Southampton Bristol Train

The city of Southampton has always been influenced by the sea. The Hampshire city lies at the northern tip of Southampton Water which is a deep water estuary where the rivers Test and Itchen meet. Southampton city centre lies in between the two rivers. The Town Quay is the city's original public quay which can date its origins back to the 13th century. The Eastern Docks in the city were created in the 1830's by reclaiming mud flats between the rivers Itchen and Test estuaries. The Western Docks were created in the 1930's when the Southern Railway Company commissioned a major land reclamation and dredging programme.

One of the main advantages of Southampton Water is that it has a double high tide which makes the movement of large ships much easier. This is not caused as popularly supposed by the presence of the Isle of Wight, but is a function of the shape and depth of the English Channel. The double high tide is perhaps one of the reasons why Southampton Water hosts many of the world's largest and luxurious cruise ships.

Southampton is home to Southampton Football Club, sometimes referred to as "The Saints", who play in the Premier League at St Mary's Stadium, having relocated in 2001 from their 103-year-old former stadium, "The Dell".

Bristol is a university city located in the south west of England and lies only a few miles from the city of Bath. Bristol is a city of bridges, balloons, boats, bikes, Brunel and Banksy. Whatever you are looking for there is something for everyone in Bristol. See street art up-close with Bristol Street Art Tours and discover the street art home of Banksy. Bristol has a history for graffiti and street art that is unlike anywhere else in the United Kingdom. Recognised as the street art and graffiti capital of the U.K., Bristol is home to more than 100 street artists and graffiti writers, all working on the cutting edge of this worldwide art form. Also in the city is the Arnolfini which has provided a cultural resource for the people of Bristol for over fifty years. It is a centre for the contemporary arts and presents a programme of visual arts, performance, music and film. It also provides a diverse, interactive learning programme for all ages and is home to a much-loved shop, offering a range of books, art publications and gift ideas. The listed building also houses a popular café bar, offering locally sourced dishes in the historic harbourside setting.