Britain's 7th largest city with a population of around 700,000, Bristol is a former port city sitting where the Frome and Avon join to flow into the Severn Estuary, and the unofficial capital of the West Country. The city offers great local brews and ciders, and the linguistic intricacies of the Bristolian accent. It is a cultural centre for the region, with the Old Vic theatre and the Colston Hall music venue, as well as a famous annual balloon festival in Ashton Court.
Other highlights include the spectacular Clifton Suspension Bridge and gorge, major shopping centres including Broadmead in town, Cribbs Causeway out-of-town and two league football clubs in Rovers and City. Major employers include the MoD and Rolls Royce at Filton, and the BBC on Whiteladies Road. Temple Meads and Parkway stations offer good train access to London, Cardiff, Birmingham and Devon & Cornwall.