The city of Bristol, historically a county in its own right, lies in the southwest part of England, Most popularly known for its excellent cream sherry - in the distinctive blue glass bottles - Bristol is also a city known for its importance as a trade centre.

Located close to the sea, and virtually next door to the Cotswolds, Bristol has been, for the past few centuries, a major hub for trade and commerce in the region.

Although few travellers think of Bristol as synonymous with sherry, it does have a number of  tourist attractions that attracts a large numbers of tourists, and  its good accommodation facilities makes it  an attractive destination. Among these, perhaps the most spectacular and well-known is the majestic Clifton Suspension Bridge, 240 ft high and stretching across the Avon Gorge- with a brilliant view of the city; the bridge looks spectacular at night, when it’s lit up by 30,000 bulbs.

Bristol’s other popular tourist sights are the City Museum and Art Gallery, the Ashton Court Estate, a wonderful old mansion, set amidst green woods and parkland- the site of the annual International Balloon Fiesta, and Bristol Zoo, with its walk-through aviary, Gorilla House and Bug World - a feast for any child and most adults, too! But if you are hell-bent on seeing signs of Bristol’s most famous product sherry, you must pay a visit to Harvey’s Wine Museum. The museum is housed in medieval cellars which date back to the 13^th century, and has a large display of wine artefacts and fine English crystal glasses. For the extra-enthusiastic, there are wine tastings too, with Harvey’s Bristol Cream Sherry being the highlight.

 Bristol is connected to London by the M4 highway and you can get to Bristol from London by road - bus or hired car- or by one of the frequent, and convenient trains. Accommodation ranges from smart hotels to hostels and B&Bs, and can be booked through the local Tourist Information Centre; dining opportunities extend from teashops and coffee rooms to cafés, pubs and restaurants, including fairly affordable fare at fast food outlets and smaller eateries.

 For more detailed country and visitor information, see  England.