The 14 Best Things to Do in Bristol in 2023

Last Updated: 3/2/23 | March second, 2023

While maximum vacationers who talk over with England simplest talk over with London, there are if truth be told numerous different gem stones in the rustic price exploring.

One such position is Bristol.

“Bristol? There’s not much there.”

That was once the usual answer from locals each time I discussed I used to be heading to Bristol.

Needless to say, I had low expectancies. But I visited anyway. After all, there’s no such factor as “must-see” — and that implies there’s no such factor as “must skip” both.

On arrival, I discovered a hip faculty the town with superb eateries, glorious issues to see, and various inexperienced house.

Bristol is just like the English model of Seattle. Most vacationers appear to use it as a base for journeys to Bath however by no means totally discover this town, giving it just a transient look sooner than heading again to London.

This is a mistake.

With a inhabitants of round 500,000, Bristol is the biggest town in southern England (after London) and could also be one of the most biggest transport ports in England. It gained a royal constitution in 1155 and, till the upward push of Liverpool, Birmingham, and Manchester throughout the Industrial Revolution, was once considered one of England’s biggest towns.

Bristol suffered intensive bombing throughout World War II and a next decline in its production trade. Today, the town is a colourful faculty the town. The University of Bristol dominates the town, and the scholars supply numerous source of revenue and jobs for the group.

To can help you take advantage of from your talk over with, right here’s an inventory of my favourite issues to see and do in Bristol:
 

1. Bristol Cathedral

This gorgeous cathedral was once consecrated in 1148 and was once constructed in the Romanesque taste (and has a identical design to Notre Dame in Paris). Originally named St. Augustine’s Abbey, the cathedral stretches over 300 toes and whilst a lot of it’s been rebuilt, probably the most authentic development stays.

College Green, West End, +44 117 926 4879, bristol-cathedral.co.united kingdom. Open Tuesday-Saturday from 9am-4pm and 11:30am-3pm on Sundays. Dress respectfully as it is a position of worship. Admission is loose. Tours are to be had on maximum Tuesdays and Saturdays at 11:30am and a pair of:15pm for five GBP.
 

2. Wander King Street

Originally laid out in 1650, King Street is an engaging, ancient a part of Bristol. It used to be the place the outdated crusing barges docked after their trips from South Wales. Now the realm is the center of the theatrical district and lines exceptional bars and eating places. There are even some pubs from the seventeenth century which might be nonetheless status, reminiscent of The Hatchet Inn which was once constructed in the Tudor taste in 1606!
 

3. See the Clifton Suspension Bridge

This is Bristol’s most renowned landmark. Suspended top above the Avon Gorge and River Avon, the bridge opened in 1864 and gives sweeping perspectives of the river and surrounding parks and constructions. It was once additionally the place one of the most early bungee jumps in the United Kingdom was once held in the Seventies. The bridge stretches 412 meters (1,352 toes) and handles nearly 10,000 automobiles according to day. There’s a small customer middle close by the place you’ll be able to be informed extra concerning the bridge and its historical past too (it’s open day-to-day from 10am-5pm).
 

4. Check out St. Nicholas Market

This is a full of life, bustling marketplace with extra stores than you want to undergo in a day. There turns out to be an never-ending collection of farmers’ stalls with superb native produce, second-hand bookshops, and antique clothes retail outlets. The marketplace dates again to 1743 and is the very best position to wander, discover, and humans watch.

Corn St, +44 117 922 4014, bristol.gov.united kingdom/internet/st-nicholas-markets. Open Monday-Saturday from 9:30am-5pm.
 

5. Visit the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

Established in 1823, this museum covers slightly little bit of the whole lot — from archaeology to dinosaurs to English historical past to artwork. The expansive selection helps to keep issues fascinating so even non-history buffs will revel in it. It’s the realm’s biggest museum and considered one of my private favorites. While there are tens of 1000’s of things in the museum’s assortment, it’s now not too overwhelming and simple to see in a couple of hours. Plus, like any public museums in England, it’s loose!

Queens Road, +44 117 922 3571, bristolmuseums.org.united kingdom/bristol-museum-and-art-gallery. Open Tuesday-Sunday from 10am-5pm. Admission is loose however donations are inspired.
 

6. Take a Walking Tour

Bristol is an outdated town and has been the most important port for just about one thousand years. With such a lot historical past, it must come as no wonder that the town has amassed its justifiable share of ghost tales. To pay attention probably the most stories as you discover the town, take a haunted strolling excursion with Haunted and Hidden Ghost Walks. Their excursion starts nightly at 8pm, lasts 90 mins, and is easily definitely worth the 7 GBP!

If haunted walks aren’t your cup of tea, take a road artwork excursion. Bristol is house to a number of works by way of Banksy in addition to heaps of alternative work of art. Bristol was once Banksy’s street-art house, and you’ll be able to uncover over 30 years of road artwork by way of artists from in every single place the sector.

Tours from Where the Wall remaining 2 hours and canopy the town’s perfect works of public artwork. Tours get started at 7.50 GBP and run maximum Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Bristol Pirate Walks are every other a laugh possibility, particularly for historical past buffs. These quick strolling excursions permit you to revel in a few of Bristol’s oldest neighborhoods and can train you concerning the early historical past of the town throughout the sixteenth, seventeenth, and 18th centuries. You’ll additionally get to see websites related to mythical pirates like Long John Silver and Blackbeard. Tours remaining 1 hour and price 12.50 GBP.
 

7. See the S.S. Great Britain

Located in the harbor, the S.S Great Britain was once the sector’s first steam-powered passenger liner. It took its maiden voyage in 1845 and was once if truth be told the longest send in the sector for just about a decade. (It’s 322 toes lengthy).

Unfortunately, because it was once so large it took a very long time to construct (it took 6 years to whole) and the homeowners went bankrupt now not lengthy after it was once introduced. It ran aground now not lengthy after and was once offered for salvage. After being repaired, the send was once used to ferry passengers to Australia from 1852-1881 when the send was once transformed to all-sail. It was once scuttled and sunk in the Falkland Islands in 1937 the place it stayed for 33 years till it was once recovered, hauled again to the United Kingdom, and was a vacationer enchantment.

Great Western Dockyard, +44 0117 926 0680, ssgreatbritain.org. Open Tuesday-Sunday from 10am-4pm. Admission is 22 GBP.
 

8. Have Fun at WetheCurious

This science and artwork middle is an academic charity devoted to cultivating interest. Opened in 2000, it’s house to over 250 interactive shows, making it a a laugh and academic position to talk over with if you happen to’re touring with children. They have a planetarium, 3-d printers, and shows overlaying the human frame, magnets, animation, and extra! The development is lately closed for maintenance after a fireplace however plans to reopen someday in 2023.

1 Millennium Square, +44 0117 915 1000, wethecurious.org. Open Wednesday-Sunday from 10am-5pm. Admission is 16.50 GBP.
 

9. Relax on the Downs

The Downs (Clifton Down and Durdham Down) are a secure parkland at the fringe of the town. Spanning over 400 acres, they’re inside strolling distance of the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Avon Gorge and make for a pleasing position to calm down, walk, and watch the locals play sports activities. The space referred to as the Sea Wall is the very best position to take in the perspectives, and there’s various house to unfold out and revel in a herbal retreat with out straying too some distance from the town.
 

10. See Cabot Tower

The tower, which stands 32 meters (105 toes), was once constructed in the Eighteen Nineties to have a good time the four-hundredth anniversary of the Italian explorer John Cabot’s departure from Bristol and his final “discovery” of North America (he was once the primary European to talk over with North America because the Norse Vikings in 1000 CE). The tower is made out of sandstone and has a slim staircase inside of that you’ll be able to climb to take in the sweeping view.

Brandon Hill Park, +44 0117 922 3719, bristol.gov.united kingdom/museums-parks-sports-culture/brandon-hill. Open day-to-day from 8:00am-5:15pm. Admission is loose.
 

11. Visit Blaise Castle

Built in 1798 in the Gothic Revival taste, this “castle” is if truth be told a sham — it’s now not an actual citadel however moderately a look-alike constructed by way of a rich circle of relatives only for the thrill of it. It’s necessarily a decorative development, providing sweeping perspectives over the encircling 650 acres and the Avon Gorge. There could also be a close-by historical house that has been transformed right into a museum the place you’ll be able to be informed extra concerning the citadel and its quirky historical past.

Kings Weston Rd, +44 117 922 2000, bristol.gov.united kingdom/museums-parks-sports-culture/blaise-castle-estate. Open day-to-day from 7:30am–5:15pm (5:15pm in the iciness). Admission is loose.
 

12. Ride the Avon Valley Railway

This railway, which dates again to the 1860s, as soon as attached Bristol to Bath. Today it’s a three-mile heritage railway the place you’ll be able to journey a steam-powered teach. There’s additionally an absolutely restored Victorian teach station the place you’ll be able to get a way of what touring was once like on the flip of the remaining century. For mountain climbing lovers, there’s a strolling path beside the tracks if you happen to’d moderately discover on foot.

Bitton Station, +44 117 932 5538, avonvalleyrailway.org. Open day-to-day from 9:00am-5:00pm. Steam teach tickets are 11 GBP whilst diesel teach tickets are 10 GBP.
 

13. Visit the Wookey Hole Caves

If you’re searching for an journey out of doors of the town, talk over with the Wookey Hole Caves. This distinctive geological space is a snappy and simple day shuttle from Bristol (it’s simply an hour away by way of automotive). The limestone caves have been constructed from an underground river and you’ll be able to discover them by the use of a 35-minute excursion. There could also be a museum that presentations artifacts found out inside the caves. If you’re feeling adventurous, believe taking a ship journey in the course of the waters throughout the cave the place you’ll find out about spelunking.

The Mill, High St, Wookey Hole, +44 1749 672243, wookey.co.united kingdom. Opening hours range in accordance with vacations and seasons however are normally 9:40am-4:30pm. Check the website online for explicit instances. Admission is 21.45 GBP.
 

14. Explore Gloucester Road

Bristol’s Gloucester Road options Europe’s biggest stretch of unbiased stores. The complete road is walkable, and also you’ll to find various puts to prevent and people-watch. You’ll to find distinctive one-of-a-kind stores and boutiques each and every few steps, and it’s a great spot to revel in some tasty native meals. There also are various hip cafes and vigorous pubs in this space as smartly.

I believed Bristol, with its outdated industrial-turned-Bohemian attraction, made for a great spot to spend a couple of days. There have been historical properties to talk over with, a couple of excellent museums, and a few glorious parks. Its symbol as an commercial middle nonetheless lingers on in maximum of England, making it a spot few move or need to discover.

But that works out for the remainder of us. For whilst everybody else heads off to Bath, we will have the town of Bristol to ourselves.

I believe the phrase gets out, however for now, Bristol stays a hidden gem and a town this is smartly price a talk over with.

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