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Can we tempt you to visit?
So – you think you’d like to visit Bristol, the beautiful and lively city in the South West of England that everyone’s talking about! In this article, I’m going to run through a few ideas about fun things to do in Bristol, which will hopefully inspire you with lots of ideas for your visit, whether you’re here for a few hours or even several days. Infact, there’s enough to do in the city and surrounding area for several weeks!
One of the factors which makes Bristol such a vibrant cultural hub is that, according to us locals, it’s far enough away from London to have a life of its own. And this is why the city has such a fascinating and eclectic range of things to see and do, because it’s had the chance to develop its own character, and cultural scene.
In 1961, the poet John Betjeman called Bristol “the most beautiful, interesting and distinguished city in England.” And since then the accolades have continued to pour in – in 2009 travel publisher Dorling Kindersley listed Bristol in their top ten cities in the world. And in 2014 and 2017, the Sunday Times named it as the best city in Britain to live.
While names like Banksy and Massive Attack have elevated the city to international stardom, you don’t have to look far into the city’s past to find, not only other famous names, but also a murky record of its maritime reputation. In June of last year, the city topped the headlines of news channels across the world, as the statue of notorious slave trader Edward Colston was torn down and thrown into the River Avon.
And it is the river itself, winding its way through the city, which has shaped Bristol’s history and character. Once a bustling port full of ships taking exports around the world, and bringing in goods for transportation across the country, the harbour has now been transformed into a lively area full of art venues, restaurants, and museums.
Easy to get here
One of the great things about planning a visit to Bristol, is that it’s so easy to get to. If you’re travelling from London, there are trains every half hour from Paddington to Temple Meads station in the city centre. It’s a pleasant 1hour and 40 minute journey, through peaceful countryside, with views of the Wiltshire rolling hills, and the city of Bath. Plus there’s also Parkway Station on the outskirts, with an even faster service.
If you’re driving a car, the M4 and M5 skirt the North edge of Bristol, with exits onto the Portway (from the South,) or M32 (from the North and East,) which bring you directly into the city centre.
National Express and Megabus also do regular journeys from all major cities.
And for anyone coming from further afield – Bristol International Airport is just South of the city, an easy 20 minute taxi ride. I went to Madrid a few years ago, and when I flew back, we landed at 11.10pm – I jumped in a cab – and was home by 11.40pm! So there are no issues with a spontaneous decision to come here, or a quick getaway!
Once you’re here, all the things you’ll want to see are in walking distance, or a short bus trip or ferry ride. There is also a communal bike hire scheme, and electric scooters. Although riding a bike can have it’s challenges. Local people call it the city of seven hills – names like Constitution Hill – give an idea of what it feels like to climb some of them! In aptly named Totterdown, on the South side of the city, there’s the steepest residential street in England. Rumour has it that residents of Vale Street tie their cars to lamp posts incase they roll away!
Boutique hotels galore
The next big question is where to stay in Bristol? Well – you are spoilt for choice – with options in all price brackets. Among the more unusual places is the lodge at Bristol Zoo – you might hear a lion roaring at night or be woken up by sqwarking flamingoes!
There’s also an airstream caravan perched on the roof of an office building in the city centre. And a few years ago, you could even choose to stay in a Grade 1 listed crane by the river!
More down to earth options include the Bristol Hotel on the quayside, with views of the harbourside, or the Hotel du Vin – Avon Gorge, with spectacular views of the Suspension Bridge. These can all be found on booking websites, plus there’s also a huge range of choices on Air BnB.
A brief history of how it all began
Before we dig deeper into all the different things to do and places to visit – now is a good time to go for a quick spin around the history – as it gives an interesting context to the city’s attractions. It’s clear when you arrive – that Bristol is all about the River Avon – which for early settlers made it an ideal location for defense and protection, trade and food.
It’s quite amazing to think that way back in the mists of time, Neanderthal man hunted along the wooded slopes of the river. Archaeologists have dated flint tools found at the mouth of the river back to the Middle Palaeolithic Age, nearly 300,000 years ago! There is also evidence of mammoths living in the gorge.
The incredible vantage point provided by the gorge, looking down the river to the sea, and south to Somerset, made it a natural choice for iron age tribes. The hill above the Clifton Suspension Bridge, now known as The Observatory, was an iron age fortress, and the earth ramparts are still visible on three sides, under the surrounding trees. The Celtic villagers lived in wooden round houses, and were skilled metalworkers and farmers, selling their wares across Europe. There was a similar fortress on the other side of the gorge in Leigh Woods, and on Kings Weston Hill near Henbury.
The Romans followed in their footsteps, seeing the strategic and trade advantages of the river setting, and built a settlement called Abona at what is now Sea Mills.
Call me Briz
In ancient times Bristol was called Caer Odor, which is archaic Welsh meaning fort on the chasm. Over time this was replaced by the name Brycgstow, which is Old English meaning place at the bridge. However, over the years the local ‘Bristolian’ accent, still heard today, which turns a vowel sound at the end of a word into an ‘L’, changed the name to Bristol – and that name stuck! And the city is affectionately called Bristle, or Briz, by us locals. The original form of the name lives on as the surname Bristow, and is found around the globe, showing how many Bristolians emigrated from the city in bygone times.
Shipshape and Bristol fashion
Bristol was beginning to make a name for itself! During the 11th century, Brycstow developed as a fortified settlement, with a mint producing silver pennies stamped with its own title. It soon grew to become one of the largest medieval towns outside London, alongside York and Norwich, with a bustling port at the confluence of the River Avon and Frome.
In 1373, it was the first town in England to be granted county status. However, it was also the first to be badly affected by the Black Death, with nearly a half of the population dying in just one year, 1348-1349.
As its reputation as a shipbuilding and seafaring city grew, the saying “Shipshape and Bristol fashion” was declared by sailors, when they were ready to set sail. The harbour was the starting point for many early voyages of exploration to the so-called New World. The Venetian explorer John Cabot, sailed out of Bristol on his ship, the Matthew in 1497, and became the first European since the Vikings to land on mainland North America. There is a replica of his ship at the Harbourside.
In 1499 William Weston, a Bristol merchant, was the first Englishman to lead an exploration trip into the interior of the new continent. He was followed by other famous explorers, sailing out of the Bristol harbour, including Thomas James, who gave his name to James Bay, on the Hudson River near New York. And Martin Pring, who discovered Cape Cod and the Southern New England coastline in 1603.
However, there is speculation that it was actually Bristol fishermen who “discovered” the Americas way before Cabot and Columbus. Rumour has it that as early as 1420, they sailed to Iceland to fish for cod, and landed on the Canadian coast to salt and smoke their catch, before the voyage back to Bristol!
In the 17th century, Bristol fishermen who fished the waters around Newfoundland, began settling there in large numbers, building settlements called Bristol’s Hope and Cuper’s Cove. The name Bristol was soon carried far and wide, and there are a number of places around the world now called Bristol!
Slavery and that bloody statue
Soon Bristol became a key player in the transatlantic slave trade. It’s recorded that from 1700 to 1807, more than 2,000 slave ships left Bristol harbour, and carried over 500,000 people from the West coast of Africa to the American colonies. The conditions on the ships were brutal, and many thousands died. Those who survived what was known as the Middle Passage, were sold as slaves to work on plantations.
The ships returned with a cargo of tobacco, sugar, rum and cotton, and also a few slaves who were sold to the English aristocracy as house servants. The cruel trade brought huge wealth to the city, and funded many buildings and institutions.
In June 2020, the statue of infamous Bristol slave trader Edward Colston was torn down, sprayed with blood red paint, and pushed into the city harbour during protests in support of Black Lives Matter. Colston was a member of the Royal African Company, and was deputy governor of the company from 1689 to 1690. During this period, the trade in slaves, as well as gold and ivory from West Africa, reached a horrifying scale.
Colston was MP for Bristol in 1710 – 1713, and he was remembered as a philanthropist, funding schools and other public institutions in Bristol. The statue of him was erected in 1895, nearly 200 years after his death. However, as awareness of his part in the slave trade grew, there were petitions to the city council to change the name of local buildings such as the Colston Hall, a prime music venue in the city. And calls for his statue to be removed. However, frustrated by lack of action, local people took the matter into their own hands, and ripped it down. The statue was hauled out of the river a few days later, and will be put on permanent display at Bristol Museum.
Read here about the sculpture of a black lives matter protestor who replaced the Colston statue
The Harbourside
There are so many things to see and do in the Bristol harbourside – you could spend a day or two wandering around – visiting art galleries and museums – and eating. (Did I mention eating? I’ll get on to that later.)
But it wasn’t always like this! It’s hard to believe that back in the 60s and 70s – when I was growing up in Bristol – the docks (as they were known then) were a dangerous wasteland of old industrial buildings.
Cargo ships were too big to navigate the tidal River Avon, so the main port had been relocated several miles downstream to Avonmouth. The river area was virtually derelict, and it was a scary place. The water was an unsightly grey colour, and full of rats – a breeding ground for disease. Basically – you didn’t want to risk falling in! You certainly wouldn’t see people enjoying themselves on dinghies or paddle boards!
However, as the decades passed, the old warehouses were regenerated. The Harbourside Festival started in the 1980s, and put Bristol firmly on the map as a fun place to visit.
You can begin a walk around the harbourside at any point, or use the ferries to hop on and off, to see the many sights. There’s the Arnolfini for contemporary art exhibitions, or the M-Shed, to see the displays of industrial heritage, including the Grade 1 Listed old cranes. Plus there’s the Aquarium, the We the Curious centre, the Watershed Media Centre, and of course, Brunel’s SS Great Britain. And further along the harbour – you can visit Underfall Yard – which was recently renovated to show the workings of the locks and floating harbour.
And if hunger pangs strike – there’s a whole range of bars and restaurants, for snacks or fine dining. Many are in historic buildings, such as the River Station, which was the old river firestation. And on old boats, such as The Glass Boat.
Banksy and the Others
So who is Banksy – most people in Bristol seem to know someone who knows him. And in his footsteps, graffiti artists have covered the city walls in fantastical colours and images. Every year, (except during last year’s lockdown,) graffiti artists flock to the city for Upfest, to show off their spraying talents in front of live audiences. There’s even a daily walking tour around the most famous painted walls, including many from Banksy.
Click here for more information about the graffiti walking tour.
At the same time as graffitti was appearing on the city streets, Bristol was also giving birth to a new genre of hip hop – known as trip hop – with artists inlcuding Massive Attack, Tricky and Portishead – reaching international stardom.
There certainly seems to be a creative spark in the local water, as there is a long roll call of famous artists and writers connected with the city, including William Wordsworth and Samuel Coleridge. Plus many contemporary writers have set their books here.
Bristol is also the home of Oscar winning Aardman Animations, famous for Wallace and Gromit and Shaun the Sheep. In recent years, it was named Bristollywood, because of the number of films and TV shows which have been filmed here, including Casualty and Being Human. I recently watched The Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, and the harbourside outside the M-Shed was turned into Weymouth Harbour in the late 1940s. However, I did notice a continuity mistake – the old train goods wagons in the background, from the M-Shed museum – had Avonmouth painted on the side – a dead giveaway that Bristol was where those scenes were filmed!
And of course, theatre has always played a huge role in the city’s cultural life, with the beautiful Bristol Old Vic in Kings Street, the oldest working theatre in the English speaking world, hosting a whole range of traditional and experiemental shows. And talking of theatre and film, I nearly forgot to mention Cary Grant, the Hollywood film star, who was born in Bristol – as Archie Leach, and visited the city often.
Up the Hill to Clifton
You could spend another whole day exploring Clifton Village – which is a short bus ride, number 8, from the city centre up Park Street. Did I mention that this is where I live – infact – I was born here too! If you see me walking around doing some shopping – give me a shout – and we can go for coffee – and exchange stories of hidden gems we have discovered around the city.
There’s a lot to do in Clifton: most visitors head straight to the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge which was built in Victorian times at a jaw dropping height of 100 feet above the River Avon. Take a walk across the bridge – and visit the Information Centre on the other side. If you don’t like heights – it’s best not to look down! However, do take time to admire the Avon Gorge with its spectacular high cliffs, rare wildlife, and tales of giants fighting for the hand of the fair maiden Avona!
The quaint streets of the village itself are full of independent shops, and a Victorian arcade, as well as picture postcard pretty Georgian squares and crescents. There are teashops and delis galore, plus indie restaurants such as Rosemarino. If you’re visiting on a sunny evening, you might even see a hot air balloon wafting over on the breeze from Ashton Court, where the annual balloon fiesta is held.
Beyond Bristol
If you’re visiting for more than a few days, then it’s worth exploring further afield. Bristol is known as the gateway to the South West – and within an hour – you could be experiencing the seaside towns of Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare, both with historic piers. A ten minute train ride to the East takes you into the heart of Bath, with its Roman baths and spa experience. A slightly longer journey out of Bristol reveals the stunning wooded valleys and mellow villages of the Cotswolds, or historic Wells and Glastonbury in Somerset. Plus it’s only a short drive over the Severn Bridge to Wales, to visit the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley.
Bristol goes global
Bristol with its bustling West coast port is linked to so many places around the world. It’s even thought Bristol fishermen landed on the coast of North America, before John Cabot. In the past trade with the so-called New World was notoriously cruel. During the eighteenth century – the city’s merchants were responsible for transporting 500,000 Africans in horrifying conditions to work as slaves in the Americas.
In Victorian times, engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel brought fame to the city, with his design of the SS Great Britain. It was the world’s first great ocean liner with an iron hull, which broke all records on its first crossing to New York.
In the early twentieth century, aviation pioneer James White led the way for air travel with the Bristol Aeroplane Company. And in the 1970s, Bristol was one of the design and manufacturing centres for Concorde.
Reflecting its international reputation, there are 34 other places in the world called Bristol. Most of these are in the United States, including the second largest place called Bristol in Connecticut. There are also towns named Bristol in Barbados, Jamaica, Canada, Costa Rica, and Peru. And a beach, Playa Bristol, in Argentina.
I will be exploring these connections in my blog posts. I will be travelling far and wide to find new stories, starting with Costa Rica, which shares with Bristol a similar passion for environmental change.