Travel in county Bristol

“We’re growing a small business and learning as we go,” said Claire Bowen as she arranged bushels of sweet and charmingly imperfect organic apples on a late-September afternoon. “We hope to cultivate connections between local farms and local tables.”

easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, has launched Orange Drop, a handpicked supply of recommendations and the latest offers, brought to customers every single week.

More than London at the moment, Bristol seems to encapsulate the contradictions, energy and frustrations of the British nation. This city, which straddles the River Avon, is small (the population was just under 500,000 in 2019) but it punches well above its weight when it comes to politics and art. When a group of activists threw the statue of Edward Colston in Bristol harbour in June 2020, it focussed attention on Britain’s historic role in the slave trade. (Colston, who had endowed schools, almshouses and hospitals in Bristol had, in the 17th century, been instrumental in the transportation of at least 84,000 enslaved people during his involvement with the Royal African Company). Nowhere in Britain voted more fervently to remain in Europe (62 per cent versus 38 per cent voting to leave).

To better understand the independent luxury hotel scene, I recently sat down with Gordon Drake, who last year became CEO of the Doyle Collection — an Irish family owned group of luxury hotels operating in Dublin, Cork, London, Bristol, and Washington D.C.

It’s 11pm in Bristol Harbour and the boat is rocking. Hometown shanty band The Longest Johns are on stage, belting out renditions of old maritime tunes while a sold-out, ale-fuelled crowd are singing along with gusto. The night might be a cold one, but inside is a world of festival lighting and fogged-up specs. The harbour waters lap against the hull as songs of distant seas and drunken sailors are roared out in unison.

If the results of a new study of mice by scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and the University of Bristol in England prove to be extendable to humans, the end of jet lag may be in sight.

One of last week’s biggest travel stories was Norwegian Air’s plans to sell New York-Edinburgh tickets for $69 each way. That stunningly low price will, to be sure, be an introductory fare, to promote the launch of the new service, available for a limited time. And in any case, the $69 flights won’t be available until sometime after the airline begins receiving its new B737MAX long-distance planes in April.

"Erected by citizens of Bristol as a memorial of one of the most virtuous and wise sons of their city, AD 1895", said a dark plaque decorating an empty plinth in the centre of Bristol, the largest city in south-west England. That "most virtuous and wise son" was Edward Colston, a 17th-Century merchant who oversaw the enslavement of 84,000 Africans, 19,000 of whom are thought to have died en route to the Americas.

If you feel like you keep seeing stories about travelers brazenly leaving their mark on Italy's Colosseum, you're not imagining things.

Move over Paris Plage. Although media reports heap praise upon its strip of sun, Seine and sand, the North European city that has a better claim to be the spiritual home of the urban beach is Hamburg. Every April tens of thousands of tonnes of sand are imported as miniature seaside paradises appear in the heart of Germany’s second city. The doors open at the end of May and so begins another summer of beach bar hopping Hamburg-style.

While Argentina isn’t known for powdery white beaches and transparent warm waters like some Latin American countries, it does boast 4,989 km of coastline as well as lakes, streams and rivers. What Argentina lacks in tropical vibes, it more than makes up for in rugged natural beauty. Keep that in mind as you check out our list of the best beaches in Argentina.

Former National Geographic Adventurer of the Year, Alastair Humphreys is the pioneer of the microadventure. Greg Dickinson caught up with him to discuss walking around London’s M25, cycling around the planet and the joys of sleeping in a bivvy bag.

Exploring the UK and Ireland by road is a fantastic way to go: it’s sociable, safe and – if you choose an electric vehicle – environmentally friendly. We’ve put together a list of the 10 best road trips in the UK and Ireland, all bookable with a local expert through Rough Guides.

The Great West Way is a touring route running between two of England’s most vibrant cities: London and Bristol. Visitors to the region can choose not only how to travel (car, train, bike, boat or foot are all viable options) but also which route to follow as they navigate between the two cities. Stop off at some of the Great West Way’s most famous sites – Georgian Bath, Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace – or choose to take your time exploring winding country lanes and visiting hidden gardens and tiny tearooms.

Enjoy the tranquillity and serenity of the waterways as you travel along the Great West Way this summer. Rediscover the real essence of England while watching wildlife from a narrowboat or sipping cool beers in a river-side pub garden.

You crowned buzzing Osaka the coolest city of 2017, favouring it over the likes of Santiago and Bristol.

Intrigued by the idea of a UK city break with an outdoorsy twist? Look no further. We’ve collated our favourite city-based activities. You’ll see the sights while enjoying the great outdoors, and see the UK’s best-loved cities in a whole new way. Between walking London’s canals, paintballing in the Eccles Forest or cycling the Taff Trail, we’re sure you’ll find your next outdoor adventure in a British city here.