This list of places to see in Bristol It will help you organize your itinerary and route through this interesting English city without missing anything important.
With a rebellious and creative spirit, Bristol has managed to gain a foothold among the great cities of the United Kingdom thanks to its extensive cultural life, the urban art of the best graffiti artists in the world, the surprising gastronomic proposals, the cared for parks and buildings more historical like the Cathedral and the University.
In addition, the best way to explore this port city, located among the top positions in the country in terms of quality of life, is on foot or by bike, something that makes it very friendly with travelers.
And of course, after completing all the interesting visits of the city in one or two days, we recommend you to take a train excursion to some of the wonders that are closer such as Bath, Salisbury or the enigmatic Stonehenge.
Based on our stay in the city during our trip to Bristol, Bath, Salisbury and Stonehenge, we have made a list of what we believe are the 10 places to visit in Bristol essential. We start!
1. The Cathedral
One of the Top things to do in Bristol It is walking through the old town until you find the Cathedral, one of its most important and ancient monuments. Founded in 1140 as Abbey of St. Augustine, which still houses the chapter hall and the Great Gatehouse, it was not until 1542 when it became Bristol Cathedral.
This church of a very particular Gothic style has in the Lady Chapel, the arches of the sacristy of the Berkeley chapel, the choir and the cloister its most prominent elements.
Visiting hours: every day from 11am to 5pm.
Bristol Cathedral
2. Urban Art
Bristol is known as the world capital of "street art", in which Bansky, the most famous and coveted graffiti artist in the world, has its biggest protagonist.
Despite being an anonymous artist, it is known that Bansky was born in Bristol and some of his first and most recent works, which always have the political and social critical criticism, are found in its streets and buildings.
Among his most famous graffiti to see in Bristol are that of Mild Mild West, Well Hung Lover and The Girl With Pearl Earring.
To find the works of this mythical graffiti artist and other authors, you can ask the Tourist Office or book this free graffiti tour with a guide in Spanish.
See Urban Art, one of the things to do in Bristol
3. SS Great Britain
The SS Great Britain, a British ship that was for 11 years the largest in the world, is another of the essential places to visit in Bristol.
This ship of 1843, was the first ocean liner with an iron hull and the first passenger propelled by a propeller, making it a naval landmark of its time. Advanced in its time, this ship arrived to transport more than 700 passengers to New York in just 14 days, until it was sold to bring immigrants to Australia.
In its last years it was used to transport coal and then be abandoned in 1937 in the Falkland Islands.
In 1970 the ship returned to Bristol and after a deep restoration it became a museum and one of the most visited attractions in the city.
Visiting hours: from March to November from 10am to 6pm. The rest of the months close at 4:30 p.m.
SS Great Britain
4. Queen Square, one of the places to see in Bristol
Queen Square, a beautiful square surrounded by Georgian houses, is another of the most beautiful places to see in Bristol.
This square was an old swamp in the thirteenth century, until in 1622 it was remodeled to become a tree-lined promenade and a place to play bowling and owes its name to Queen Anne, who visited it in 1702 and since then the rich City merchants settled in this strategic place near the port, building their beautiful houses.
In 1831, there was a booty with hundreds of dead in which more than 100 buildings in the square and surrounding areas were burned, including the town hall. After a long restoration, Queen Square is now a meeting point for tourists and locals, where concerts and open-air theater are held.
A good way to know the history and curiosities of this square and the city is to book this free tour of Bristol Free! With guide in Spanish.
Queen Square, one of the places to see in Bristol
5 . St Nicholas Market
The St Nicholas Market of 1743, located near the harbor, is the most famous and oldest market to see in Bristol.
Covered in Georgian style and with more than 60 stalls, this market is perfect for finding a souvenir and for shelter from the usual English rain, as well as having an extensive offer of international cuisine, with quality products at a good price, including falafel stalls and kebabs
In the pedestrian streets adjacent to the market such as Corn Street and Wine Street, outdoor markets are mounted, which can be another place to visit in the city. For example, on Wednesday fresh produce from farmers is sold, on Tuesdays and Fridays street food and on Mondays, vegan and healthy food.
Visiting hours: Monday to Saturday at 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Our recommended hotel in Bristol
We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn Bristol City, located 5 minutes walk from Temple Meads train station and 15 minutes from downtown. In addition to its magnificent location that allows you to visit other wonders of southern England by train, the hotel has friendly staff, 24-hour reception, a full breakfast and one of the best quality / price ratios in the city.
6. Clifton Suspension Bridge
Reaching the Clifton suspension bridge after strolling through the elegant neighborhood of the same name is another of the Top things to do in Bristol.
This bridge of more than 200 meters in length and 75 high, was built in stone 150 years ago to link the Clifton neighborhood with Leigh Woods, crossing the gorge and the Avon River and stands out for its two huge 26 meter high towers located on both sides and for being the place where the first bungee jumping in the world took place in 1979.
If you go to Bristol in August we recommend that you match the International Balloon Festival, the most important balloon festival in Europe that fills the city sky with color. In this case, to have the best views of the bridge with the background balloons, we advise you to climb to the Clifton Observatory.
Clifton Suspension Bridge
7. Port
Although Bristol is 15 kilometers from the sea, it has a magnificent port thanks to the navigability of the Avón river that crosses the city and that in the 12th century made the city an important port for trade between England and Ireland, although in the Currently, it is only for recreational use when moving merchandise traffic out of the city.
One of the Top things to do in Bristol It is to walk along the pedestrian promenade of the port to enjoy the atmosphere that forms on the terraces, see the boats and observe beautiful colorful houses located in the upper part.
During the tour, in addition to visiting the SS Great Britain, you will pass through the Millennium Square with several water games and the M Shed Museum, where another Bansky work is located and from where you have good views of the entire harbor from its terrace. To end the route you can go to Underfall Yard, a shipyard of the nineteenth century that has been rebuilt to make it another of the Attractions to visit in Bristol.
Bristol Harbor
8. Castle Park
Taking a relaxing walk or having a picnic on a sunny day on the grass of Castle Park, is another of the Top things to do in Bristol.
In this park of large trees located in the heart of the city next to the river, you will find the beautiful ruined church of St Mary-le-Port and the remains of the Bristol castle from which a vaulted chamber is preserved.
Recommended travel cardsRemember that in order not to pay commissions and always have the current change we recommend you use the N26 card to pay and the Bnext and Revolut cards to get money at the ATMs. They are the ones we use, They are free and will save you a lot.
You can find more information in this article about the best cards to travel without commissions.
9. Other points of interest in Bristol
If you have more time we recommend you approach these others points of interest to visit in Bristol:
- College: another of the emblematic buildings of the city that is also located among the best in the world.
- St Mary Redcliffe: one of the most beautiful gothic churches in England that stands out for the porch, the Hogarth Triptych and the stained glass windows.
- Bristol Museum & Art Gallery: The most important museum in the city, where you can observe everything from ancient Egyptian objects to Bansky's works. Admission is free.
- Ashton's Court Mansion: an impressive mansion surrounded by one of the most beautiful natural spaces to see in Bristol.
- Christmas Steps: An alley full of stairs and charm.
- Town hall: known as the Council House, this huge building has an artificial lake with several fountains in front.
Bristol City Hall
10. Excursions from Bristol
Once you have completed all must see places in Bristol, we recommend you to do one or several day train trips to one of the wonders that are closest.
The first proposal is the visit to Salisbury and Stonehenge, the most famous and enigmatic megalithic monument in Europe. The best way to get to Stonehenge is to take a train at Temple Meads station that takes just over an hour to Salisbury. Once at the station you can get on one of the The Stonehenge Tour company buses that will take you to the site in 30 minutes.
Once you have visited Stonehenge you can return to Salisbury to see its beautiful old town and its famous Cathedral.
The other day trip that we recommend from Bristol is the visit to Bath, one of the most beautiful cities in England and a World Heritage Site. To get to Bath you can take the train at Temple Meads that takes 15 minutes.
Once in the city do not miss the Ancient Roman Baths, the Pulteney Bridge, the Abbey and follow in the footsteps of the writer Jane Austen.
Stonehenge
How to get to Bristol
The most common way to get to Bristol is by air, landing at Bristol International Airport, located 12 kilometers from the center. Once at the airport you can reach the center with the Airport Flyer Express bus, which is open 24 hours a day and will take you in half an hour to Temple Meads station and several downtown stops.
If you are staying away from the center you can take a taxi, an Uber or this convenient direct transfer service to the hotel.
Another option is to get to Bristol from London by direct train from Paddington station in an hour and a half or by taking a bus from the Megabus or National Express companies that will be cheaper.
If you feel like helping us complete the list of the 10 places to see in Bristol essential, add yours in the comments.
