I lived in Coventry as an exchange student for a while. Like you said. Not the prettiest town but it has some cool places. I really recommend nearby Warwick. More of a backcountry feeling and they have a wonderful castle! Also, you should climb the churchtower in Warwick for a spectacular view on the castle and the area.

If you’re interested, I wrote a post about it a while back. Look it up if you’re not a fan of clicking links, or go: https://steemit.com/travel/@steef-05/old-castles-and-shakespeare-s-birthplace-the-uk-at-its-best