Bristol tourist information
Bristol is an exciting city, overflowing with intriguing, traditional and occasionally off the wall things to do and see. Its harbourside location lined with attractions, boats, restaurants and museums makes it unforgettable. But what really makes it special is its energy, the mix of historic and new, and having been designated a European Centre of Culture, the city continues to celebrate in style with a year round calendar of events and festivals.
Bristol is a city which skilfully merges its present and its past. It's been a port for a thousand years, and Bristol certainly has nautical rhythms in its blood. But alongside the echoes of seafarers past are the sounds of a young city - the bands and bars, the clubs and cafes. It's hip and historic, dynamic yet laid back. And running through it all is a sense of adventure and a taste for the unconventional.
Whatever kind of visit you're planning - whether it's a romantic weekend for two, a fun packed family holiday, or even a full blown shopping trip - Bristol has it all.
Just beyond Bristol is a world of quiet country lanes, rolling countryside, meadows, valleys and woods. a wonderful coastline dotted with charming seaside towns, and some of the most spectacular sites in England.
Bristol is exciting and unconventional but with a touch of tradition. It's arty, amusing and animated with a ceaseless spirit of adventure. Wallace and Gromit, Massive Attack and Portishead, Bristol Blue Glass and Smiles Beer all belong here and it is home to some of the finest work of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Museums, shopping, nightlife and the arts combine in Bristol to create a place quite unlike any other. Festivals, celebrating everything from film, music and dance to hot-air ballooning, harbour life and wildlife showcase a rapidly evolving cultural scene.
Bristol's nightlife is hard to beat - night clubbers, art lovers and concert and theatre-goers will be spoilt for choice. Exhibitions at the fashionable Watershed Media Centre, innovative performance art at the Tobacco Factory, West End musicals at The Hippodrome should be on any short-break itinerary. And don't miss Bristol's latest cultural attraction - the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum which opened in 2003 to rave reviews.
In the last decade, Bristol has renewed its links with the sea in a way that has revitalised the whole city. The city's Harbourside is now lined with attractions, boats, restaurants and museums. Old warehouses have been born again as trendy bistros, wine bars and arts centres and imaginative new visitor attractions have brought more life to the waterfront.
Landscaping and pedestrian areas make it a pleasant walk from the city centre down to the harbour and visitors flock to enjoy the excellent restaurants, The Watershed Media Centre's cutting-edge culture, the fascinating and futuristic At-Bristol and to catch a glimpse of the Bristol of yesterday on a historic harbour boat trip. ss Great Britain, The Matthew and the Bristol Industrial Museum, all on the quayside, celebrate the achievements of Bristol's pioneering seafarers and industrial barons.
Watersports enthusiasts can also to row, windsurf, sail, canoe or waterski on the harbour.
Bristol aerial map
Please click on any icon on the Bristol aerial tourist map, to find close by places, offering hotels and tourist information. You can zoom in and zoom out our touristical map as well as switch between satelite and map view of Bristol.
Bristol weather forecast
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