Downtown Birmingham extends north from the railroad tracks at Morris Avenue to Tenth Avenue N, bounded to the east and west by 25th and 15th streets. The landscaped greenery of 20th Street , overlooked by a collection of early skyscrapers, is not enough to save these one-hundred-plus blocks from anonymity, with shopping now firmly anchored in the malls and suburbs. If you're just passing through, you'd do better to head straight for the much livelier Five Points South district, a mile or so south of the tracks on 20th Street; thanks to the proximity of the university, its narrow streets and alleys are packed with bars and restaurants, and throng with revelers - mostly students - every weekend.

The concrete colossus of the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center, at 22nd Street and Tenth Avenue N, contains the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame (Mon-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 1-5pm; $5), a tribute to sporting greats such as 1936 Olympic hero Jesse Owens, Le Roy "Satchel" Paige - legendary Negro League pitcher - and boxer Joe Louis . There's even a space for George Wallace, on the excuse that he was state amateur boxing champion. Weave your way past the monotonous white-walled legal buildings to the nearby Museum of Art , 2000 Eighth Ave N, which is strong on Oriental art, American landscapes and, oddly enough, Wedgwood pottery (Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun noon-5pm; free).

A few blocks from the edge of downtown, at First Avenue N and 32nd Street, stand the massive sheds and tall chimney stacks of Sloss Furnaces , which produced pig iron to feed the city's mills and foundries from 1882 until 1971. Self-guided tours through the boilers, stoves and casting areas vividly portray the harsh working conditions endured by the ex-slaves, prisoners and unskilled immigrants. Imagining the searing heat, cramped space, the heavy loads and the putrid gaseous emissions, it's easy to appreciate why one former Sloss worker claimed "if mules had to do this work they would have banned it" (Tues-Sat 10am-4pm, Sun noon-4pm; free; guided tours Sat & Sun 1pm, 2pm & 3pm).

Birmingham has a couple of fantastic barbecue joints; for something a little more upmarket, the best bet is to ignore downtown in favor of Five Points South .

Bottega 2240 Highland Ave S tel 205/933-2001. Elegant 1920s clothing store that now houses one of Five Points South's classiest restaurants, serving luscious, garlic-rich Mediterranean cuisine; prices are slightly lower in the adjoining Café . Closed Sun.

Dreamland Barbecue 14th Ave S tel 205/933-2133. Superlative barbecue in huge, cheery restaurant. Place your order for a big plate of ribs with white sliced bread and sauce - the only dish on the menu - and watch as they barbecue in front of your eyes.

The Mill 1035 20th St S tel 205/939-3001. Bakery, brewery and general snackery, with outdoor patio, in Five Points South. Ideal for morning coffees and inexpensive lunches.

Ollie's Barbecue 515 University Blvd tel 205/324-9485. Wonderful smoky pork in a peppery sauce; unusually for this part of the country, there's beef and chicken too. Mon 10am-3pm, Tues-Sat until 8pm.

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