The 10 best things to do in Bristol

Posted on by fannyferio

In November 2022, I visited a friend living in Bristol. We spent a couple of days together in Bristol and then took some day trip around the city. Here are my recommendations.

Spoiler: So far Bristol is my favorite city in England. I am not a fan of London because I don’t fancy big cities. They are not showing the authenticity of a country in my opinion. I enjoy metropole for themselves but they usually do not represent the rest of a country to me. Bristol is very authentic and you feel a part of the local life and that’s why I really enjoyed it.

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Table of Contents

Useful Informations

Bristol is located in the South west of England nearby the region of Wales.

  • Currency / Pounds £.
  • UE/CH you need your passport but you don’t need a Visa. For other nationalities please check the British formalities.
  • Don’t forget your adaptor.

How long should I stay in Bristol ?

All the major spots can be done in a day if you are motivated enough but I recommend taking two days to really appreciate the city. I also recommend taking 1-2 extra days to take a day trip from Bristol. The region is beautiful and it’s a shame to miss it.

How to get there?

  • Internationally: By plane, because Bristol has its own airport.
  • From England, vous can take the train. This commute works very well and is quite cheap if you take your ticket in advance. I booked my ticket from Bristol – London for 28£ and the journey takes 2h30.

What to do in Bristol

  1. The Christmas Steps

The Christmas Steps is a small historical street in Bristol. You can find some small shops and authentic buildings. It’s a really cute place to walk around and a great starting point for your tour.

2. Spike Island

Spike island is an area of Bristol and its artistic center. The atmosphere is « underground ». You can walk around factories and bump into some art galleries. To access, you can jump on a small boat. I really recommend it as the view from the water is very pretty.

3. Clifton suspension bridge

The Clifton suspension bridge is the symbol of Bristol. You can admire it from the Clifton Observatory.

4. Cabot Tower (& Cassie Bench)

This tower was built in 1897 and is located in a beautiful park. I recommend visiting it because you can go at the top and admire the view on the whole city.

5. Saint Trinity Cathedral

🇬🇧The Cathedral was built between 1140 and 1148 in a Gothic style. It’s part of the historical monuments of England. It really worth the visit as its interior is very beautiful.

Opening time: Mo-Fr: 8am to 5pm and Sa-Su: 8am to 3pm.

6. Visit the Art museums

  1. Arnolfini Arts museum
  2. We the curious
  3. The Royal Photographic Society

… And many more.

You can find a lot of guided tour and experiences on GetYourGuide. If you are curious of their offer I let you their search engine for Bristol just down below.

7. Wonder in the thrift shops.

Bristol is well known for the thrift shops and there are many choices for everybody. My personal favorite where the vintage bookshops where you can buy a book for 3£. But you can find many clothes affordable shops too.

8. Try out some food

  • Anna Cake Couture …Best cookies ever !
  • Koocha Mezze Bar

Vegan restaurant with lots of different mezze to share and a great variety of meals ! Yummy !

  • The Bristolian Café… A great place for typical English breakfast ! They also offer lots of veggie and vegan options.
  • Pinkmans bakery… Such a great bakery in the center of Bristol !

Fancy a day trip around Bristol ?

9. Bath

If you want to discover an ancient roman city you can visit Bath. It’s also well known for its Jane Austen festival. You can walk around and look at the great buildings, relax in the roman bath or experience a British tea in a cute tearoom. It’s a nice city to visit in one day.

10. Castle Combe

Often named as the prettiest village in England, Castle Combe is a must visit. This village is made of Cotswolds stones. It is also well known for appearing in a lot of movies. I recommend going in the morning before the crowd arrives.

Some other popular tours in and around bristol

If you don’t rent a car it can be pretty har to get to the countryside. If it’s your case I would recommend you to take a tour around the Cotswolds or even a tour for Stonehenge.

Still have question? Do not hesitate to DM me on insta or let a comment at the end of this article. Have nice trip to Bristol !