The port of Bristol grew up in mediaeval times around the confluence of the rivers Avon and Frome, requiring ships to navigate the tidal and precipitous Avon Gorge that flows out into the Severn Estuary at Avonmouth.
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, this tidal port was turned into the enclosed Floating Harbour by the construction of locks and the New Cut (an overflow channel for the River Avon). Because of the way this was done, the floating harbour winds its way through the city centre in quite a different manner to the way most enclosed docks turn their backs on their host city.
With the advent of larger ships the tricky passage of the Avon Gorge became too much of a liability and Bristol's commercial shipping long since moved downstream to modern docks at Avonmouth and Portbury. But the floating harbour lives on as a real unique selling point for Bristol, providing mooring for leisure craft and preserved ships, a home for the city's industrial museum and a setting for numerous bars, restaurants, apartment complexes and offices.
Although it's often overlooked as a tourist destination, Bristol has a lot to offer of its own and is also an excellent base for exploring the West Country, with relatively inexpensive accommodation compared to some of the main 'tourist traps' (such as nearby Bath) and a huge choice of bars, restaurants and shops. It is one of the most culturally vibrant cities in the South of England, hosting a wide variety of visual arts, theatre, speciality shopping and live music.
Bristol International Airport is situated 8 miles south-west of Bristol city centre and offers scheduled flights from major European cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Brussels, Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Frankfurt, Glasgow, Paris and Prague (but not London), and as of May 2005 a daily flight from New York. There is currently no train link between the airport and the city, but there is a 'Flyer' bus service that takes 30-45 minutes and has a peak-daytime frequency of every 20-30 minutes, costs are £8 for a return ticket, £6 for a one-way.
The alternative is to use one of the London airports or Birmingham airport and travel on to Bristol by train, car or bus. The most convenient are:
Heathrow Airport is about two hours drive straight down the M4 (westbound) motorway. Alternatively the RailAir express bus service (running every 20 minutes) connects with the main London to Bristol rail service at Reading rail station; expect the total journey to take slightly over two hours.
Birmingham International is within quicker (and cheaper) reach of
Bristol than London's two other airports, Gatwick and Stansted. By car
it takes about 1h45min and you'll be avoiding the congestion-prone M25.
Rail services connect Birmingham International to Bristol every 30 min
at peak times with a change in Birmingham New Street. The journey takes
between two and two and a half hours.
Gatwick Airport is about three hours drive away via the M23
(northbound), M25 (clockwise) and M4 (westbound) motorways. a
half-hourly rail service from Gatwick connects with the main London to
Bristol rail service at Reading rail station; expect the total journey
to take slightly over two hours.
Stansted Airport is about three hours drive away via the M11
(southbound), M25 (anti-clockwise) and M4 (westbound) motorways. By
train you will need to catch a Stansted Express train to London
Liverpool Street station, the tube to London Paddington station, then
follow the directions below; expect the total journey to take around
three and a half hours.
Cardiff International Airport is about one hour west of Bristol,
going northbound from Culverhouse Cross, to J33 of the M4, then
Eastbound, to Bristol. Alternatively take the train direct from Cardiff
Airport, to Cardiff Central Station, then take another train to Bristol
Temple Meads Station .Direct services from both Toronto and Vancouver,
as well as numerous services across Europe.
Bristol Temple Meads station is located approximately 15 minutes walk
from the city centre and has regular inter-city and regional train
services from Bath, Birmingham, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Exeter, Glasgow,
London, Plymouth, Southampton, Swansea and York.
Bristol has a second main railway station in Bristol Parkway, which is
located several miles north of the city centre. Although this station
also has frequent services to many of the same locations as Temple
Meads, it is principally aimed at suburban residents and is unlikely to
be useful to visitors.
From London, you can travel from London Paddington station. There are
several through trains an hour, the fastest of which take under two
hours for the journey. Train times (from any location) can be found on
the National Rail Planner or by calling 08457 48-49-50 from anywhere in
the UK. Alternatively, there is Megatrain, a budget train service
running out of London Waterloo to Bristol Temple Meads, with one or two
trains a day taking just over two and a half hours.
National Express operate services to Marlborough St Coach station,
located in the city centre, from cities throughout the UK including
London. The journey from London to Bristol takes about 2h30min. Tickets
are much cheaper if booked in advance online.
MegaBus also operate budget coach services from London to a stop outside
the Colston Hall in Colston Street (Behind Yates Winelodge City Centre).
Tickets must be booked online and fares are demand responsive but can be
very cheap (£1.50 if you book far enough in advance). The journey to
London takes about 30 min longer than by National Express.
The M5 and M4 motorways intersect near Bristol and the M32, a motorway
'spur', brings traffic directly into the city centre. The M4 links
London with Bristol with a driving time of some two hours.
The city also has 3 Park and Ride facilities, A4 Portway, Long Ashton
and A4 Bath Road sites, for more information see National Park and Ride
Directory
Most locations in central Bristol (the Harbourside and Old City areas)
are reasonable easily walkable, and there are plenty of attractive
walking routes along the quaysides and in the pedestrianised central
streets. The main rail station (Bristol Temple Meads) is a little
further (about 15 mins walk) but still accessible by harbourside
walkways or by bus.
Bristol has plenty of bike paths and routes and is at the centre of the
National Cycle Network. Free cycling maps for the Avon Cycleway, Bristol
and surrounding council regions (South Gloucestershire, North Somerset,
Bath and North-East Somerset) can be obtained by emailing, telephoning
or writing to Bristol City Council's Transport Planning Team.
Bristol Temple Meads offers direct trains to many UK cities including
London (Paddington). It is also one terminus of the Severn Beach Line
which passes through Lawrence Hill and Stapleton Road in the East of the
inner city; Montpelier, Redland and Clifton Down in the north before
heading north-west to Severn Beach, although off-peak trains terminate
at Avonmouth. The route is quite scenic - the line itself has been voted
one of the most scenic in the world by Thomas Cook; the fares are cheap
(a 7 day season ticket between Temple Meads and Clifton Down is £3.90
and an off-peak day return is £1.50), quick (Temple Meads to Clifton
Down takes about 15 minutes) and usually punctual and reliable. The The
Severn Beach train usually runs approximately hourly from 0600 to
2200hrs, Monday to Saturday, but check details using Transport Direct
before travelling.
Most bus services in Bristol are operated by First Bristol As most of
Bristol's hotels and places to visit are located near the city centre or
are in the upmarket suburb of Clifton, First Bristol's number 8 and 9
buses are probably the most useful for visitors. They follow a route
from Temple Meads station to Clifton, passing through the main shopping
area (Broadmead), the city centre (also handy for the harbourside) and
the West End on the way. Single-trip tickets are a flat rate of £1.30.
Visitors planning on using the bus service for anything more than one
short return journey may wish to purchase a FirstDay ticket. This will
allow unlimited travel within zones 1 and 2 on most bus services for a
one-off fixed fee. Currently, a FirstDay ticket will cost between £3.50
and £4.40 depending upon concessions and when purchased.
Because of the way the city centre is intimately interwoven with the old
'floating harbour', a boat is a good way of getting around as well as
seeing a lot of interesting sights. Bristol Ferry Boat runs several
ferry services around the harbour, stopping at various quays on route,
and even providing a commuter service between the city centre and the
main rail station.
Driving is probably the best way of seeing the surrounding region. Many
of the routes into Bristol during peak hours operate a car pool lane for
cars with more than one occupant.
Driving in the centre of Bristol with its complex one-way system can be
frustrating and confusing for the uninitiated - things will be worse
than usual for the forseeable future thanks to the Broadmead
redevelopment work.
There are plenty of NCP car parks, and street parking. The cheaper
street parking is in short supply in the centre - however Queen Square
can usually be counted on to have a few spaces at off-peak times.
There are three Park and Ride schemes operating in Bristol, with an
additional Park and Ride for the busy Christmas period based at UWE in
Frenchay. The main park and rides are at Brislington, on the A4 opposite
St Brendan's school. Another is in Shirehampton and a third is at the
end of the A370 Long Ashton Bypass. For more information, see National
Park and Ride Directory.
Taxi
Due to the heavy traffic, taxis in Bristol can be quite expensive – and
don't forget to allow extra time on your journey when taking a cab.
There are about 700 licensed taxis (Hackney Carriages) and these can be
distinguished by roof signs and meters charged at a rate set by the
council. There are a similar number of private hire vehicles (without
roof signs) that need to be pre-booked. All legitimate taxi and private
hire vehicles should have a predominantly yellow council-issued plate at
the front and back of the vehicle. More details on taxis and private
hire vehicles can be found at
http://www.bristol-city.gov.uk/ccm/content/Transport-Streets/Taxis-and-Minicabs/taxis-in-bristol.en.
Temple Meads Area
This is the area surrounding Bristol's main rail station. Whilst
certainly not the most attractive part of Bristol, there are a couple of
attractions worth seeing before moving on:
St Mary Redcliffe Church. Described by Queen Elizabeth I as "the
goodliest, fairest and most famous parish church in England"
The Empire and Commonwealth Museum. Located in Brunel's historic railway
terminus building adjacent to the current rail station at Bristol Temple
Meads. Not really big or rich exposition but very educational. Open
every day 10am-5pm; closed Dec 25/26. £6.50 (adults); £5.50 (students &
senior citizens; £3.95 (children).
Harbourside
The floating harbour is the jewel in Bristol's crown, and many of its
attractions are on or close to the harbour:
SS Great Britain, Gas Ferry Road, tel 926 0680. The world's first iron
hulled, screw propeller-driven, steam-powered passenger liner, built by
Brunel in 1843 and now preserved in a dry-dock alongside the floating
harbour. The preservation works are still underway (as of December 2004)
and only small parts are publicly accessible. Winner of the Gulbenkian
Prize for Museum of the Year 2006 - the Biggest Arts Prize in the U.K.
Open every day Apr-Oct 10am-5:30pm; every day Nov-Mar 10am-4:30pm;
closed Dec 25/26. £8.95 (adults); £6.95 (senior citizens); £4.95
(children).
Bristol Museum, 7 Great George Street, tel +44 117 922 3571, [6].
Scheduled to open in 2009. It will be located in the L-Shed at Princes
Wharf, the former site of the Bristol Industrial Museum that closed in
October 2006.
@Bristol, Harbourside, tel 0845 345 1235 (within UK only), [7].
Explore (science and technology displays), (Wildscreen and IMAX Cinema
are now closed). Explore science centre and planetarium with interactive
displays covering the brain, inventions and unexplained mysteries. Open
every day 10am-6pm; closed Dec 25. £6.50 (adults); £5.50 (students &
senior citizens); £3.95 (children).
Brandon Hill & The Cabot Tower, off Park Street (about 10 mins
walk up a steep hill from the centre of Bristol). This attractive and
hilly park is worth visiting, if only for the views over Bristol from
the hill-top. Even better views can be gained by climbing the narrow
spiral staircase within the Cabot Tower atop the hill. Open every day
from 8am to 30mins before dusk.
Old Bristol
Between the Frome and Avon branches of the harbour, and rising up the
ridge that separated these two rivers, are the remains of mediaeval
Bristol most of which is of some historical interest. Here are some of
the highlights:
Corn Exchange & The Nails, Corn Street. The Palladian Corn Exchange,
built in 1743, boasts a clock on its frontage that ingeniously tells
time both in the new-fangled GMT and the old Bristol time. In front are
nails (in reality Bronze pillars) over which the local merchants did
business; from these come the expression 'paid on the nail'. Exterior
always open. Free.
Castle Park & St Peters Church. It is difficult to imagine now, but
this large harbour-side park was a network of busy streets and shops
until it was bombed out during the second world war. Within the park are
the excavated ruins of Bristol Castle, and the ruined St Peters Church
preserved as it stood after the bombing as a memorial to those killed.
Open during daylight hours. Free.
King Street. King Street is now the heart of Bristol's theatre-land
(see 'Old Vic' below) but it once lead down to the docks at Welsh Back,
where the old sailing trows (a type of sailing barge) used to dock after
their journeys from South Wales. The street has changed little since
those days, and the Llandoger Trow pub dates back to 1663. It is
rumoured to have been patronised by pirates of old, not to mention
Robert Louis Stevenson whilst writing Treasure Island.
The Clifton Downs
The old and up-market suburb of Clifton contains several more places of
interest, as well as much of the city's student population:
Bristol Zoo, tel 0117 974 7399, [8]. Open summer 9AM-5:30PM; winter
9AM-4:30PM; closed Dec 25. £9.50 (adults); £8.50 (students & senior
citizens; £6 (children).
Clifton Suspension Bridge. Possibly the city's most famous landmark,
Brunel's 19th century suspension bridge spans the spectacular Avon Gorge
at a height of 75m. Always open. Free to walk across, 50 pence to drive
over. Daily tours operate at 3pm during the summer (Free). There is also
an observatory tower next to it. There is a small charge to go in.
Clifton Downs and Observatory. The Downs provide a huge open space
within Bristol, with great overlook views over the Avon Gorge and the
suspension bridge. Atop the Downs closest to the bridge is the
Observatory, housing a camera obscura and a tunnel to an observation
point in a cave within the 250-foot sheer cliff face of the gorge.
Eastside
Bristol's Eastside is the multicultural centre of Bristol and offers
visitors a refreshing alternative side of the city, made up of a
colourful collection of neighbourhoods that boast independent retailers
from all around the globe. The wonderful thing about this side of town
is simply walking around it - and most of the good things to do and see
are free!
Montpelier (pronounced Mont-pelly-err, rather than the French-accented
Mon-pell-ee-ay!). The bohemian heart of Bristol and home to artists and
musicians of all descriptions. The streets are often canvases themselves
and you'll find work by famous graffiti artists around every corner.
great music, cafes, an independent cinema, and a treasure trove of
vintage clothing.
St Pauls. Is the Afro-Caribbean centre of Bristol and home to the world
famous St Pauls Carnival. It still suffers from the negative reputation
of having been home of the St Pauls riots over 25 years ago but visitors
today will find it a colourful, friendly area with fantastic reggae pubs
and clubs and a great street art scene. Host to an Asian supermarket on
Ashley Road next door to Teoh's pan-Asian cafe.
St Werburghs. Is the alternative quarter and a green oasis in the heart
of the city. Filled with allotments, a city farm, eco-housing and lively
pubs. The most recent addition to the area is the multi-million pound
Eastgate Oriental City complex which features a large Chinese
supermarket and Chinese restaurant.
* Easton. Is possibly the most multicultural area in Bristol where
people of all nationalities rub shoulders. Here you can find anything
from anywhere in the world - black hair and beauty, saris, Moroccan and
Somalian cafes...You name it, you'll find it in Easton! This area is
quite rightly home to the World On Your Doorstep festival held every
June on Stapleton Road. For fantastic cafes and specialist shops
(including the locally-famed Bristol Sweet Mart selling a large range of
south-Asian foods and ingredients) head to St Marks Road.
