Christmas Steps, Bristol

A huge number of the American troops stationed here during the war found the old-fashioned street with the charming and distinctive name of Christmas Steps to be one of the city's most picturesque features. Bristol's Christmas Steps Art Quarter, which dates to the 1600s, is drenched in a magnetic charm that is more than deserving of its holiday moniker.

The Quarter, which consists of seven lovely alleys and the steps themselves, is a maze of ancient pathways that offers new picturesque chances around every corner. Don't forget to take pictures of the lantern-style street lamps and the vistas down the flagged steps. Visit at dusk for added mood since fairy lights give the already magical scene a little additional enchantment.

The route from Froom Bridge to Lower St. Michael's Hill was a steep, narrow lane until the second part of the 17th century. According to reports, the walkway is extremely dangerous for passengers, especially at night and in snowy conditions. Because there was likely not a continuous row of houses on either side of the alley in those days, a large portion of its length may have been taken up by the St. Bartholomew's Hospital estate's boundary wall on Christmas Street.

The repair of the tunnel was not started until September 1669 by Jonathan Blackwell, who had served as one of Bristol's sheriffs 17 years before, under Henry Gibbes' mayoralty.

Location: Bristol, southwestern England