Mr & Mrs Smith

Those who come to Birmingham expecting generic urban distractions will be pleasantly surprised – there’s a slew of unique diversions. The Electric Cinema (www.theelectric.co.uk) on Station Street is the UK’s oldest working fleapit (turning a hundred in 2009), boasting cosy sofas, a text-waiter ordering system, and a La Fée Parisian absinthe fountain. The Ikon gallery (www.ikon-gallery.co.uk) in Brindley Place fills an imposing former school building with two floors of temporary multimedia exhibitions, capped with a excellent tapas restaurant. Smaller Smiths will enjoy the Foster-designed Sea Life Centre, which all manner of marine life on display, including an underwater tunnel and a mirror maze.

Birmingham’s art galleries are all worth a head-around-the-door, but two are especially ogle-able. The Custard Factory (www.custardfactory.com) is more than just a name –  it’s where Alfred Bird first started making the sweet yellow stuff. Now it’s a vast riverside complex housing 500 artist’s studios, galleries, cafés and shops. St Paul’s Gallery (www.stpaulsgallery.com) is home to the world’s largest collection of signed album artwork. So, if you’re after Peter Blake’s Sergeant Pepper, Bowie’s Hunky Dory or the Sex Pistols’ God Save the Queen, this is the place to whip out your chequebook.