Posts Tagged ‘Bristol’
Useful Info About Vacations In Bristol
Written by MichaelZ on May 10, 2010 – 4:06 am -The United Kingdom is a tremendous country to visit. It is incredibly popular with diverse visitors ranging from hikers, hill-walkers, ramblers, mountain climbers and others who enjoy this type of vacation to tourists who enjoy such things as castles, country homes, fortified houses and historical buildings. Another thing attracting visitors is that the destination features graceful countryside with a supreme selection of astonishing spots as well as a helpful number of world class attractions. In the following article I examine the city of Bristol, a long established and popular vacation destination.
Useful Facts To Know about Vacations In Bristol
Bristol has an incredibly fascinating and wondrously varied history, making it the ideal city in which to spend some time. In the past Bristol was included in the country’s top 3 medieval towns after London. The City of Bristol was one of the most successful trading ports in the land, and in the fourteenth century, it handled a considerable amount of the country’s trade with the country of Ireland. In the year 1373 Bristol became an English county, and during this time Bristol quickly became a hub of manufacturing and shipbuilding. It is Bristol’s diverse cultural history that makes it one of the most exciting cities in the country of this present time. Fortunately, those people wanting to spend time in Bristol will quickly find that there is a plentiful amount of bed & breakfast in Bristol available to book online, making it amazingly easy to book a room.
Bristol has an amazingly diverse arts scene and the city giving us a number of very talented and famous artists over the years. Not too many people know that Wallace & Grommit started life in Bristol, and that Cary Grant also hailed from the city. The modern artist named Banksy painted his most famous pieces of art around the city. The City Museum & Art Gallery is a free to enter visitor attraction which is well worth visiting and features a varied collection of excellent art works, archaeology, natural history, ancient artefacts together with an ever changing range of events and exhibitions. If you are looking for a truly unique arts centre experience then a visit Spike Island could be the answer. The arts centre focuses on the exhibition and production of contemporary visual arts, including many aspects of painting, multimedia projects, working with moving images, printmaking and more. If you would much prefer a slightly more traditional art gallery, then The Royal West of England Academy should be the ideal answer. It was the city’s first art gallery and today, it has more than twelve hundred works of art dating from the 19C right up to the present day.
You will find a reasonable selection of tourist attractions in Bristol. Why not visit Bristol Zoo which has in excess of 450 diverse types of animal. The zoo is also helping in the conservation of insects, amphibians and mammals. from around the globe.
If horses are your thing then a trip to Horseworld could be a perfect day out for your family. A day out at Horseworld enables you to meet donkeys, horses and ponies. If you want to it is also possible enjoy taking part in the hand feeding of the beasts. A further two visitor attractions of interest in this genre are Avon Valley Adventure & Wildlife Park and the Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm, which both provide everything you will need for a thrilling family day out.
If preceeding article has enticed you so much so that you are now in the process of deciding upon spending some time in the city of Bristol it is crucial that you reserve your lodgings at the earliest opportunity because, sadly hotel accommodation in Bristol tend to be surprisingly busy and are frequently fully booked months in advance. If your group is large you may find that apartments in Bristol are a cheaper alternative than paying for your whole family to stay in one of the many Bristol hotels, guest houses or other accommodation..
Tags: Bristol, city break, city breaks, destination, destinations, England, family vacations, holiday, holidays, Leisure, Travel, Travel and Leisure, Travel Tips, uk, United Kingdom, vacation, vacationsPosted in Air Travel | Comments Off
A quick guide to the city of Bristol
Written by MichaelZ on March 18, 2010 – 3:56 pm -Bristol is the largest city in the southwest of England with plenty to offer the visitor. Surrounded by rolling hills, it has a large student population, thriving media and arts scene and plenty of historic sites.
Bristol started its life as a small Saxon village. In medieval times it was called 'Brigstow'. It's position at the confluence of the River Frome and the River Avon and its proximity to the sea enabled Brigstow to develop strong trading links and become the thriving city of Bristol that we know today.
Bristol was one of Britain's major transatlantic ports and indeed the place where John Cabot set sail in 1497 to discover Newfoundland. Cabot Tower, towering 105 feet above the city was built in 1897 to commemorate the voyage. Little known dates Bristol!
Maritime trade was very strong, especially for tobacco, sugar, cocoa and slaves. The maritime trade eventually moved to Liverpool, and industry took over as the predominant business activity for Bristol.
Perhaps the most famous person to be associated with Bristol is the great Victorian engineer, Isambard Kindom Brunel who is responsible for both the world's first iron steam ship, SS Great Britain, and the impressive Clifton Suspension Bridge. The ship completed many journeys across the Atlantic but finally ran aground in the Falkland Islands. The ship was recovered and restored to its former luxury liner glory. Known as 'the liner that shrank the world' you can now board her at the Great Western Dock.
The Clifton Suspension Bridge is 702ft long and offers amazing views of city beyond and the Avon Gorge over which it is suspended. It is dramatic both day and night. At night it takes on a new beauty, illuminated against the darkness. It has become the symbol of the city and is well worth a visit.
Overlooking the bridge, 338 feet above the river on Durdham Downs is an observatory with a fascinating camera obscura. The building used to be a windmill known as the Snuff Mill but the machinery inside was destroyed in 1777 after a fire that was caused by the sails turning too fast in high winds. The observatory offers incredible 360degree views around the tower and across the Downs and the suspension bridge. The obscura itself is a forerunner of the modern camera - a box on top of the building that contains a convex lens and sloping mirror that reflects light downwards to a white surface in a darkened room, giving a true image of the surrounding area.
The village of Clifton itself is the most elegant quarter of the city, and once a spa resort. It has great views over the river below and the longest Georgian crescent in the country.
Bristol has much to offer the visitor and is well worth a visit. Not only will you find a city rich in history but you will also find a vibrant nightlife, thriving arts scene and many great places to eat and drink (including the Michelin star restaurant Casamia).
There are many great places to stay in Bristol from budget to plush hotel. Grab yourself a guide to Bristol and make sure this is a city that you visit soon.
Tags: Bristol, guide to Bristol, history of Bristol, places to stay in BristolPosted in Air Travel | Comments Off