You can’t live in Bristol without falling in love with these streets. Whether it’s the bold colours of Cliftonwood, the jaw-dropping murals of Bedminster or the historic charm of the Old City, there’s something for everyone on every street corner. So we’re a little dismayed not to see our city on Condé Nast Traveller’s ‘Beautiful Streets Around the World’ list.
Competing with the likes of Kyoto, Paris and San Francisco, we get that competition is tough, but still… It’s not always pristine, but it’s unique blend of colour, history and imagery makes it one of a kind. Two locations very close to Bristol were named among the world’s prettiest streets, however. Bath and the Cotswolds.
When you’re regularly standing in for Regency-era London, the love-in of Bath is understandable. Particular reference is made to “some of England’s most coveted addresses” – the curved street of the Royal Crescent. Home to 30 Georgian terraced houses built in the late 18th century by architect John Wood, the Younger.
It’s the iconic Bath stone that gives the area that well-known yellow glow, and turns even the homeliest abodes into elegant residences. Beyond the Royal Crescent, some of the city’s most beautiful streets include North Parade Passage, Lansdown Crescent and Bath Street. But pretty streets aren’t hard to come by – just wander around and get lost.
When choosing which beautiful streets to visit in the “quaint and charming” Cotswolds, Condé Nast Traveller is a little more vague. Instead, it focuses on the area’s vibe of “long roads that wind through the rolling hills and ancient villages.” They do mention Long Street in Tetbury, however “dotted with one- and two-story stone houses that have been there for at least a few hundred years.”
Other places mentioned in the Cotswolds are Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold and Stroud. But the image they choose is quite clearly Castle Combe. The quintessential chocolate box village hasn’t built any new houses since the 1600s, with over 100 listed buildings in the area. It’s regularly referenced among ‘The World’s Most Beautiful’ and a frequently used filming location.
Other beautiful streets in the UK can be found in York (particularly Shambles, which dates back to the 14th century); London’s mile-long Portobello Road (home to one of the world’s most-visited street markets); the curved cobblestone street of Circus Lane in the Stockbridge area of Edinburgh; and Bregagh Road aka Dark Hedges in Northern Ireland, as featured in Game of Thrones.
To see all 71 of Condé Nast Traveller’s ‘Beautiful Streets Around the World’ head here.