The landmark and symbol is Brunel's Clifton suspension bridge, with exhibition on its construction and maintenance. Brunel's railway took Londoners on the train to Bristol and then on Brunel's SS Great Britain first ocean liner, to the USA.
Previously every city kept time with the sun but now timetables meant everybody had to be in Greenwich Mean Time.
Also see: Severn Bridges Visitor Centre, John Welsey's Chapel and museum on methodism; British Empire and Commonwealth Museum with exhibition on fight to end slavery, Bristol Blue Glass Factory Tour, Cheddar caves and Gorge (a bit disappointing)...
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The landmark and symbol is Brunel's Clifton suspension bridge, with exhibition on its construction and maintenance. Brunel's railway took Londoners on the train to Bristol and then on Brunel's SS Great Britain first ocean liner, to the USA.
Previously every city kept time with the sun but now timetables meant everybody had to be in Greenwich Mean Time.
Also see: Severn Bridges Visitor Centre, John Welsey's Chapel and museum on methodism; British Empire and Commonwealth Museum with exhibition on fight to end slavery, Bristol Blue Glass Factory Tour, Cheddar caves and Gorge (a bit disappointing). Glastonbury Abbey where King Arthur is supposed to be buried, with costumed guides in season.
Lots of waterside shops and eating places. A mixture of the old the the new. The Hole in The Wall Pub inspired the Spy Glass Inn and the Llandroger Trow Pub inspired Robert Louis Stevenson to create the Admiral Benbow pub in the novel Treasure Island. Visit them on the Treasure Island Trail walk.
Slave trail walk, audio tours. Discounts to attractions visited on tour buses. Explore@ Bristol hands-on museum, see www.at-bristol.org.uk Also Horse World; Westonbirt Arboretum. www.ssgreatbritain.org wwwvisitbristol.co.uk City sightseeing bus with 20 stops - 4 Brunel stops, and ferry boat tour.
In the city stay at the Marriott or a Premier Inn premierinn.com, or outside the city at romantic old Thornbury Castle. www.thorburycastle.co.uk
For a weekend away from London, also go to Bath which is twelve miles away and see the Jane Austen Centre, www.janeausten.co.uk and Roman Baths, www.romanbaths.co.uk www.visitbath.uk
Budget? Stay at Premier Inn. Visit free attractions such Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery, Bristol Kings Weston Roman Villa, www.bristol.gov.uk/museums
My wish list for my next visit? The camera obscura.