00:01Too easy, too.
00:10Most UK breaks make you choose.
00:12Do you want a city that is buzzing and modern
00:15or somewhere slower and full of history?
00:18On this episode of Travel Smart,
00:20I'm taking you on a trip that does both
00:22as we discover Bristol and Bath.
00:25Two cities close together but with totally different energy.
00:29Bristol, a city to re-energise, and Bath, a city to recharge.
00:34Let's go!
00:42First stop is Bristol and I cannot believe it's only an hour and a half from London
00:47and it is such a nicer way to travel. No stress, no traffic, just countryside out the window
00:52and a bit of time to myself.
00:59Bristol is one of the UK's creative hubs.
01:03Crocodiles in Bristol, who knew?
01:06Known for its independent spirit, music scene and street art that turns whole neighbourhoods into an outdoor gallery.
01:15You'll spot murals by artists from all over as you explore and it's also the home city of notorious street
01:21artist Banksy
01:22but his work is just one part of the city's DNA.
01:27Down by the Harbourside, make sure you check out M Shed.
01:31They literally took the wall off and put it in here. I love that.
01:36M Shed is the museum that tells the story of Bristol. You might even see some familiar faces.
01:46M Shed sits on Bristol's Harbourside, which is one of the best areas to explore on foot.
01:51It's packed with independent cafes and places to stop for food by the water.
01:58Bristol was once a major maritime hub with its history tangled in privateers and pirates.
02:04You can still feel the waterfront character woven into the city today.
02:10From Harbourside, it's a short walk to the best place for a little bit of food and a mooch around.
02:15St Nicholas Market.
02:20This is dangerous. I could spend ages in here.
02:24It's the perfect place to grab something delicious and have a quick mooch through the independent stalls whilst you're here.
02:30Oh my God. Thanks.
02:34Okay, what's it saying?
02:37Just as you step outside, we are right next to the Corn Exchange, one of the most historic parts of
02:42Bristol.
02:42There's a really nice little detail just up there.
02:45Check out that clock. It actually has two minute hands.
02:48One shows London time and the other shows Bristol time.
02:51Before the railway arrived and forced the UK to sync up its clocks, Bristol actually ran about 10 minutes behind
02:57the capital.
02:57Just a little reminder that this city has always done things its own way.
03:03And if you head out of the city centre, you'll find one of Bristol's most iconic sites, the Clifton Suspension
03:10Bridge.
03:11That's huge!
03:18This is gorgeous, isn't it?
03:23In the observatory, you can get a unique view of the bridge and you have a choice to see it
03:27from above or down below.
03:31Above, at the top of the observatory, is one of the UK's last working camera obscurers.
03:36A camera obscura is an old school way of projecting a live 360 degree view onto a screen using a
03:44pinhole light and mirrors.
03:46It's basically CCTV, but Victorian.
03:51The obscura has been here since 1829 and gives a full 360 panoramic view of the bridge and surrounding areas.
04:00Okay, I'm on the bridge and I'm going to see whether the camera crew can spot me from the obscura.
04:06Big waves!
04:11And down below, there's the Giant's Cave.
04:16This is eerie.
04:17It's a natural cave carved into the limestone cliffs of the Avon Gorge and it leads you to a viewing
04:23platform with a cracking view.
04:29Bristol has been incredible, but I am ready to switch gears and head to Bath tomorrow.
04:37Just 15 minutes away from Bristol, I'm off to the second city of my trip.
04:41Welcome to Bath!
04:44Bath has a different pace, but it still feels exciting.
04:48It's elegant, walkable and almost unreal, like you've stepped into a film set.
04:53The whole city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so everywhere you turn, there's history.
04:59One of the best ways to explore is to just start in the centre and wander.
05:03Within minutes, you've got the Abbey, you've got the Roman Bath and some of the city's most iconic streets.
05:11The Roman Baths were built nearly 2,000 years ago and they are still one of the most impressive ancient
05:18sites you can visit in the UK.
05:20Oh my gosh, there's steam coming off of it.
05:22I didn't realise it was still active.
05:27This is incredible.
05:32Wow, this is the natural spring bit.
05:34It's actually boiling here, it's amazing.
05:37I think you can actually taste some of the water here.
05:41It's warm.
05:48Just a few steps from the Abbey is Guildhall Market.
05:51There's been a market on this site for over 800 years and the building itself dates back to the 1860s.
05:58It's small, but it's full of character and it's a great place to pick up a little souvenir.
06:04And for a classic Bath food stop, you can't miss Sally Lunds.
06:08Found it!
06:09Probably far too excited about this.
06:11The building itself is one of the oldest in the city, dating back to 1482.
06:17Oh my God.
06:19Is it a cape or is it a bum?
06:22You can have it sweet or savoury and it's the perfect place to stop, sit down and take a breather
06:29in between all of the sides.
06:31And if you want to dive into some of Bath's literary history, there's two museums sat side by side on
06:37the same street that tell completely different tales.
06:40My Bridgerton moment.
06:44Both writers lived in Bath for a time.
06:46Not sure what that is.
06:48But they saw the city through totally different eyes.
06:51Austin turned the city's high society into fiction.
06:55And Mary Shelley brought something far darker to the streets while she wrote Frankenstein.
07:00What?
07:03Oh no.
07:05Oh no.
07:08To finish your trip, take it slow and head to Pryor Park.
07:12This is gorgeous.
07:13This National Trust site has incredible landscape gardens and gorgeous Georgian architecture.
07:20Wow.
07:24And right next to it is a public footpath with dramatic views of Bath's skyline, giving you that classic postcard
07:31moment overlooking the entire city.
07:34It's the perfect vinyl stop and a stark contrast to the buzz of Bristol.
07:39A chance to unwind, soak in the sights and reflect on your trip between these two sister cities.
07:47I have had an amazing time in Bristol and Bath.
07:51They are so close together, but the energy is completely different.
07:55Bristol has a real buzz.
07:57With so much going on, we didn't even scratch the surface.
08:01And Bath was the perfect place to slow down with history around every corner.
08:06I genuinely cannot wait to come back and explore more.
08:09And if you're looking for more insights and tips from the Independent Travel team, head over to independent.co.uk
08:16forward slash travel.
08:17See you soon.
08:19See you soon.
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