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Why we love Bristol

Cool creative Bristol is a must-see destination if you’re a fan of art, culture and action-packed adventure. And when it comes to great grub and welcoming pubs, the city’s no slouch. For a true taste of Bristol, head out on a street art tour to discover the works of the city’s most famous resident, Banksy. Delve into maritime history at the legendary SS Great Britain steamship, or discover awe-inspiring views on a tour of the historic Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Feel your adrenaline pumping at The Wave, the city’s inland surfing site, see historic works of art at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery, or savour local ale and cosy up in one of its eclectic bars, pubs or breweries. With shopping ranging from budget to blowout and an impressive music scene to boot, one thing’s for sure – Bristol doesn’t disappoint.

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Discover a world of art

Bristol needs no introduction to the street art scene , home to the world renowned stencil artist, Banksy - the city is bursting with colour creations round every corner. Hit up a street art workshop or explore the area on a walking tour to uncover the stories behind the city’s bright, and bold walls.

Nic Crilly-Hargrave

A festival for the taste buds

Great beer, delicious food and a brilliant playlist: what could be a better way to celebrate summer? The Bristol Craft Beer Festival showcases the city’s huge range of artisan breweries, alongside top British and international names. Enjoy diverse flavours as well as live music, DJ sets, and access to the street food market.

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Bristol, England

Whether it’s a cold winter’s day or a blissful summer evening, Bristol’s Lido has got you covered. Make a splash in the outdoor pool that’s located right in the heart of picturesque and historic Clifton. For a real treat, pamper yourself with a spa treatment, or find your zen in the hot tub and steam room.

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Hit the waves for a surfing session on Bristol’s in-land wave pool . Pick up the adrenaline with a ride out onto the water, or for a more relaxed trip, tuck into some tasty grub from the on-site Clubhouse. 

Eat like a local

At lunchtime, hungry Bristolians descend on St Nicholas Market . Dating back to 1743, this food market had city’s largest gathering of independent retailers: from artisan cheesemongers and award-winning bakers, to stalls piled high with spicy noodles, plump dumplings and much more. The cuisine hails from all over the world, but the ingredients are fresh and locally sourced.

Things to do in Bristol

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The Wave Bristol

Take to the waves for some serious surfing at Bristol’s innovative inland wake.

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta

Come and see 100 balloons take to the sky at Bristol’s International Balloon Fiesta.

Brunel’s SS Great Britain

Step aboard the world’s first great luxury liner, and discover the ship that changed the world.

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Clifton Suspension Bridge

Spanning the beautiful Avon Gorge, this is one of the world’s most architecturally ambitious bridges – a true work of art.

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Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

From dinosaur skeletons to local inventions, this free museum puts one billion years of art, culture and nature at your fingertips.

SUP Bristol

On a paddleboard, you’ll witness the nature, beauty and relaxed pace of life on Bristol’s waterways.

Adventure Bristol

This outdoor activity centre is packed with challenges – so grab your mates and get stuck in.

Wake the Tiger

Step into ‘the world’s first amazement park’ – a place unlike anywhere you’ve ever been before.

Wake The Tiger

Bristol is famous for its graffiti – so why not have a go too? Get hands-on at these expert-led workshops.

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Christmas Steps Art Quarter

It’s a real adventure to dip into these tiny boutiques, many of which serve as artisans’ workshops too.

Delve into Bristol’s history at this locally-focused museum, discovering the human stories behind its most pivotal moments.

Quentin Lake Photography

Bristol Craft Beer Festival

Great beer, delicious food and a brilliant playlist: what could be a better way to celebrate summer?

Grab your mates for a night of live music, bowling, karaoke and more, at this fun-loving Bristol nightspot.

The Lanes Bristol

Old Market Quarter, Gay Village

Whether you’re looking for a sociable drink with like-minded people, a night of cocktails and dancing till dawn, or adults-only fun at a discreet bar and sauna – the Old Market Quarter is the place.

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Ashton Court Estate

This impressive stately home isn’t just full of history – it has mountain biking, orienteering and golf courses too.

This collection of boutique hotels is synonymous with luxe bedrooms, fantastic food and brilliant service.

The Pig, Hampshire

Jekka’s Herb Farm

Look out for supper clubs, art workshops and craft classes – all with a herbaceous twist.

Jekka's Herb Farm

Thornbury Castle

King Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn stayed here on their honeymoon – and you can enjoy its luxury too.

Wills Memorial Building Tower

Enjoy magnificent views from this mighty landmark, opened by King George V and Queen Mary in 1925.

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Royal Fort House

This historic spot is a haven for walkers and wildlife, and features art installations too.

Wapping Wharf

This up-and-coming shopping, dining and entertainment quarter has breathed new life into Bristol’s waterfront.

Bristol Shopping Quarter

With over 400 retail and dining brands, this city-centre mall has something for every style.

Park Street and The Triangle

Top fashion brands rub shoulders with independent vintage stores, jewellery boutiques and gourmet delis.

Poco Tapas Bar

Tuck into a menu of tapas, brunches and sharing plates, which champions sustainably-sourced local ingredients.

Benjamin Pryor Photography

Bristol and Bath Railway Path

Rather than driving or taking the train between these great cities, why not cycle instead?

Bristol Pride

Featuring a star-studded line-up of singers and drag cabaret – plus an awe-inspiring protest march through the city.

Bristol Bear Bar

One of the UK’s only purpose-built bear bars, it attracts a varied crowd and brings the beats of pop and dance music to the table.

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Queenshilling

Be dazzled by a 1920s Art Deco style and a welcoming atmosphere. Expect disco lighting and a swanky dance floor complete with podiums and a stage.

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UPFEST, Bristol

Welcome to Europe’s biggest graffiti festival, where the streets of Bristol are the canvas.

Glastonbury

This legendary gathering is on every music-lover’s bucket list – featuring a star-studded mix of bands, comedy and cabaret.

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Whether you’re horse riding, cycling, playing football or walking, this green space is glorious year-round.

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Cheddar Gorge and Caves

Discover soaring cliffs and spectacular caves, sculpted by the elements over many thousands of years.

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Sherlock Locations Trail

Released by the Bristol Film Office, this official walking guide reveals the city’s key Sherlock locations.

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Frogmore Street

Be part of the city’s legendary LGBTQIA+ scene, with buzzing bars, nightclubs, entertainment and more.

Bristol Harbour Festival

A whole weekend of entertainment, with circus, music, dance and more – all for absolutely free!

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Bristol Marina

The city’s maritime roots run deep, and its waterways host festivals, floating restaurants and more.

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Bristol Lido

Dip your toe into Bristol’s history at this beautifully restored bathhouse, luxury spa and restaurant.

Bristol Harbour Hotel & Spa

With its hydrotherapy pools and luxurious treatment areas, this city-centre idyll is hard to resist.

Stokes Croft and Gloucester Road

Calling all bargain hunters and trend setters: these shops, galleries and delis are anything but ordinary…

Bristol Tours – Walking Tour

Exploring with an expert local guide, you’ll be immersed in the city’s sights, sounds and stories.

Where the Wall

Whether for walking tours or stencilling workshops, immerse yourself in the city’s spectacular street art.

Alamy Stock Photo/Lee Thomas/Upfest (Bex Glover, Lucas Antics, Zoe Power, Gemma Compton, Sophie Long and Ejits)

Bristol Cathedral

Discover the soaring Gothic architecture and exquisite stained-glass windows of this city-centre landmark.

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This is the place to revel in Bristol’s free-spirited vibe, while shopping for clothes, antiques and crafts.

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Bristol’s harbourside

See Brunel’s iconic vessel, as well as one of Banksy’s most famous works at Bristol’s picturesque harbour.

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Featured things to do

Street art walking tour

Add a splash of colour to your trip to Bristol on a tour of its creative graffiti and murals – from Banksy originals to international artists, you’ll find the city’s walls popping with eccentric artwork.

International Balloon Fiesta

Look up as the sky fills with hot air balloons for Bristol’s International Balloon Fiesta, from sunrise flights to night time glows - the city is filled with a balloon extravaganza.

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See Bristol from the water

Hop aboard an iconic yellow and blue Bristol Ferry for a unique way to see the city from its Harbour. For an added splash of fun, look out for a Gin Cruise for a liquid fuelled boat trip.

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Christmas in Bristol

Discover frosty winter walks around the city, and follow twinkling lights along the bustling streets for a real festive feel.

Places to stay in Bristol

Stokes croft.

Find the coolest vibe in Bristol, from local boutiques and artist studios to traditional pubs, hip eateries and trendy cafés.

Harbourside

Once where merchants and traders set sail, the Harbourside is now a trendy enclave with a great selection of places to eat, shop and stay.

Take in views of the awesome Clifton Suspension bridge, eat in bistros and stroll around its impressive Georgian architecture.

Explore nearby

An unmissable destination for travellers, London is a melting pot of history, culture and green spaces.

VisitBritain/Hazel Parreno

A wellness retreat for the Romans and Georgian architecture around every corner.

VisitBritain

Step into a land of castles, world-renowned rugby and a whole host of myths and legends.

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Lush rolling pastures, pretty stone villages and rambling rivers - the Cotswolds has it all.

Cotswolds, England

Small but mighty, Exeter is a city with seriously cool credentials. Discover the top attractions and best things to do and see during your next visit here.

Exeter City Council

Getting to Bristol

England’s south west city, Bristol is served by Bristol International Airport with easy connections to the city centre on the Airport Flyer bus service. Bristol is easily accessible from across the UK by train and car, and boasts fast, efficient transport connections, from regular buses to trains running from Bristol Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway Railway Stations.

The train from London takes around 1 hour 40 minutes from London Paddington direct to Bristol Temple Meads with Great Western Railway . Coaches are also available from London to Bristol direct, via megabus , National Express and Flixbus with a journey time of approximately 2 hours 20 minutes.

Getting around

With bus services a plenty, find ticket prices and discounts across the city and the south west with FirstGroup . Being the UK’s first cycling city, Bristol is easy to explore by bike and on foot. Or head to the water aboard a ferry with Number Seven Boats and Bristol Ferry Boats for a unique way to visit major attractions.

With ticket stations at every stop, you can buy tickets for the city’s environmentally-friendly metrobuses before you board.

Save money on train and bus travel in and around Bristol and explore more with a Freedom Travelpass .

You can discover the best cycling routes and find out how to hire bikes and equipment at Better by Bike . 

Want to know more?

Get the inside scoop of all things Bristol from those in the know at Visit Bristol.

The 15 best things to do in Bristol - from Banksy to bridges

Jan 23, 2022 • 8 min read

Street art – including many works by famous native son Banksy – is a calling card of Bristol © rafalkrakow / iStock / Getty Images

One meander through the colorful streets of Bristol  and you’ll be hooked on the city’s passion for creativity.

From Brunel’s groundbreaking steamships to Banksy’s thought-provoking art, this city on the Avon River prides itself on taking risks and breaking the rules. And that heritage extends far beyond its most famous sons: whether it’s the artisans at St Nicholas Market or the independent restaurants at Wapping Wharf, all of Bristol’s people contribute to its inventive spirit. 

Here are a few of the things not to miss as you explore this vivid city.

Cross one of the world’s most famous bridges

It’s all about location. Visionary Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel oversaw many groundbreaking projects throughout his illustrious career, and few are as spectacular as the Clifton Suspension Bridge . Crossing the 245ft-high chasm of the Avon Gorge, the bridge runs from the handsome Georgian neighborhood of Clifton over to the serene streets and bucolic landscapes of North Somerset. 

Tragically, while Brunel never lived to see the bridge in its final form – completed in 1864, it took 34 years to build – it looks today as magnificent today as it did in his original sketches. Cross the bridge’s 702ft span on food to get a wind-whipped idea of its grandeur. If that still isn’t enough, a tour from its Visitor Centre will teach you more about the history of Bristol’s most iconic site. 

Go belowdecks on a 19th-century ship

Another masterpiece of design by Brunel, the SS Great Britain  has resided in Bristol since 1970. A heroic salvage operation in the Falkland Islands thousands of miles away brought the ship back to the Bristol harbor, where she was first built in 1856; it’s remarkable she still exists in one piece. Today, visitors can explore almost every inch of the almost 100m-long vessel. 

The tour of the first ship in the world to be both built of iron and powered by a screw propeller begins belowdecks with a slightly unnerving walk beneath the vast hull and around that huge propeller. It’s a perfect introduction to your discovery of this pioneering ship.

Experience the counterculture in Stokes Croft

The epicenter of Bristol’s creative movement, the Strokes Croft neighborhood offers a smorgasbord of jaunty art, cool cafes, quirky pubs, vintage shops and more. Just north of the city center, this district has a palpable sense of counterculture, community and artistic drive that few other neighborhoods in the UK can match. 

Home to some original Banksy pieces and local institutions like the Crofter’s Rights and Canteen , Stokes Croft is perfect for a wander day or night. 

Enjoy the views from Cabot Tower

From the tumbling cliffsides of the Avon Gorge to the breathlessly steep walk up Nine Tree Hill, Bristol promises wild topography. So there might be nowhere better to get a panoramic view of this cinematic city than from the top of a hill.

Built at the end of the 19th century to commemorate the 400th anniversary of John Cabot’s historic voyage to Newfoundland, Cabot Tower at the top of Brandon Hill offers gorgeous views of Bristol and the surrounding countryside. 

Stay in an artistic haven

Bristol has bold artistic traditions, and the Artist Residence on Portland Square does right by them. Located on the square’s northwestern corner in a handsome Georgian townhouse, this boutique hotel has spacious stylish rooms dotted with unique art and period features. 

With mid-century modern furniture and high ceilings allowing plenty of natural light, its breezy Library bar is a fine neighborhood spot for a quiet drink. (We recommend the divine Smoky Martini.)

Take a walk in the woods

At a compact two square miles, Leigh Woods Nature Reserve packs a lot into its small size. Located just across the Clifton Suspension Bridge on the western side of the Avon Gorge, these ancient woods provide a tranquil escape from the city and boast stunning views of the bridge from an angle few visitors ever see. 

As well as rare flora and fauna, the woods are also home to Stokeleigh Camp, an Iron Age hill fort dating back to 350 BCE whose rising green ridges are clearly visible today.

See some of the best street art anywhere

Few cities in the UK have an identity as purely visual as Bristol’s. Using the city’s streets, buildings, walls and parks as an enormous canvas, Bristol’s street artists have given the city a color and richness that capture the eye almost immediately. The street art visible just about everywhere embodies the city’s vibrant and creative culture.

The enigmatic Banksy is the local whose work really put Bristol on the map over 20 years ago. You can explore his oeuvre in glorious yet succinct detail on tours run by Where The Wall . Taking you by Banksy classics like Mild Mild West and Well Hung Lover , global graffiti art authority John Nation explains the history and significance of these works, and why they could only have been made in Bristol. 

Sip some cider

England’s West Country is one of the world’s most foremost cider regions, so unsurprisingly its largest city is home to some sublime cider pubs. Quietly situated at the end of a low-lit street in Clifton, The Coronation Tap  – CoriTap to locals – is a 200-year-old cider house famous for serving the fearsome 8.4% Exhibition cider (only available in half pints).

Other superb spots for sampling the fermented apple beverage include the charming riverside barge The Apple in the Old City. On  Spike Island ,  The Orchard Inn  is a traditional pub dating back to 1834 with over 20 different dry and sweet ciders available. 

Lie back at the Lido

An oasis in the heart of Clifton’s busy residential streets, Bristol Lido is a restored Victorian outdoor swimming pool with a unique open-air setting. Flanked by wooden changing rooms on one side and a modern European restaurant on the other, this modern bathhouse is a gorgeous retreat that’s perfect for unwinding after a long day. 

Especially pretty in the evening under the glow of the lights, the Lido also features a hot tub and a sauna, very welcome amenities during the winter months. 

Learn what makes Bristol, Bristol

Some city museums display gaudy art and artifacts from far-flung corners of the globe. On the other extreme, Bristol’s M Shed  goes deep into the fascinating, hyper-local makeup of this city, from its unsung heroes to proud neighborhood heritage. 

M Shed celebrates everything that makes Bristol what it is today – without shying away from difficult episodes from the past. Handled with particular care is the city’s historical relationship with the slave trade, especially the sobering exhibition on the (in)famous Bristol merchant and colonial trader Edward Colston. 

Sample the diverse food scene

With Bristol’s cultural range and creative mindset, it makes perfect sense that the city has a rich food scene, too. From the zesty Jamaican favorite ackee and saltfish at Carribean Croft to Coconut Tree’s fiery Sri Lankan Jaffna goat curry, there’s a wild variety of flavors to choose from.

If you want to choose from a selection of alluring flavors in one location, head to the famous St Nicholas Market in the Old Town, or the shipping containers converted into food stalls at Wapping Wharf . 

Make some waves

If you’ve ever dreamed of surfing outdoors but far from the rough sea, meet The Wave . Just outside Bristol, this pioneering 180m-long inland surfing lake is the first of its kind in the UK, and is powered by 100% renewable energy. 

It’s also a hugely welcoming environment with encouraging coaches who get just as much of a kick from seeing beginners ride their first wave as the surfers do themselves. Yes, you’re sure to wipe out a few times – but that first stand-up surf above the waves makes every tumble worth it. 

Question your own ways of thinking

Bristol’s We The Curious does things a little differently from typically didactic science museums. Intended to get kids thinking about the world around them, this science center asks visitors questions in an interactive, visual and playful manner. 

Located by the historic harbor, We The Curious engages young people’s natural curiosity, even encouraging them to leave their own questions pinned to the wall as a way of expanding the conversation. Don’t miss the remarkable 3D Planetarium shows on the first floor. 

Pedal around a bit

With so much green space, Bristol’s a fine city for enjoying the great outdoors. And there might be no better way to enjoy the fresh air than by cycling the 14-mile Bristol and Bath Railway Path. Entirely free of cars, this converted railway right-of-way offers an eco-friendly path to Bath’s ancient Roman spas and majestic Georgian streets. 

Within Bristol’s city limits, Pedal Progression will take your cycling to the next level by showing you the finer techniques of mountain biking amid the lush trees and hills of Ashton Court Estate. 

Get high (in a hot-air balloon)

Bristol’s long relationship with aviation is proudly displayed at Aerospace Bristol , where visitors are able to explore, among other mechanical highlights, the last Concorde to ever fly. 

For something more genteel than supersonic, hot-air balloons take to the skies around Bristol throughout the year. Organize a trip with Bailey Balloons or Elite Air to see the city from thrilling new heights. 

You might also like: Bristol’s former police HQ is now a chic hostel on a mission to help the homeless How to get around in England this winter Top 9 road trips in England

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