The south west region of England has a rich history, covers the widest area of the nine regions in England, and has a number of interesting big cities and towns certainly worth a visit. The region has many smaller villages and modest towns dotted throughout and combined with a few of its major cities comprises a population of approximately 5 million people. The children are getting to the age now where they are interested in looking around historical buildings and using their imaginations to think back to what might of happened there. Below are the top 5 cities in the south west of England which I would love to visit:

shutterstock_304615328Bristol

As the largest city in the south west region with slightly over 1m residents, the city ranks as the sixth most populous one in England. Its extensive history dates back to the Royal Charter in the 12th century and it was designated a county in 1370. Bristol is an ideal location as a jumping off point for visiting other local tourist attractions in the region.

Plymouth

Plymouth is a city that will appeal particularly to people who have either a love of the sea or a love of shipping ports. It is home to 250,000 people and used to be one of the largest shipping ports in the country, but now has a service-based economy. Attractions like the Plymouth Naval Memorial, Royal Citadel, Saltram House, and Smeaton’s Tower receive the bulk of the tourist traffic, but there is much more to see in Plymouth when branching out.

Bath

Bath attracts many more tourists than one might initially expect for this city of 83,000 people. The architecture in Bath is of particular note with it being added in 1987 to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for this reason. The Roman Baths are a key attraction for anyone visiting Bath for the first time. However, the Bath Abbey, Grand Pump Room, The Circus, and the Royal Crescent are all worth a visit too. Bath has plenty to interest anyone staying for an extended weekend.

Gloucester

Gloucester is a small city of 120,000 that is conveniently located just 50 miles from Bristol which makes it a good place to visit on an extended trip. The city has a rich history that goes all the way back to the 1st century AD when it was founded by the Romans. The town which was once known as Colonia Glevum Nervensis has many medieval buildings still in good condition, the Gloucester Cathedral, St. Nicolas Church, and St. Mary de Lode too. There are also plenty of excellent Gloucester IHG hotels to provide a comfortable stay while in town.

Exeter

Exeter is another city that has a good location being only 68 miles from Bristol and 37 miles from Plymouth. This fact makes Exeter a good third city to add to a multi-city road trip in the region. The landmarks worth a visit here includes the Exeter Guildhall, Exeter Cathedral, St. Nicolas Priory, Parliament Street, and the Exeter Clock Tower.

Whilst many foreign tourists will make a beeline for the capital to see all they can before jetting off to other countries on a whirlwind European tour, British tourists know better. The south west has many architecturally-beautiful buildings, a rich Gothic and Saxon history visible in many of its towns and cities, locations along the coastline, shipping ports, and other interesting things to see and experience. The many smaller villages are also worth a visit, especially in Cornwall, to combine the village experience with that of larger towns and cities.

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Plymouth coast line image, Bristol river image and Bristol night time image by ShutterStock.

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