9 Best Things About Bristol & Why You Should Visit

Quirky, colourful and unconventional in the best possible way: you should 100% visit Bristol if you’re trying to see more of the UK.

The largest city in the southwest of England was recently named by none other than the New York Times as one of the best places to visit in 2018, and it’s being recognised all over the world for its marvellous museums.

Bristol also got the coveted title of Best City to Live in Britain by the Sunday Times in 2017. I visited for a weekend to find out what makes Bristol worth visiting.

After just two days, I wanted to move my life there. I couldn’t get enough of Bristol’s vibrant personality and buzzing nightlife – and it seems my followers couldn’t either.

As soon as I arrived, DMs arrived in droves on Instagram from people telling me how much they love Bristol.

Here’s a list of the best things about Bristol that will make you want to visit the colourful English city.

Is Bristol Worth Visiting? Yes! Here Are 9 Reasons To Go

1. Bristol gives independent local businesses room to thrive

Did you know that Bristol is home to Europe’s longest shopping street with only independent retailers? Gloucester Road is the place to shop if you want to support Bristol’s indie traders. One of the best things about Bristol is its pride in local businesses!

The city has even had its own currency since 2012, when the Bristol Pound was launched to keep money in the local economy.

Then there’s CARGO at Wapping Wharf, a vibrant cluster of shipping containers housing lots of indie businesses on Bristol’s harbourside.  Be sure to stop at Bristol Cider Shop for some west country produce!

You also can’t miss St Nick’s Market, another brilliant collection of local traders.

2. Bristolians live life in full colour

From the rainbow-hued houses of Cliftonwood Crescent to the row of multicoloured lego blocks on Redcliffe Parade, Bristol’s homeowners could never be accused of being beige. There’s something about a row of rainbow houses that just makes you smile, isn’t there?

Bristol’s bursting colour palette is a great source of pride for the city, and their goal of being named Colour Capital was voted the best idea in Stride Treglown’s 52 Big Ideas for Bristol book.

Bristol’s love of colour distinguishes the city from nearby Bath, and more and more locals are painting their homes in pretty colours.

3. The city is a treasure trove of Instagram worthy establishments

If you travel with Instagram in mind (hey, no judgement here), Bristol won’t let you down.

Newly opened The Florist boasts one of those flower walls (and more seriously beautiful interiors throughout the multi-floor venue), while bakery Pinkmans is all ‘grammable’ copper pipes and picture-perfect doughnuts.

 

4. A cruise on Bristol’s harbour spirits you away to another world

Bristol played an important role in England’s maritime trade and its dock was once a busy trading place for tobacco, wine and cotton. It’s still the epicentre of life in the city.

With markets, waterside bars and restaurants plus some of the city’s best attractions splaying out from the water’s edge, the harbour has transformed into a leisure destination in itself.

Tourists can take a 45 minute cruise on the Bristol Packet, gliding past swans and the city’s various attractions, with commentary from a local.

5. It’s a foodie paradise

From the local vendors flogging food from every corner of the globe in St Nick’s Market to the international flavours served on the harbourside, you’ll never go hungry in Bristol.

Try The Stable for pizza, pies and local cider, or stop at award-winning pie shop Pieminister on Stokes Croft.

If you fancy something a bit different, cool off with a swim and dinner at The Lido.

6. There are unexpected pleasures around every corner

There’s something ever so endearing about a city that tries hard to make its residents smile.

In Bristol, you’ll be confronted with bus stops in obscure places that no bus could ever actually get to, complimentary street signs that remind you just how beautiful the world is, and – if you go at the right time of year – a flock of hot air balloons floating between the clouds.

There are so many quaint spots around Bristol, my favourite being the Diagon Alley-esque Christmas Steps.

7. Bristol is basically the birthplace of UK street art

If you know anything about street art, you’ll have heard of Banksy, the anonymous artist who uses his pieces to make a statement on important issues. He was bred in Bristol and his work caused the city council to change its treatment of street art.

You can still see a few of his later pieces on Bristol’s streets, along with other inspired murals by local artists.

Bristol’s streets will never be a stagnant museum of permanent street art because its artists never rest, so the city’s walls are an ever-evolving exhibition where you’ll always spot something new. More reasons for a return visit, right?

8. The architecture wows

You should always remember to look up in Bristol, and not just because you might spot a hot air balloon high in the sky.

The city boasts some incredible architecture, from Bristol Cathedral and almost-as-impressive St. Mary Redcliffe Church to Europe’s longest residential crescent, Royal York Crescent – and of course, the world-famous Clifton Suspension Bridge.

There’s a visitors centre for the Grade I listed structure and you can take a free tour to learn more about its history, or climb Observatory Hill for a birds eye view.

9. There are enough museums and cultural attractions in Bristol to interest every type of visitor

Bristol houses a generous offering of museums and cultural spaces, so even on a rainy day, there’s plenty to see and do.

People of all ages will love the Bristol Aquarium and we the curious, an interactive Science centre housing the UK’s only 3D planetarium.

Bristol also has a plethora of maritime attractions that hark back to its days as a busy trading port, such as the free-to-enter M Shed and The Matthew, a replica of the boat used by John Cabot when he discovered Newfoundland in 1497.

You can’t visit Bristol without seeing the SS Great Britain, Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s engineering masterpiece, which was the world’s first great ocean liner.

There’s also the newly opened Being Brunel Museum, where you can learn more about the man himself.

What to do in Bristol

Check out my itinerary for a weekend in Bristol to plan your visit. If you don’t want to walk around the city, buy hop-on-hop-off bus tickets.

You can also book tours and activities for your trip ahead of time on GetYourGuide. I’ve compiled some of the best things to do in Bristol below.

Find a place to stay in Bristol

Booking.com

How to get to Bristol

You can fly to Bristol from all over the UK. Search for flights and compare prices with different airlines on Skyscanner.

If you’re driving from elsewhere in the UK, you can get to Bristol via the intersection of the M4 and M5.

By train, you’re aiming for Bristol Temple Meads railway station.

Plan and book your visit to Bristol using my Travel Resources page.

More UK travel guides

What to do on a Liverpool city break

Best things to do in Leeds

How to have a brilliant weekend in Newcastle

Best cities in the north of England for a weekend break

All UK destination guides

A few things I learned during my weekend in Bristol summed up the city’s unorthodox spirit for me: Banksy never went to art college and two of the main members of homegrown band Massive Attack can’t play instruments.

I later read that Bristol had its own ‘time’ at one point in history – trains travelling between Bristol to London used to operate on two different timetables, 15 minutes apart. You can still see this on a clock at the entrance of The Exchange building.

Maybe it’s the student-heavy population or maybe it’s something in the River Avon’s water, but Bristol does everything its own way and doesn’t let little things like the status quo get in the way. I kinda love them for it.

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