Bristol

The largest city in South West England and Banksy's hometown, with the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Floating Harbour, and easy side trips to Bath and the Cotswolds.

Bristol is the largest city in South West England, with a population of about 470,000, set on the lower reaches of the River Avon about 190 km from London. A major English port since the Middle Ages, it grew rich in the 17th and 18th centuries on Atlantic trade (including the slave trade). In the 19th century the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel left behind the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the SS Great Britain steamship, and in the 20th century the city built Concorde. Today it is a renowned university city and creative hub, birthplace of Banksy's street art, Aardman Animations and the 'Bristol Sound'. There are three main areas to explore: first, the Old City and Floating Harbour, where St Nicholas Market, Bristol Cathedral, M Shed, Wapping Wharf and the SS Great Britain are all within walking distance and best linked by harbour ferry; second, Park Street up to Clifton, passing the museum, the Wills Memorial Building, Cabot Tower and Banksy's Well Hung Lover, with Clifton Village, the Suspension Bridge and the Observatory at the top of the hill – the highlight of the city; third, the street-art quarter and nightlife of Stokes Croft to the north. Outside the centre, visit Ashton Court, see Concorde at Aerospace Bristol, or take half-day trips to Tyntesfield, Clevedon Pier and Weston-super-Mare; Bath (about 20 km, 15 minutes by train), the Cotswolds and Cheddar Gorge are also popular trips from here (see the separate 'Bath and the Cotswolds' destination). The climate is mild and rainy; May–Sep is the best time, with the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta at Ashton Court in early August and the Harbour Festival in July the liveliest events. Getting there: GWR trains from London Paddington take about 1 hr 40 min to Bristol Temple Meads; Bristol Airport has European flights, and connections via London Heathrow are easy. The city is hilly, but walking plus buses and ferries is all you need. Allow 2 days, or 3–4 days including Bath. Take care late at night in nightlife areas such as Stokes Croft; most major museums are free but closed on Mondays.

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