Recently named “best place to live” in the United Kingdom, Solihull is one to watch.

Solihull is a large historic market town and administrative centre in England, it is rich with parks and walks, National Trust properties, and gastropubs. Solihull has a population of approximately 123,000, it is the most affluent town in the West Midlands region, and one of the most affluent areas in the UK outside of London. In November 2013, the Switch Quality of Life Index named Solihull the “best place to live” in the United Kingdom.

This is a highly sought after area due to the relatively high house prices, plentiful amenities, excellent schools, and the generally nice atmosphere of the leafy suburbs. Solihull is a great place to settle down, live, and work.

The town is noted for its historic architecture, which includes surviving examples of timber-framed Tudor style houses and shops. The historic Solihull School dates from 1560 (although not on its present site).

Richard Hammond, broadcasters Simon Mayo and Michael Buerk, Baroness Karren Brady, rugby player Martin Johnson and comedian Jasper Carrott are all Solihull-bred!

Where is it?

Historically in Warwickshire, Solihull is situated on the River Blythe in the Forest of Arden, 7.5 miles (12.1 km) southeast of Birmingham, 13 miles (21 km) west of Coventry, 14 miles (23 km) northwest of Warwick, 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Worcester, and 110 miles (180 km) northwest of London. It is the largest town in, and administrative centre of, the larger Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, which itself has a population of 214,909.

Things to see and do:

Touchwood shopping centre and the town’s busy streets have some of the top high street names including John Lewis, and Birmingham city centre is only a 12-minute rail journey away!

The NEC and Genting Arena nearby are host to major exhibitions and concerts, and Resorts World is a shopping-and-dining mecca.

There are also plenty of independents cropping up around Solihull with names like The Indian Brewery and Peels, there are endless places to try out when it comes to food and drink.

Surrounding Areas

Just a short journey from Solihull is Warwickshire, a beautiful county in the West Midlands region of England that is chock-full of the finest historical attractions in the country. Warwickshire is home to Shakespeare’s birthplace, a fine Georgian spa town, and one of the best castles to visit in England. Its countryside and landscapes are pretty special too and are made up of stunning woodlands, lovely country parks, and picturesque rolling hills. We would highly recommend a trip to Kenilworth castle if you are ever in the area.