Bristol

Bristol is one of England's most creative and innovative cities — a place of independent spirit, strong arts culture, street art (Banksy is from here) and excellent food that consistently ranks among the most desirable places to live in Britain. The city in the west of England grew wealthy through the slave trade (a legacy the city is actively confronting) and maritime commerce, and its harbour-side setting gives it a distinctive character. The harbourside has been regenerated spectacularly. SS Great Britain, Brunel's revolutionary iron steamship, is restored and moored where she was built, and the museum around her is excellent. The M Shed museum tells Bristol's history with honesty about its complicated parts. Clifton, the elegant Georgian hilltop neighbourhood, is home to Brunel's extraordinary Clifton Suspension Bridge spanning the Avon Gorge — one of Victorian engineering's greatest achievements. The Clifton village itself is excellent for boutiques, restaurants and bars. Stokes Croft, the bohemian corridor leading north from the city centre, is the densest concentration of street art and independent culture in Britain. St Nicholas Market is excellent for street food. Bristol's food and drink scene is genuinely outstanding — from independent coffee roasters to innovative tasting menus. The music scene has historically been exceptional (trip-hop, post-punk) and remains active. The Bristol Old Vic is one of England's finest theatres. Day trips to Bath (20 minutes), the Cotswolds and the Somerset coast are easy.