Bath & Bristol Weekend

Day 1

We travel to Bristol with a comfort stop on route, arriving for some free time to explore the city in the afternoon before checking into the 4* Hilton Garden Inn Bristol City Centre hotel, in time for dinner.

Day 2

Bristol is a real melting pot of architecture through the ages, from the ruins of the Norman castle in Castle Park to the gothic masterpieces of Bristol Cathedral and St Mary Redcliffe. Scenes from the BBC drama Wolf Hall were filmed in the area. Bristol is a haven of Tudor history; Ashton Court Mansion and the Red Lodge Museum with its Elizabethan Knot Garden are fine examples of Tudor Bristol. If you're more interested in fossils, rocks, and other gems, however, head to the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery where some fascinating items found in nearby areas, such as Mangotsfield are on display. Bristol has an incredibly rich maritime history being one of the major ports for trade. A visit to the M Shed museum documents the history of Bristol, or go below deck on the SS Great Britain where you can tour the ship, climb the rigging, head deep into the Dry Dock and meet Victorian passengers, and explore two additional museums in the historic dockyard.

Day 3

Spend the day at leisure in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Bath. Built for pleasure and relaxation, beautiful Bath has been a wellbeing destination since Roman times. The waters are still a big draw, both at the ancient Roman Baths and the thoroughly modern Thermae Bath Spa, which houses the only natural thermal hot springs in Britain that you can bathe in. Bath's compact, visitor-friendly centre is overflowing with places to eat and drink, plus some of the finest independent shops in Britain, making it the ideal city break. Immerse yourself in Bath's remarkable collection of museums and galleries, and enjoy year-round festivals, theatre, music and sports. Bath's stunning honey-coloured Georgian architecture is straight from a Jane Austen novel - highlights include the iconic Royal Crescent and the majestic Circus.

Day 4

After a leisurely breakfast we depart the hotel and travel to Swindon. You can do some shopping at the Swindon Designer Outlet, with up to 60% off at over 90 designer stores. Or visit STEAM the Museum of the Great Western Railway (entrance at own cost), housed in a beautifully restored Grade II railway building in the heart of the former Swindon railway works. We arrive home late afternoon.

D=Dinner, B=Breakfast