MARNIE’S BRISTOL

“As she stood now at the top of the tower named for the famous Venetian navigator, Marnie thought of the other illustrious people, past and present, whose names were associated with the city: Edward Colston. Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Cary Grant. Banksy. A myriad of other things came to her mind when she thought of Bristol: Art and music. Seafaring and maritime prowess. Cider and slave-trading.”

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Why I love it

Quite apart from the elegant Georgian architecture, buzzing cultural scene and the plethora of eateries and drinking holes, what I love about Bristol are its dimensions: it’s big enough and has enough going on for a proper city, but it’s not alienatingly huge like London or Manchester. To quote Goldilocks, it’s just right. Also, compared to other metropoles, it’s mercifully lacking in sprawling industrial hinterland: within barely ten minutes’ drive of the vibrant city centre you’re in unspoilt green countryside, with winding, tree-canopied lanes.

Favourite views

Walking across the Clifton Suspension Bridge. First of all, for the bridge itself, a magnificent feat of engineering. But I also never tire of looking down at the river. I lived in Paris for years and, apart from the water level rising or falling a couple of inches, the Seine pretty much always looks the same. The Avon, however, varies enormously depending on the tide and time of day.

Favourite walk: Clifton-Broadmead-Harbourside

Starting up in Clifton, near the suspension bridge, head straight down till you get to Clifton Park; keep going down till you reach Pembroke Road then turn right; after a few minutes veer left along Queen’s Road and follow it until you see a turning left for University Road. Walk through the Royal Fort Gardens, then turn right down St Michael’s Hill, down Colston Street and left down Christmas Steps. Carry on down Christmas Street and along Broad Street to St Nicholas Market. Have a wander around the market; chilli fans should definitely check out the Hot Sauce Emporium. From there, head along to Welsh Back and stop off for a restorative pint of cider at the Apple, then continue through Queen’s Square with its elegant Regency houses to the Arnolfini (contemporary arts centre). Cross the bridge and take a leisurely stroll around the harbour, past the SS Great Britain; check out Banksy’s Girl with a Pierced Eardrum (left), then stop for a pint of Thatcher’s at the Nova Scotia on Spike Island.

Banksy, Girl with a Pierced Eardrum, Harbourside, Bristol

Eating & drinking

Street food: The Hippy Chippy, Broadmead. THIS is what Sir Walter Raleigh introduced spuds to England for. Simply the best chips. Ever. Served with a choice of sauces.
Exotic: The Coconut Tree, on Clifton Triangle; there’s another one in Cheltenham Road. Tasty Sri Lankan fare and audacious cocktails.
Cider: The Apple, Welsh Back. If potatoes were destined to become Hippy Chippy chips, the apple’s raison d’être is surely cider. This converted barge has a great selection of craft ones.
Juniper juice (because it sounds less sordid and not so evocative of Hogarth’s print as “mother’s ruin”): Gin & Juice. Gin bar on Park Street. Eye-catching décor and a bewildering array of gins.