Get festive at Birmingham's German Christmas market

Holidaymakers keen to have a British city break and route out special gifts ahead of Christmas will have lots of opportunities to find something special in Birmingham this year.

As well as the state-of-the-art Bull Ring shopping centre, featuring an iconic space-age Selfridges, there are lots of special Christmas events going on during this festive season.

Birmingham is to stage the largest German Christmas market outside of the country itself this festive season.

Held at the grand Victoria Square in Birmingham's city centre from November 15th to December 23rd, Frankfurt Christmas Market will have 90 stalls selling food, drink and crafts such as candles, Christmas decorations, toys, glasswork, textiles and lacework - with two million visitors expected over the six-week period.

Visitors will also have a chance to taste traditional German and festive treats such as Bratwurst (German pork sausages), Glühwein (German-style mulled wine) and roasted chestnuts.

There will also be music at the square's bandstand at lunchtimes and evenings, as well as a fairground carousel. And if you are looking to go ice skating, Birmingham will also have the country's biggest ice rink - the Olympic-sized T Mobile Street Ice in Centenary Square.

Families can also learn about British Christmas traditions with a weekend of Georgian craft activities at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery from December 15th to 16th 2007, as part of the museum's Christmas weekend. The Georgian Family Christmas will also include a chance to see Soho House, where the event is being held, decorated in the style of the period, complete with costumed characters and live music.

Family fun of a more modern kind will be available at the Thinktank, the city's award-winning recently opened science museum. Robots will be battling it out live from December 28th to 29th, and visitors will also be able to see a robot hall of fame, showing robots from the Robot Wars TV series.

For more information on visiting Birmingham, including accommodation listings, see the Birmingham official visitor website.