively Birmingham Tour No. 3 We use a live audio system - the guide wears a transmitter and our guests wear a receiver. You hear every word even if you are well away making it perfect for social distancing. Understand how Birmingham developed and see that many of today’s ways of working have deep roots in our past. A real investigation into today's city in the context of the history of this centre of the industrial revolution now facing up to the future in a determined way. In particular we explore: • Earlier times – medieval origins • From Georgian entrepreneurs to Victorian idealists • Jewellery Quarter • Canal city • An artistic side • Today's city developing for the future. This 2 hour walking tour gives a great introduction to the city and will be of interest equally to local people and visitors alike. Tours start/finish: Library of Birmingham front entrance

Inclusions: Local guide , We loan an audio receiver so you can hear the guides talking even from a distance.

Exclusions: There are no entry tickets required for this tour.

Walk in the footsteps of prisoners who have been residents of the wings during the last 200 years. Discover what happens behind the high walls and locked doors. Experience the hidden world of capital punishment and see first-hand where executions took place. ​Shrewsbury Prison conducts guided tours run by ex-prison officers who once managed these prisons. Our two-hour tours give you the opportunity to view our historic buildings and learn more about their history dating back to 1793.

Inclusions: Guide, Entry ticket to Shrewsbury Prison

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The COTSWOLD DISCOVERY TRAIL is a self guided private tour enabled by our beautifully designed maps and Trail Pack. There are 2 day long Trails to do. Avoid expensive tour guides, the map is your guide. Explore things on your own, at your own pace with the confidence you know where you are going. The centrepiece of the Trail Pack is a fold out map. There is a Trail on each side, one for the North & South Cotswolds. The Trails are circular to complete in a car, structured around many stops where you explore on foot. There are many start points, so you finish where you start, which is the most convenient place for you. The maps offer comprehensive directions, are packed full of interesting information and loaded with questions and clues to answer which illuminate further on your surroundings. If you have a limited time in the Cotswolds this is the best way to see a lot of it.

Inclusions: Your Complete Discovery Trail Pack

Exclusions: We do not provide the vehicle for you to complete the Trails in., You will also need some small change for some town car parks., No guarantees of good weather.

You can take this tour any time you like. Bookings from Tripadvisor are sent an email explaining how to undertake the tour - but this is done manually and does not happen at once. If you wish to undertake the tour straight away then you should book from the Positively Birmingham website where you get an immediate download to the tour. We have both a low resolution version for you if you are actually doing this as a self-guided tour on your phone in the city. In 'virtual mode' we have a HD version you can choose. Travellers who are unable to come on one of our live guided tours can use this self-guided tour instead.

Inclusions: Link to the tour

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