February 5, 2012
Reasons To Visit Bristol
Bristol is a fantastic University City, situated in the South West of the UK. Every year over 9 million visitors are drawn to the City. Tourism is growing and it is amongst the the top 10 places to go in the UK. Bristol is an easy place to get to thanks to its convenient rail, road and international airport links.
Bristol is both vibrant and fun with an interesting mixture of rich culture and heritage. It has a great deal of character despite suffering heavy blitzes in the second world war. The old harbour, is home to the newly restored Victorian ocean liner SS Great Britain a must see for all those interested in maritime history.
Famous Victorian engineer Isambard Brunel, played an important part in the design of the floating harbour in Bristol. A locked gate system was engineered to allow vessels to stay afloat and avoid being affected by the tides. Brunel also designed the world famous Clifton suspension bridge which has become an iconic symbol for Bristol and is a very popular place to visit. Spanning the River Avon Gorge, this stunning bridge offers stunning views. The bridge is at its best in the dark when it is lit up.
Bristol is full of great bars, public houses, nightclubs and quality restaurants, which makes it a popular place to go for a night out on the Town. Trip-hop is ablend of hip hop and electronica which evolved in Bristol in the 80’s and 90’s and remains popular on the music scene to this day. Banksy, Bristol’s famous and controversial local street artist has created and inspired a selection of graffiti in and around the City and many outstanding murals in the area have become popular landmarks.
If you enjoy the theatre you are in luck, as Bristol has one of the top theatres in the whole of the UK, the Bristol Hippodrome, where major productions are staged including a variety of different shows and musicals.
If you enjoy shopping then head to the new Cabot Circus shopping centre. It has over 120 different outlets and there are hundreds more in the local Broadmead area. Additionally, there are a completely individual selection of unique and quirky independent stores in the popular Gloucester Road area.
A fun time to visit Bristol is at the end of July when one of the largest free events in the UK is held, The Bristol Harbour Festival. Now in its 40th year, it is Bristol’s most impressive event which is celebrated with various music, street theatre and markets.
In August, another fun, free, family event, the British Annual Balloon Fiesta, takes place at Ashton Court. The skies over Bristol and the surrounding countryside are transformed with a riot of colourful hot air balloons and the event also provides a wide range of fun activities like camel racing and traditional fun fairs.
Whatever you are seeking Bristol has it all.
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