Hot air balloons take off from the bank of the Awon River during the Hot Air Balloon Festival held in Bristol, 200 kilometers west of Britain's capital London, August 12, 2005. (Xinhua Photo/Ma Jianguo)
LONDON, March 20 (Xinhua) -- The south west England city of Bristol was named Sunday as the best place to live in Britain. The coveted accolade described Bristol as a small city that feels like a big city.
With a population of less than half a million, it is the biggest city in southern England after London.
The city was named as the best place to live by the Sunday Times newspaper after a team examined a list of contenders for the sought after title.
A "best places to live" guide published Sunday says Bristol is handily placed for seaside and scenery, but hardly cut off from the rest of the country, "cramming in all the culture you could wish for".
Sunday Times Home Editor, Helen Davies, commenting on The Sunday Times Best Places to Live guide, said: "Bristol faced stiff competition from many wonderful places to live across Britain.
"But the city is a worthy winner thanks to its ideal combination of extraordinary culture, impressive schools, buzzing culinary scene, exciting redevelopment and community spirit. We sum the city up as cool, classy and supremely creative."
Bristol, say the judges, contains all the culture people could wish for, a first choice for restless folk looking to take half a step off the treadmill. It's a city where creative individuals seem to thrive, collaborate and prosper.
Known for its stunning Clifton suspension bridge over the River Avon across a deep gorge, locals describe their city as, cool, classy and creative. The internationally famous bridge was built in the 1830s by celebrated British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Bristol expanded as a bustling port town in the 17th century thanks to trade with America. Its position on Britain's west coast gave it a big advantage and in the 18th century it became, along with Liverpool, one of the major cities involved in the slave trade.
