Bristol

Even before John Cabot sailed from Bristol in 1497 and opened up trade with the New World, Bristol was a busy port. Vestiges of its maritime days can be seen along the waterfront where Isambard Kingdom Brunel's SS Great Britain and a replica of Cabot's The Matthew are docked. The leafy suburb of Clifton and dramatic Avon Gorge, with Brunel's fine suspension bridge, offer a quiet get-away from the bustle of the city centre. One of Britain's oldest and best preserved cities, historic Bath dates back to Roman times when the Aquae Sulis temple and baths were built around natural hot springs. Their rediscovery in the 18th century transformed Bath into a popular resort, with the help of John Wood and his son John, who planned the city's elegant Georgian terraces, and Richard 'Beau' Nash who made Bath a hub of fashionable society.

ASSEMBLY ROOMS

These elegant rooms were the focal point of evening entertainment in 18th-century Bath. Restored after wartime bombing, they now house the Museum of Costume.

AT-BRISTOL

Funded by the Millennium Commission, the centre has a multimedia exhibition of the natural world and an interactive science centre with a futuristic planetarium.

BRISTOL ZOO GARDENS

Over 300 species of wildlife can be seen in landscaped grounds which include an underwater walkway.

BRISTOL INDUSTRIAL MUSEUM

In a converted dockside shed are exhibits from Bristol 's industrial past, including a working crane and steam locomotives.

COMMONWEALTH MUSEUM

Housed in a former railway station, the museum charts Britain 's imperial past and includes old manuscripts, photographs and costumes.

ST MARY REDCLIFFE CHURCH

Described by Elizabeth I as 'the goodliest, fairest and most famous parish church in England ', the 13th-century church has a hexagonal outer porch and a window depicting scenes from Handel's 'Messiah'.

BATH POSTAL MUSEUM

The first stamp, 'the Penny Black', was posted from here in 1840. The museum has displays on the postal system.

BLAISE CASTLE HOUSE MUSEUM

A Gothic folly of 1766 within the ramparts of an Iron Age hill fort, the house now has displays on everyday life in Bristol.