bristol travel challenge

Surveys, Awards & Challenges

Discover the sustainable travel activities, initiatives and challenges taking place in the region., the love to ride challenge.

Love to Ride is an online cycling encouragement platform, with regular challenges, news and cycle specific information. Signing up and creating a workplace team is a great way to create an online community for the cyclists in your workplace. Once you have invited others to join you can message the group via the platform and use it to promote challenges, events and anything else relevant. During challenges you can compete against other workplaces, win fantastic prizes and encourage staff to cycle more and be healthier.

Love to Ride runs four challenges each year, with the main event in September.

Ride Anywhere week (March)
Bike Month (June)
Cycle September (September)
Winter Wheelers (December)

Join Love to Ride

Bristol walkfest.

Month long Bristol Walking Festival and GoJauntly walking challenge.

More information:

The big bristol travel challenge.

The Big Bristol Travel Challenge is a great way to get active each July. Leave your car at home and walk, ride, run, skate, scoot or take public transport for more of your everyday journeys. Its free to take part and there’s lots of help and encouragement throughout the month. You can set goals, track your progress, win prizes and take part in the workplace challenge.

Travel to Work Survey

The Travel to Work Survey takes place each year in March for 1 week, and runs across in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire only. the West of England. We have over 15,000 people take part each year which helps us to build a robust dataset of how people are travelling across the region.

Pre-register your organisation before the 4th of February 2024

Employers use the results to support their site Travel Plan and also to create business cases for improved or additional facilities to support staff such as new cycle storage or Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points.

All employers who participate and receive over 30 responses receive an individual report along with raw data and this is also the case for each employer’s site with over 30 responses.

The four West of England councils along with the West of England Combined Authority use this data for planning future transport and housing needs.

Reports are created for the West of England along with each local authority and reports based on locations.

Each authority’s Business Engagement and Economic Development Teams use the data from the survey to work with employers and understand how they can support them and transport issues affecting staff travel.

More information

If you're based in Bristol:

Business Engagement Team

If you're based in North Somerset:

Public Transport team

South Gloucestershire Council. Delivering for you.

If you're based in South Gloucestershire:

Transport Policy

Visit our walking section to see what else we’re doing around active travel

Major Alerts

Major updates that may affect your travel in the west of england..

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bristol.gov.uk

For residents
Streets and travel
Bristol's Clean Air Zone
Get free active travel support

We can help you reduce your car journeys with free cycling trials, eScooter credit and bus taster tickets.

The council has funding to help people travel more sustainably.

We can all help reduce air pollution and improve air quality in Bristol by walking, cycling and using public transport for more journeys.

Walking and cycling also helps us keep fit and stay healthy. We're exposed to less pollution than when travelling in a vehicle. We also save money on the cost of travelling.

Help with sustainable travel

Our free offers include:

one month bike and e-bike trials
adult cycle training to build your confidence
taster bus tickets
taster train tickets
car club credit

Register for free support

Once you've registered your interest, our travel advisors will contact you to talk through the options.

Contact information

Clean air zone.

fill in our Clean Air Zone contact form

call 0117 903 6385

Bristol's Clean Air Zone charges and vehicle checker
Pay the Bristol Clean Air Zone daily charge
View a map of Bristol's Clean Air Zone
Clean Air Zone and road diversions
Clean Air Zone Exemptions
Clean Air Zone traffic signs
Pay a Clean Air Zone Penalty Charge Notice
Appeal a Clean Air Zone Penalty Charge Notice
Apply for a Clean Air Zone charge refund
Apply for Clean Air Zone financial support
What a Clean Air Zone is, why we need one
Clean Air Zone charges and Penalty Charge Notices revenue

Join the Bristol Active October challenge

Head and shoulder shot of Mardi Sudhanshu, with countryside and grey skies behind.

This October, we’re challenging everyone in Bristol to try new ways of getting around – whether that’s by taking the bus, walking, scooting, cycling or car sharing more often.

Changing just a few of your journeys each week can help you save money, improve the air we all breathe and keep you feeling fit and healthy.

The competition is easy to take part in. You can sign up as an individual or as a team of friends or work colleagues. You then log the journeys you travel throughout October, set targets and encourage each other along the way. There are prizes to be won each week for anyone who takes part.

Find out more on the Bristol Active October challenge page .

If you need any more convincing, we spoke to Mardi about why he’s taking part in this year’s challenge. Mardi works for law firm DAC Beachcroft. The firm has won the competition four times in previous years.

Why are you taking part in the challenge?

I am a person who needs to be pushed a bit to get into fitness mode. It helps when there is an ongoing challenge to give me the motivation to get active which I know always helps me feel fit, happy and positive. The challenge also provides more motivation to get active as I know it will make a positive contribution towards my team’s success in the competition. Taking part becomes a fun group activity with my colleagues and our friendly competitive spirit is all geared towards the greater good of sustainability.

Why do you like active travel?

It’s so much fun combining some physical activity like walking or cycling on your commute to work or the shops. I used to get bored on my hour-long commute on buses, so I used to get off and walk my favourite part of the journey 3-4 stops and that made me feel so fresh. Adding the active component to my journeys just adds so much fun and excitement to an otherwise boring routine commute!

An added bonus for me has been all the new friends I have made – my bus stop friends, my cycling buddies, my walking group mates… Life is so much better with active travel!

What advice would you give to someone that wants to get active for more of their journeys?

I would suggest whether you are walking, cycling or using the bus – try something different each journey and add a bit of spice to an otherwise mundane routine. Doing a bit of physical exercise will make you feel better. Active travel will also help you reach your destination quicker or almost the same time!

Active travel is the way forward – both from a personal health point of view and for the future of our city, our local environment.

Take Mardi’s word for it and sign up to the Bristol Active October Challenge today.

Taking action on World Pollution Prevention Day

Helping businesses to keep the air clean

Bristol’s Clean Air Zone is here

Making Bristol a healthier place to be

Bristol schools are ready for cleaner air

Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Travel Better, Cheaper, Longer

Bristol Travel Guide

Last Updated: August 31, 2023

A scenic view of colorful homes in Bristol, England

Bristol is an energetic and artsy city bursting with a robust restaurant scene, fascinating history, and lots of art. A college town with a youthful feeling, the city is full of great budget experiences, plenty of parks to relax in, interesting museums and historic homes, and a waterfront lined with art galleries and eateries.

Bristol is one of my favorite places to visit in England, and I’m not the only one who thinks so: in both 2014 and 2017, Bristol was named the best UK city. And that’s not the only award Bristol can claim — it won the European Green Capital Award in 2015, and in 2017 became a UNESCO City of Film.

In short, Bristol has a lot to offer. It’s an underrated city often overshadowed by England’s more international hubs but it’s definitely worth visiting for a day or two.

This travel guide to Bristol can help you plan a fun, affordable trip to this unappreciated gem!

Things to See and Do
Typical Costs
Suggested Budget
Money-Saving Tips
Where to Stay
How to Get Around
How to Stay Safe
Best Places to Book Your Trip
Related Blogs on Bristol

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Bristol

View over the Clifton Suspension Bridge over the river in Bristol, England

1. See the Clifton Suspension Bridge

Bristol’s most famous landmark is suspended 100 meters (330 feet) above the Avon River. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, it is considered the mark of a turning point in the history of engineering, took 33 years to complete, and is now one of the oldest surviving iron suspension bridges in the world. The bridge provides sweeping views of the river and surrounding parks and buildings. The first modern bungee jump took place here in 1979 (though it was illegal at the time). It costs 1 GBP to cross the bridge in a car but is free for pedestrians and cyclists.

2. Visit Bristol Cathedral

Dating back to the 12th century, Bristol Cathedral was originally the abbey of St. Augustine. Parts of the Cathedral include Romanesque architecture and large vaulted ceilings in the nave, choir, and aisles, although the nave wasn’t built until 300 years after the rest of the cathedral. It’s open daily and admission is free. There aren’t currently any tours on offer but the welcome leaflet is useful to discover more about the building.

3. Learn nautical history aboard the SS Great Britain

Also designed by Brunel, the SS Great Britain was the world’s first steam-powered passenger liner. It was also the first screw-propelled, ocean-going, wrought iron ship. Built in 1843, it used both sail and steam power simultaneously, allowing it to travel across the Atlantic in half the time of other ships. You can visit the boat, its dockside museum, and even climb the rigging. Tickets are 19.50 GBP and you have to book an admission slot when you buy them. Tickets also permit free re-entry for one year from the date of first use in case you want to come back another day.

4. Visit St Nicholas Market

This bustling market has more shops than you could go through in an afternoon. Spend some time checking out the endless number of stalls offering seasonal local produce, second-hand books, vintage clothing, and more. It’s been trading since 1743 and now runs multiple different markets a week: St Nicholas Indoor market (Mon-Sat, 9.30am-5pm); Bristol Farmers’ and Producers’ market (every two weeks); Street Food Market (Tues and Fri, 11am-2.30pm) and Bristol Indies’ Market (Fri-Sat, 10am to 5pm).

5. Enjoy the street art

Other things to see and do in bristol, 1. take a pirate walks tour.

The Bristol Pirate Walks are short guided tours that take you to some of Bristol’s oldest neighborhoods. You’ll learn about Bristol’s early history in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries when slavery, maritime trading, and piracy were part of daily life. Tours cost 12.50 GBP and include visits to sites related to the legendary Long John Silver and Blackbeard’s Lair. Call ahead to check availability.

2. Hang out on King Street

King Street is a fascinating, historic part of Bristol dating to the 17th century. It used to be where the old sailing barges docked after their journeys from South Wales. Now the area is the heart of Bristol’s theater district and features numerous bars and restaurants too. The oldest continually operating theatre in England, Bristol Old Vic, is located on King Street. Tickets to a show start at 8 GBP.

3. Daytrip to Bath

The site of the ancient Roman baths is just a quick train ride away. The Romans used this area as their spa retreat up until the 5th century. Whether you’re interested in seeing the baths, cathedrals, or Jane Austen’s home (her family lived here in the early 19th century), Bath is an easy and enjoyable day trip from Bristol. Trains from Bristol to Bath run all day and it’s just a 16-minute ride for 8.80 GBP (return).

4. Explore the Wookey Hole Caves

This unique geological area, comprised of a series of limestone caves formed by an underground river, is another short day trip from Bristol. During your visit, you can take a 35-minute tour, stop in the historical museum, and view artifacts that archaeologists have uncovered in the caves. You can also take a boat ride through the murky cave waters and learn about spelunking. Don’t miss the famous Witch of Wookey Hole, a human-shaped stalagmite that legend says is a witch who was turned to stone. Most of the attractions are geared for children and families (other attractions at the site include animatronic dinosaurs). Admission is 19.95 GBP and you need to book a timeslot.

5. Take a stroll along the Bristol Harbour

The historic Bristol Harbour along the Avon River was traditionally known as the Floating Harbor because the water levels neither rise nor fall, keeping everything constant. Today, the harbor is home to most of Bristol’s busy street life and many of the city’s tourist attractions, including the Watershed Media Center and the M Shed Museum. In July, the free Bristol Harbour Festival features a weekend of activities on the waterfront including live music, dance performances, spoken word, food markets, circus acts, and more.

6. Tour the Bristol Aquarium

In a city with such close ties to the sea, it’s no wonder the Bristol Aquarium has several unique exhibitions on display. There’s an underwater tunnel that takes you through a recreated environment and even a sunken ship inside. The real attraction, though, is the Urban Jungle which features hundreds of exotic plants and trees, including mangroves. The jungle’s underwater environment is home to stingrays and freshwater fish from the Amazon rainforest. Tickets to the museum are 19.25 GBP, though you can also buy a 4-pack of adult tickets for a discount if traveling in a group. It’s a good place to visit if you’re traveling with kids.

7. Wander the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

Bristol’s largest museum is home to an extensive collection of art and artifacts, including works from Bellini, Renoir, Hepworth, Sisley, and Bomberg. The ground floor has a collection of Egyptian mummies and other ancient artifacts, as well as displays dedicated to rare gems and crystals. Possibly the oddest yet most beloved part of the museum is Alfred the Gorilla, a mascot for the city. The gorilla originally lived in the Bristol Zoo, but since his death in 1948, he has been housed in a glass case on the second floor of the museum (he was even stolen for a few years in the 50s). Admission is free.

8. Visit M Shed

For a more in-depth look at the city of Bristol itself, visit this free museum. Over 3,000 artifacts comprise the museum’s exhibitions, which focus on the people and history of the city. The exhibition includes a collection of historic vessels, such as a fireboat and the oldest surviving steam tugboat (which is moored outside the museum). Admission is free.

9. Take a harbor tour

For an even closer look at the harbor, Bristol Ferry Boats offers daily harbor tours leaving from the city center. You float past all of Bristol’s maritime sights during the hour-long tour and learn more about the city. They also offer specialized cruises (such as a gin cruise) on certain days of the week. Tickets to the daily harbor tour are 9.75 GBP. There’s also an option to do a tour on The Matthew, a replica of John Cabot’s 1497 ship that he used to discover Newfoundland, or you can do a cruise of the Avon Gorge that goes under the Clifton Suspension Bridge (23 GBP).

10. Meander through Castle Park

Before being destroyed in World War II, Bristol’s main shopping district was located on the site of what is now this large harbor-side park. The park is home to several ruins: the 14th-century tower of St Mary-le-Port Church, the 12th-century St Peter’s Church (now a memorial to those who died in the Bristol Blitz), and vestiges of Bristol Castle itself. Stop in for a hot drink at the Vaulted Chambers Café, located within the last above-ground remnants of Bristol Castle.

11. Take a free walking tour

One of the first things I do in a new destination is to take a free walking tour. It’s the best budget-friendly way to see the main sights and connect with a local guide who can answer all your questions. Bristol Free Walking Tour hosts two-hour tours (they don’t run in winter) that can show you all the highlights. They meet in front of the Victoria Rooms, next to the fountains. There’s no need to book; just turn up a few minutes before it starts. Just be sure to tip your guide at the end!

For more information on other cities in England, check out these guides:

Bath Travel Guide
Brighton Travel Guide
Cambridge Travel Guide
Liverpool Travel Guide
London Travel Guide
Manchester Travel Guide
Oxford Travel Guide

Bristol Travel Costs

Tiers of colorful townhouses set into the hill in Bristol, England

Hostel prices – There aren’t too many hostel options in the city and some close in the off-season. A dorm with 4-8 beds costs 20 GBP. Several of the hostels are still currently only offering private rooms from 70 GBP and up per night due to COVID -19. Free Wi-Fi is standard and most hostels also have self-catering facilities.

There is only one campground in the immediate area (Ennywevers Campsite), but if you branch out from the city you can find others. Expect to pay around 10 GBP for a basic tent plot without electricity.

Budget hotel prices – Budget two-star hotels cost 70 GBP per night (its closer to 80-90 GBP in high season). Free Wi-Fi is standard and breakfast is often included.

There are also lots of Airbnb options in Bristol. Private rooms start at 35 GBP per night (although 50 GBP is more realistic, particularly in peak season), while a full apartment averages 90-100 GBP per night.

Food – While British cuisine has evolved in leaps and bounds due to immigration (and colonialism), it’s still very much a meat and potatoes country. Fish and chips remain a popular staple for both lunch and dinner while roasted and stewed meats, sausages, meat pies, and the quintessential Yorkshire pudding are all common options as well. Curry (and other Indian dishes, such as tikka masala), are super popular too.

For falafel or sandwiches, prices start at around 6 GBP. A cheap pub meal of fish and chips costs around 10 GBP.

A meal at a casual pub or restaurant costs 12-16 GBP for a main course while a pint of beer costs 5-6 GBP. Dining on the waterfront or at a mid-range restaurant costs around 30 GBP for a multi-course meal with a drink.

Fast food (think McDonald’s) costs around 6 GBP for a combo meal while pizza starts at 9 GBP. Indian food starts at 10 GBP for a main dish.

Lattes/cappuccinos cost around 3.40 GBP while bottled water is around 1.20 GBP.

If you choose to cook your own meals, a week’s worth of groceries costs 40-50 GBP . This gets you basic staples like rice, pasta, seasonal produce, and some meat.

Backpacking Bristol Suggested Budgets

If you’re backpacking Bristol, expect to spend 55 GBP per day. This budget covers a hostel dorm, taking public transit, limiting your drinking, cooking your own meals, and doing mostly free activities like museum visits and seeing the suspension bridge. If you plan on drinking, add 5-10 GBP per day to your budget.

A mid-range budget of 135 GBP per day covers staying in a private Airbnb room or private hostel, eating out for most of your meals, taking the occasional taxi, having a few drinks, and a few paid activities such as a harbor cruise or street art tour.

On a “luxury” budget of 220 GBP or more per day, you can stay in a hotel, eat out anywhere you want, drink more, rent a car or take more taxis, and do whatever tours and activities you want. This is just the ground floor for luxury though. The sky is the limit!

You can use the chart below to get some idea of how much you need to budget daily, depending on your travel style. Keep in mind these are daily averages – some days you’ll spend more, some days you’ll spend less (you might spend less every day). We just want to give you a general idea of how to make your budget. Prices are in GBP.

Bristol Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

With cheap pubs, public parks, an accessible waterfront, and a few hostels, there are plenty of ways to save money in Bristol. Here are my top ways to save money when you visit:

Chill in the park – It seems like Bristol is one giant park, with many great places to relax, play Frisbee, read, and picnic. It’s a low-cost way to spend an afternoon, hang out, and people-watch.
Eat cheap – Bristol is a college town with lots of cheap sandwich shops and restaurants. Flock to where the students go to save money on your meals. Popular places for students include St. Nick’s Market, the Harbourside Market, and places along Wapping Wharf (Bertha’s for pizza is a great stop).
Visit the museums – Learn about Bristol’s fascinating history by going to the museums, all of which are free.
Take a free walking tour – If you’re there on a weekend, be sure to take a free walking tour. It lasts a couple of hours and is a nice way to get a sense of the city. Bristol Free Walking Tour offers free tours that cover the highlights. Visit Bristol also offers several free self-guided audio tours for download on their website.
Stay with a local – If you’re on a budget, use Couchsurfing to stay with a local. It’s a great way to cut costs while getting insider tips and advice. Just note that many students are away during the summer so be sure to apply early.
Bring a water bottle – The tap water here is safe to drink so bring a reusable water bottle to save money and reduce your plastic use. LifeStraw is my go-to brand as their bottles have built-in filters to ensure your water is always clean and safe.

Where to Stay in Bristol

Bristol has a few hostels; however, most are not currently booking dorms due to COVID safety protocols. Nevertheless, here are my favorite places to stay in Bristol for when things open up again:

The Full Moon Backpackers
YHA Bristol
Clift Guest House

How to Get Around Bristol

Public transportation – Public transit for Bristol and the surrounding area operates on a zone system, so bus prices depend on how far you go. A single fare in Zone A (Bristol and the immediate area) costs 3.50 GBP, with a daily cap of 6 GBP (the price of a Zone A day pass). The city center is easily walkable but to get to some of the outer parts of the city you need to take a bus.

Bicycle – Bristol is a bike-friendly city, ranking as the UK’s best city for cycling. Cycle the City and Bristol Cycle Shack both offer day rentals for 15-18 GBP. If you’re planning to cycle outside of the main city area to enjoy the riverside country trails, consider getting an electric bike or a mountain bike to make the trip easier. You can even cycle all the way to Bath (there’s a bike path and it’s just 13 miles). Electric bike rentals cost 35 GBP per day (8 hours).

Taxi – Taxis are readily available, with prices starting at 2.60 GBP and going up 2.13 GBP per mile. Given how expensive they are, I wouldn’t take one unless absolutely necessary.

Ridesharing – Uber is available in Bristol but again walking or cycling are the easiest (and cheapest) ways to get around in the compact city.

Car rental – Car rentals can be found for as little as 20 GBP per day for a multi-day rental. Keep in mind that traffic flows on the left and that most cars have a manual transmission. You don’t need a car to explore the city, however, it might be helpful if you want to explore the region.

When to Go to Bristol

Bristol doesn’t get too cold, but like most English cities, it also doesn’t get too hot. Summer is peak tourism season and temperatures are the warmest during this time – but rarely are they ever above 22°C (72°F). People make the most of the warm weather and during July and August, there are tons of events and festivals happening along the Bristol harbor. One of the most famous is the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta when hundreds of hot air balloons fill the sky during the first two weeks of August.

Spring (late March-June) and autumn (September-November) are also fantastic times to visit, as temperatures are mild and the summer crowds have thinned out. You can still walk everywhere and hang out in the parks. Just bring a rain jacket.

Winter lasts from December to February and temperatures can dip below freezing (0°C/32°F). While prices are a bit lower, I wouldn’t visit during the winter as you’ll miss out on the parks and other outdoor activities.

How to Stay Safe in Bristol

Bristol is a safe city and the risk of violent crime here is low. Solo female travelers should generally feel safe here, however, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.).

Scams and pickpocketing can occur around high-traffic areas, especially on busy weekend nights in the city center when partygoers are a little less aware. Always keep your valuables secure and out of sight just to be safe.

If you’re partying in the student pubs, be aware of your surroundings and avoid dimly lit alleys and pathways when heading home. Pickpockets tend to work in teams, so stay alert and be aware of your surroundings.

Solo female travelers should generally feel safe here, however, the standard precautions apply (never leave your drink unattended at the bar, never walk home alone intoxicated, etc.).

Scams here are rare, but if you’re worried about getting ripped off you can read about common travel scams to avoid here.

If you experience an emergency, dial 999 for assistance.

The most important piece of advice I can offer is to purchase good travel insurance. Travel insurance protects you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. You can use the widget below to find the policy right for you:

Bristol Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

These are my favorite companies to use when I travel. They consistently have the best deals, offer world-class customer service and great value, and overall, are better than their competitors. They are the companies I use the most and are always the starting point in my search for travel deals.

Skyscanner – Skyscanner is my favorite flight search engine. They search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. They are hands down the number one place to start.
Hostelworld – This is the best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and widest availability.
Booking.com – The best all around booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. In all my tests, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
HostelPass – This new card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. It’s a great way to save money. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and glad it finallt exists.
Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions. They have tons of tour options available in cities all around the world, including everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
The Man in Seat 61 – This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic train trip, consult this site.
Rome2Rio – This website allows you to see how to get from point A to point B the best and cheapest way possible. It will give you all the bus, train, plane, or boat routes that can get you there as well as how much they cost.
FlixBus – Flixbus has routes between 20 European countries with prices starting as low 5 EUR! Their buses include WiFi, electrical outlets, a free checked bag.
SafetyWing – Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. They have cheap monthly plans, great customer service, and an easy-to-use claims process that makes it perfect for those on the road.
LifeStraw – My go-to company for reusable water bottles with built-in filters so you can ensure your drinking water is always clean and safe.
Unbound Merino – They make lightweight, durable, easy-to-clean travel clothing.
Top Travel Credit Cards – Points are the best way to cut down travel expenses. Here’s my favorite point earning credit cards so you can get free travel!
BlaBlaCar – BlaBlaCar is a ridesharing website that lets you share rides with vetted local drivers by pitching in for gas. You simply request a seat, they approve, and off you go! It’s a cheaper and more interesting way to travel than by bus or train!

Bristol Travel Guide: Related Articles

Want more info? Check out all the articles I’ve written on backpacking/traveling England and continue planning your trip:

The 14 Best Things to Do in Bristol

Where to Stay in London: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit

The 8 Best Hostels in London

How to Spend a Week in London

The 9 Best Walking Tour Companies in London

70+ Free Things to Do in London

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Where To Stay
Transportation
Booking Resources
Related Blogs

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Travel tales, photography and a dash of humor

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Things to do in Bristol: A Bristol Itinerary and Planning Guide

Last updated: March 25, 2024 . Written by Laurence Norah - 10 Comments

I almost went to university in Bristol, which would have been a great choice, as it’s a fantastically beautiful city. As life turned out though, I ended up at Nottingham, home to the oldest pubs in Britain. Which wasn’t a deciding factor, honestly.

Still, Jess and I have explored Bristol thoroughly as part of our mission to explore as many corners of the UK as possible. We visited when we were living in Edinburgh, and then we moved to Bath which is just a short drive away.

As a result of our time spent in Bristol over the years, we’ve put together our suggestions of some of our favourite things to do in Bristol.

This covers some of our favourite sights in Bristol as well as places to eat and a few photography locations you’ll want to visit.

We’ve laid this guide to things to do in Bristol out in the form of an itinerary for 2 days in Bristol to help you plan, but this list can be used for any length trip to Bristol of course.

Following this, you’ll find some advice on when to visit Bristol and other planning advice for putting together the perfect trip. Let’s get started!

Things to Do in Bristol

Things to do in Bristol: Day 1

1. Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

We’re starting off our two days in Bristol with a visit to the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery , which covers a wide range of subjects, from natural history through to Egyptology.

things to do in Bristol - Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

There are also exhibitions with a more regional focus, including work by local artists, information on the history of interesting fossil finds in the Bristol area, and a gallery which showcases how Bristol has changed over the centuries. For a more Bristol focused museum though, you’ll want to head to M-Shed, which is on the itinerary for the second day.

We particularly enjoyed seeing the Banksy statue “Paint pot Angel” and the dinosaur fossils, although there is a lot to see here with something for everyone. A good way to start off your Bristol adventure! Entry to the museum is free with a suggested donation. Special exhibits are separately priced.

2. Climb Cabot Tower

One thing I always like to do when visiting an unfamiliar city is to get to a place where I can get a good view of it, to help me get my bearings. In Bristol, the place to do that is at Cabot Tower.

things to do in Bristol - Cabot Tower Bristol

This is a 19th century tower which commemorates the journey of John Cabot from Bristol to what later became Canada, in the year 1497. It’s found near the top of Brandon Hill, just a short walk from the Bristol Museum, and the 32 metre tower offers an excellent view of much of Bristol and surrounds, including the river area.

Climbing the tower is free, and you can see opening times here.

3. Georgian House Museum

We’re going to head towards the old city centre of Bristol now, but on the way you have the opportunity to stop in at the Georgian House Museum , which is on the way down the hill from Cabot Tower on Great George Street.

This house was built in 1790 for a man named John Pinney, who owned a number of sugar plantations in the Caribbean, as well as the slave labour that allowed these plantations to be so profitable. When Jess and I visited the deep south of the USA, we visited a number of plantations along the river road , where we learned a lot about the lives of plantation owners and slaves.

things to do in Bristol - Georgian House Museum Bristol

The Georgian House offers a small insight into slavery in England. Bristol profited heavily from the slave trade and slave-run plantations. Slave ships were operated out of Bristol, running the infamous “slave triangle”, taking goods to Africa from the UK, slaves from Africa to the USA, and then the plantation products from the USA back to the UK. Ships were also built in Bristol, which further added to the city’s wealth.

The Georgian house shows what that wealth would have looked like to a man like John Pinney who profited from the slave trade. Eleven rooms spread across four floors reveal the luxuries available in the late 18th century, as well as the stark difference between life “above stairs” and “below stairs”. Entry is free, and is definitely worth some of your time.

4. Christmas Steps

Next on our list is going to be a photo stop, before we swoop into lunch. Christmas Steps is a small and narrow stepped lane in Bristol’s city centre, dating from the mid 17th century, and lined with beautiful old buildings.

It’s the centrepiece of the Christmas Steps Arts Quarter, eight streets filled with independent shops, bars, cafes and art galleries, many of which don’t seem to have changed too much over the centuries. It’s worth exploring and an excellent photo opportunity.

5. Lunch at St. Nicholas Market

There’s no shortage of places to eat in Bristol, but one of our favourites was definitely the Glass Arcade at the St. Nicholas Indoor Market , which you’ll find on Corn Street. Winner of the award for Britain’s best large indoor market in 2016, and in operation since 1743, this is Bristol’s oldest market, with over 60 stall holders.

But we’re here for lunch, so head to the Glass Arcade – a large open glass-covered area with seating that offers plenty of food stalls to pick from, cuisines that vary from local to worldly. Take a look at some of the stalls available here , to get yourself excited. I went with Moroccan from the Moorish Cafe , whilst Jess had a healthy salad option from the Olive Works . But whatever food you’re into, we’re sure you won’t be disappointed!

6. Explore the Old City

Since our itinerary has brought you down into the old city, our suggestion for your post-lunch activity would be to wander Bristol’s old city for a little while.

The crossroads of Corn Street and High Street was the centre of the medieval city, and as you explore this small area you’ll be able to see traces of the old city boundaries, including the walls and gateways that used to mark the edges of the city. Of course, today Bristol has expanded far beyond these old walls, but it’s fun to walk around and imagine what the city might have been like in the past.

Naturally, you can explore the old city on your own, but there are also other options. For example, this self-guided tour you can download to your smartphone is a cost-effective way to learn about what you are seeing in the city.

7. Take a Street Art Tour

Bristol is famous for its street art, not least because it was where legendary street artist Banksy first came into the public eye. It is also believed to be the childhood home of Banksy although there is still speculation about his identity. So we think it’s appropriate to spend some time exploring the street art of Bristol!

You can either do this by yourself, or you can take a specific tour like this .

If you choose to do it by yourself, we highly recommend dropping into a tourist office and picking up a copy of the Bristol Street Art Map by Where the Wall, which has detailed information about where to find all the most famous pieces of street art in Bristol, as well as popular areas to find new street art.

That was what I did, and I documented my adventures in my post on Bristol’s Street Art .

Alternatively, you might consider this interactive street art exploration game .

If you’d rather take a tour, then we suggest the Where the Wall street art walking tour company, who operate the longest running street art tour in the UK. Timings for their tours are up on their website, but based on our itinerary, we’d suggest going for their Banksy tour , which start at 2pm. They also do another tour , which starts at midday, so you’d have to re-arrange this schedule a little to accommodate that.

Whichever tour you choose, we suggest booking in advance and always checking tour times and information on the official website.

8. Watch Sunset at the Clifton Suspension Bridge

Depending on the time of your visit, sunset will be at varying times. But whenever it is, either before you eat or after, we highly recommend that you take the time to go up to the Clifton Suspension Bridge and enjoy the sunset from there.

This iconic bridge is the symbol of Bristol, with a design based on drawings by one of Britain’s greatest Victorian engineers: Isambard Kingdom Brunel . Whilst it is today accepted that the final version of the bridge differs from Brunel’s original vision, it is certainly the bridge that most associate with Brunel, and when built, had the longest span of any bridge in the world.

Today the bridge is still very much in use, and you can both drive and walk across it. We’d suggest that you head up to the park on the east side of the bridge though, where you’ll find the Clifton observatory, and lovely views of both the bridge, and the sunset. On warm summer days this is a very popular location with locals and visitors alike, who come up here to enjoy the evening warmth and views. A lovely way to end your first day exploring in Bristol!

Things to do in Bristol: Day 2

9. Bristol Cathedral

Our second day in Bristol has you starting off at Bristol Cathedral , seat of the Church of England in the city. This was founded as an Augustine abbey in 1140, although the version you see today largely dates from work undertaken in the 14th –16th centuries.Some parts of the original do survive though, including the Chapter House (dating from 1160!) and the Abbey Gatehouse.

In its present form the Cathedral is a stunning building both inside and out, with beautiful vaulting, medieval stonework and 14th century stained glass, to name but some of the features. It’s also one of the few churches in Britain to be designed as a “hall church”, where the nave, choir and aisles are all the same height. There’s an on-site cafe too, where you can grab a coffee to fortify you for the rest of your days explorations!

10. Bristol Aquarium

Down in the harbourside area just a short walk from the cathedral there are a number of excellent museums and attractions. Which of these you decide to visit will of course depend on your interests and who you’re travelling with, but we’re including a few highlights to give you ideas, ordered in a logical fashion.

First on that list is the Bristol Aquarium . This is home to over forty marine life displays, with everything from local specimens through to tropical environments on show. Unusually for an aquarium, there’s also a giant botanical house on site, that you walk through as part of the tour. The aquarium is open year round, and is an excellent attraction for families especially. Check out their official website for opening times, prices, and special events.

11. We the Curious (Bristol Science Centre)

Right next door to the Aquarium is We the Curious (formerly known as the At-Bristol Science Centre), which focuses on highly interactive science themed exhibits. There’s a lot of really hands on stuff here, and we had a lot of fun playing with the various displays.

There’s also a whole part of the attraction dedicated to animation. Bristol is home to Aardman Animations , the animation studio responsible for Wallace & Gromit as well as UK TV character Morph . This attraction was put together by Aardman, and lets you become an animator for the day – even creating your own TV show.

This is definitely a museum for people who like a more hands-on, interactive attraction, and you could easily spend a whole day here. Again, check the official website for opening times and ticket prices .

If you want to get deeper under the skin of what make Bristol tick, then a visit to M-Shed is an absolute must. This free museum, housed in a former transit shed, has exhibits that focus exclusively on telling the story of the city, from prehistoric times right up to the present day.

We don’t like to play favourites, but M Shed was definitely a highlight of the various museums and attractions that we visited. We loved how it explored the history of the city, with everything from the people to the geography to Bristol’s experiences in the war on show. There are even working exhibits on show, including the giant cranes outside the museum, and the museum even has its own Banksy on show. Not to be missed.

13. Visit the SS Great Britain

No visit to Bristol would be complete without a visit to the SS Great Britain – Bristol’s top visitor attraction. Designed by Brunel, the SS Great Britain was built in Bristol and launched in 1845. She was the first ship with both an iron hull and a screw propeller, and was also the longest passenger ship in the world.

Initially built as a transatlantic passenger ship, the cost of building and tweaking such a radical design combined with the cost of rescuing her after she ran aground ended up bankrupting her owners.

As a result she has a varied service history, including 30 years spent taking immigrants to Australia from Liverpool in the UK and coal-hauling. Finally, in 1937, she was scuttled and abandoned in the Falkland Islands.

Of course, the story doesn’t end there, as otherwise there wouldn’t be much to visit! In 1970, a great rescue operation took place, and what remained of her hull was floated onto a pontoon and returned to her place of construction in Bristol.

Following an extensive restoration process, she re-opened to the public, and today you can visit and tour her in a form that resembles her glory days as a transatlantic ship. Tickets are slightly cheaper if you book them online, which you can do online here .

14. Take a picture of the colourful houses

One thing that will catch your eye when you visit Bristol is the variety and colour of many of the homes and buildings in the city. This is one of Bristol’s signature features, and you definitely need to get a photo of these homes.

We actually visited Bristol during the Bristol Balloon Fiesta , and were lucky enough to go up in a balloon, and see all these houses from above.

But don’t worry if a balloon ride isn’t on the cards. If you walk a little further west along the south side of the river from the SS Great Britain, you’ll come to a lovely harbour area where many boats are moored. On the opposite side of the river, you’ll see a lovely selection of colourful houses for you to get a picture of.

15. Underfall yard

The last stop on our two day Bristol itinerary continues the marine theme. Underfall Yard is a historic Victorian-era boatyard in Bristol. The name “underfall” comes from the design solution that Brunel developed to resolve the issue of silt filling up Bristol’s floating harbour, which used a series of sluices to suck away the mud – a system that is still in use today.

Much of the original yard has been preserved, and is home today to a boat building cooperative, as well as various exhibits on the history of the floating harbour and the sluicing technology. I certainly learnt a few things that I didn’t know before, and I’m sure you will too!

With that, we’ve finished our ideas for how to spend two days in Bristol! Let’s take a look now at some practicalities for your visit.

Getting to Bristol

Bristol is a well connected city. There’s a fast train connection to London, which takes less than two hours, and of course it’s connected to a number of other cities in the UK as well.

Bristol also has an airport, with connections to a number of UK and European cities.

Finally, Bristol is easy to drive to, although in the city centre, we’d advise leaving the car safely parked somewhere else, as parking can be tricky to come by and fees can add up.

How to Get Around Bristol

Bristol is an easy city to get around, although it does have a few hills. The itinerary we’ve put together can be easily done on foot though, and it’s largely set up to have you travelling downhill for the most part.

Of course, there’s an excellent public transport network, as well as a ferry boat service that will take you to various points along the harbour.

Where to Stay in Bristol

Bristol has lots of accommodation options, pretty much something to suit every budget, from hostels through to boutique hotels and five star luxury.

There’s also a wide range of apartment rentals, and we opted for an apartment rental on our most recent visit as it gave us the flexibility to dine in as well as some working space and laundry facilities.

Check out all the Booking.com listings for Bristol, we find they usually come up with the best deal on a wide range of properties.

We also recommend Plum Guide if you’re looking for an apartment rental. Plum Guide carefully curate their listings so their options tend to be of a very high quality whilst still being available at a range of price points. We’ve stayed at a number of their properties around the world, and you can see our review of the Plum Guide here . See their listings for Bristol here .

For more vacation rental options in the UK, see our guide to our favourite holiday rentals websites in the UK .

When to Visit Bristol

Bristol is a pleasant city to visit year round, and there are plenty of indoor attractions to keep you entertained should the weather turn against you.

Probably the busiest time of year to visit is during the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta , which takes place in early August. Whilst this is a fantastic time to visit the city and see the skies filled with beautifully coloured balloons, it’s also definitely going to be a very busy time to visit as well.

We visited during the Fiesta, and had a wonderful time, but do be aware that accommodation, traffic and visitor levels are certainly higher at this time of year.

Otherwise, for the best weather we’d recommend visiting from May through to September. Also, do check out the official Visit Bristol website for all the events taking place throughout the year, to get an idea of what’s on.

Day Trips from Bristol

If you’re in Bristol for a little while and wondering if there are any good nearby spots for a day trip, then you’re in luck. Bristol makes a great base for exploring a number of nearby attractions, including the following.

Bath. This beautiful Roman-era spa town is filled with beautiful Georgian architecture. It’s also just a 13-minute train ride from Bristol, so very easy to reach.
The Cotswolds. This beautiful part of England is filled with postcard perfect villages and lovely countryside. Explore with your own vehicle or take a tour like this .
Stonehenge . An incredible ancient monument, the origins of which are still debated to this day. Can be visited by car or public transport from Bristol, or as part of a tour like this .
Cardiff. The capital city of Wales is easy to reach by train from Bristol, and offers museums, castles and plenty more to fill a day.
Glastonbury & Somerset. Glastonbury is famous for its Tor and links to St. Arthur. A day out from Bristol can easily cover other highlights of Somerset as well, including Cheddar Gorge and the incredible cathedral at Wells. You can drive yourself, or take a tour like this .

There are 10 comments on this post

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28th January 2023 at 2:29 pm

Thank you so much for this wonderful itinerary! I’ll be traveling with my husband to Bristol from the US in about a month. It’ll be my first time in the UK. He’s going for his work so the first 4 days of our 10 day trip I’m on my own to explore. I may need to spread this out for 3-4 days vs. 2 but it looks like plenty to keep me busy seeing all the sights :)…Thank you!

Laurence Norah says

29th January 2023 at 9:05 am

It’s my pleasure! I think you will easily be able to spread this out over a few days. However, as you have 4 days I can highly recommend jumping on the train and riding for 11 minutes or so from Bristol to the historic town of Bath which is a world heritage site and well worth a half day or full day of your time. It’s very different from Bristol, all Georgian architecture and lovely streets. Well worth it!

Safe travels!

Macarena says

13th January 2023 at 12:45 am

Thanks you so much for this guide! My husband and I are visiting UK for the first time from Argentina, and I was not very sure about including Bristol in our itinerary, but reading your blogue has convinced me! best wishes!! Macarena

14th January 2023 at 10:08 am

Thanks Macarena, have an awesome time in Bristol and the UK 🙂

17th December 2022 at 1:39 pm

This is a lifesaver! My girlfriend is coming to Bristol for the first time over Christmas, and I had no clue where to take her until reading your blog. Thanks again. Any to-do lists for Bath? 🙂

18th December 2022 at 11:45 am

It’s my pleasure! So we lived just outside Bath for three years, but haven’t really written much about it! However that’s not to say we don’t have recommendations. Obviously the town centre is pretty to walk around, and sights like the Royal Crescent, Circus and Bath Abbey are a must to see. There is an excellent free walking tour that meets most days in front of the Abbey that is worth doing. If you like walks, the Bath Skyline walk is really lovely. The Roman Baths are also of course worth a visit, and there also the thermal spa if you prefer a more relaxing experience. That should get you started hopefully!

Have a lovely Christmas 🙂

Mahmud says

1st January 2022 at 8:53 am

thank you so much Laurence and Jessica. We are on our way now. It was a fantastic blog really helpfull.

Thanks Mahmud & Şendül

1st January 2022 at 12:31 pm

Hey Mahmud & Şendül! Thanks so much guys 🙂 Have an awesome time in Bristol, what a great way to start 2022 🙂

All the best,

Dory Merriman says

8th May 2021 at 7:56 am

Thank you so much Laurence and Jessica for taking the time to put together this fantastic guide. It has helped me greatly for my forthcoming short visit to Bristol. Best wishes Dory

8th May 2021 at 11:18 am

Thank you so much Dory – have a wonderful trip to Bristol!

We have opened a bike shop!

Read more here. The shop in in Redfield, St George, on Church Rd BS5.

Free cycling sessions

https://www.bikebristol.com/co...

Bike Kitchen

A friendly environment to discuss all things cycling! Grab a brew, read a cycling book, and see if your bike needs any work (a mechanic will be running the session)

Sun 25th Feb - 1230-1430 @282 Church Rd, Redfield, St George, BS5 8AH ( our new bike shop! ) - book here

Book a Dr Bike here

Sun 18th Feb - 1230-1630 @282 Church Rd, Redfield, St George, BS5 8AH ( our new bike shop! ) - Book Here
Sun 25th Feb - 1130-1530 @282 Church Rd, Redfield, St George, BS5 8AH ( our new bike shop! ) - Book Here

Basic maintenance demos

Book a Demo here

Learn some basic maintenance skills like how to replace an innertube, clean your bike and do a safety check

Sat 24th Feb 1230-1430 - @282 Church Rd, Redfield, St George, BS5 8AH ( our new bike shop! ) - Book here

Bristol Temple Meads - cycle parking closing

Jan 2024: Cycling UK discount

Kick start your New Year journey to better health with a Cycling UK membership. Enjoy year-round wellbeing with access to expert advice, exclusive retail discounts, peace of mind insurance, and a bi-monthly copy of Cycle magazine.

See offer info here

Don’t miss out – claim 12 months for the price of 9

Choosing a Cycling UK membership isn't just about personal wellbeing; it's a commitment to a healthier planet. Join us in promoting sustainable and healthy living, helping to create a better world by bike. As you pedal into the New Year, prioritise your wellness with our special offer of a full 12 month membership for the price of just 9 months.

12 months for the price of 9 , equivalent to 25% off the cost of a full one-year membership
Offer valid until 31 January 2024
This offer may be withdrawn at any time, without prior notice
Applies to new memberships only
Applicable to household and individual memberships only
Read our Membership FAQs.

Upcoming Rides & Dr Bike

We have been awarded a grant by Cycling UK to deliver a number of free cycling sessions as part of the BIG BIKE REVIVAL project.

We have social bike rides coming up. Check the Social Rides page for most up to date info and to book.

Sun 14th Jan 1230-1500 - book here - We'll cycle to Blaise Castle and back
Sun 28th Jan 0930-1230 - book here - We'll ride south out to Keynsham via Whitchurch and Queen Charlton
Sun 18th Feb 0930-1230 - book here - We'll ride out to Chew Magna

Get a short safety check on your bike, with minor repairs possible. 30 min slots.

Sat 10th Feb - 1130-1530 @ St George Community Centre, BS5 8AA - Book Here
Sun 18th Feb - 1230-1630 @ St George Community Centre, BS5 8AA - Book Here
Sun 24th Feb - 1130-1530 @ St George Community Centre, BS5 8AA - Book Here

Learn some basic maintenance skills like how to replance an innertube, clean your bike and do a safety check

Sat 10th Feb 1230-1430 - @ St George Community Centre, BS5 8AA - Book here
Sat 24th Feb 1230-1430 - @ St George Community Centre, BS5 8AA - Book here

Foodcycle volunteers

Foodcycle Bristol is looking for cycling volunteers to help collect our food donations from local businesses, which are then cooked into amazing free meals for the community. The cycling sessions are 12-2pm every Wed and 9.30-11.30am every Sat, and our volunteers bring their own bikes and we attach our trailers to them to then cycle as a team to collect donations.

https://foodcycle.org.uk/volun...

How to buy a used bike in Brisol

Find out how to ensure you buy a great bike!

Come along to Bike Bristol's BIKE KITCHEN (free) at St George Community Centre

(free and funded) Have you heard of a "Bike Kitchen"? Come grab a hot drink and a biscuit and chat about bikes, get advice, read a cycling book, get your bike safety checked and generally hang out with the spanners out.

17th December - St George Community Centre 1330-1530 (informal drop-in) - book here
Scroll down to see free "Dr Bike" events below

We have been awarded a grant by Cycling UK to deliver a number of free cycling sessions including the Bike Kitchen sessions!

Upcoming free 'Dr Bike' safety checks

Wednesday 17th Jan @ Avonmouth Station, Avonmouth, Bristol BS11 9JE – Book here (SevernNet)

We have been awarded a grant by Cycling UK to deliver a number of free cycling sessions! See below for info.

Free 'Dr Bike' safety checks and repairs (Cycling UK funded)

Sun 14th Jan - 1330-1730 @ St George Community Centre, BS5 8AA - Book Here

Free guided bike rides (Cycling UK funded)

See the Social Bike Rides page for dates

Basic Maintenance Demos (Cycling UK funded)

Learn how to do a safety check, address a puncture and clean your bike..

10th Feb 1230-1430 @ St George Community Centre, BS5 8AA
24th Feb 1230-1430 @ St George Community Centre, BS5 8AA

Bristol to launch a new bike hire scheme

Now the fourth bike sharing initiative is going live in Bristol, but will it succeed!? We sincerely hope it does! Tier, who are running the new scooter share scheme, will also be managing the fleet of over 500 electric bikes.

The electric bikes will be available in a wide area and can be hired for 16p per minute with a £1 unlocking charge.

Note: Bike Bristol does monthly bike hire subscriptions allowing you to take a bike and keep it at home rather than parking it on the street.

See information and deals about Tier sharing on the Travel West website: https://travelwest.info/e-scoo...

Cargo bikes will soon be available to hire as part of the same scheme!

This ‘micro mobility’ sharing is great when you just want to travel A to B e.g. to a train station, saving the need to take your bike in the train. You might not need to return from the same place either.

Will it succeed?

Previous schemes such as Yobike and Big Issue struggled to manage the vandalism encountered, with Big Issue (Sharebike) saying the issue in Bristol was worse than all the other countries they operated in!

The question is, how can the city take better care of these bikes and rally around a scheme that will see more opportunities for sustainable travel.

Ways you can support the scheme.

Use the bikes! More usage means more funds to keep the bikes in working order
Park safely and not In a way that blocks the path. We would rather see car parking allocated for this purpose rather than the pavement.
You can help by reporting broken bikes via the Tier app. If the bikes get a dilapidated image, they may attract vandalism.
Report any vandalism to the police, probably best via 101. Don't challenge people as this could be unsafe for you.

Free Dr Bike (safety checks & repairs) coming up BOOK HERE :

30 September 1230-1630 @ St George Park, BS5 9EN
Thursday 28th Sept 0830–1230 Avon Lodge Truck Stop BS11 9YP
Friday 29th Sept 0900-1300 @ Opposite Wellspring Settlement BS5 0AX
Tue 3rd Oct September 1400-1800 @ next to The Sugarloaf Pub, St Marks Rd, BS5
Thursday 5th Oct 1300-1700 @ Severn Beach Station, BS354QD

Rail & Ride project

Sept 2023: The Rail and Ride project has launched! Bike Bristol is working with SevernNet to deliver free adult cycling lessons, accompanied journeys, Dr bike sessions and free bike hire. See more here: https://severnnet.org/rideands...

Dr bike events:

30th Aug 11-3 @ Brislington community picnic, Victory Park, Brislington.

Weds 30th Aug 10-3 @ Redcatch community garden, Redcatch Park, Knowle

Sat 2nd Sept 12-4 @ East Street Market, East Street Bedminster

Bridge reopening

Gaol Ferry Bridge set to reopen at 5pm on September 8, a few days after the reopening date of the Chocolate Path. https://www.bristol247.com/new...

Pop up Bike Hub in St George Park

Bike Bristol is launching a trial Bike Hub (pop up bike shop) in St George Park. We'll be at the park Sunday 27th Aug 10am-5pm for Services, Repairs, Bike Hire, Advice, Parts, and Bikes for Sale.

Note: This is not a free 'Dr Bike' event, Services and Repairs will be charged at £22.50 per 30 minutes (£45 per hour), rounded up to the nearest 30 mins.

You can book a slot here: www.bikebristol.as.me/Bikehub

Upcoming Dr Bike sessions (free bike check-ups)

See Bristol Council's full list of Dr Bikes here: https://betterbybike.info/comm...

Get active this July with the Big Bristol Travel Challenge

Bristol Council is running a challenge this July with prizes to be won - just log your miles here! https://bristol.getmeactive.or... your car at home and walk, ride, run, wheel and use public transport for more of your everyday journeys. Available to everyone who lives or works in Bristol the challenge is a fun, free tool to help you boost your health and wellbeing this July."

Free bike safety checks and minor repairs coming up!

As part of the E ast Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods project, the council is funding a number of free bike repair sessions (Dr. Bike)

See the upcoming Dr Bike sessions that are part of the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods project here

Find out more about liveable Neighbourhoods here

East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood progress

Exciting plans for the trail of a Liveable Neighbourhood for East Bristol are underway. Some substantial measures will be used that include ‘modal filters’ that permit only active travel (Walk, cycle, wheeling) with some permitting buses only (bus gates). This means certain streets will become safe corridor routes for walking cycling and wheeling, making it more likely that people will feel confident in traveling sustainably and enjoying their neighbourhood, with out using a car. Driving is still possible to all locations but al alternative roue may be required. The coloured ‘cells’ or zones, show the areas you can drive into…but not through. This reduces ‘rat runs’ and returns residential streets to quieter places where people can experience less speeding, pollution and noise.

Marsh Lane pictured above (photo from The Bristol Cable, page )

By using flower planters, selected streets can become corridors for walking and cycling. Marsh Lane pictured above is normally a busy road where drivers often break the 20mph limit. The trial will showcase the benefits of having safe routes that encourage safer, more enjoyable journeys by 'active travel'.

See the interactive map here on Bristol City Council's Liveable Neighbourhoods website.

We are excited to present our plans for the trial scheme that will help make Barton Hill and parts of Redfield and St George quieter, safer and healthier places to live and spend time.

Beaufort Rd will also get a 'pocket park' / modal filter to create a safe corridor for active travel. (photo from The Bristol Cable, page )

You can find out more about the trial at one of our info sessions or on a walkabout of the area in May and June.

Drop-in info sessions

Free Cycling Sessions in March & April

Bristol City Council are funding a number of free cycling session including bike maintenance courses, children's sessions, Adult cycle confidence and bike repairs. Funding comes from the Council's East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhoods Project.

Cycle training

We are offering a range of taster sessions to help everyone start cycling and get active.

Dates: Sunday 2nd April , Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th April. See full timetable here.

Bike maintenance course

Would you like to gain confidence cycling and taking care of your own bike?

St George Community Centre:

Wellspring Settlement, Barton Hill:

Bring your bike for a free check up with our Dr Bike mechanic who will be at Barton Hill Settlement 12.30pm to 4.30pm on the last Friday of each month. No need to book!

And check our Active travel support page for Travelwest roadshow dates with Dr Bike.

3rd March 2023

Concord Way to close for a year

"A section of the Concorde Way walking and cycling route will be closing temporarily on Monday 6 March to make way for Ashley Down station to be built.

Ashley Down station will open up rail travel to local people, encouraging sustainable low-carbon travel across Bristol and beyond.

To allow enough space for the new station to be built, a section of Concorde Way - from the allotments up to Station Road, through to the junction between Station Lane and Muller Road, including the closure of the adjoining subway - will need to closed for around a year.

This means everyone who uses Concorde Way through Ashley Down will need to follow a signed diversion along Boiling Wells Lane and Muller Road, where it will re-join Concorde Way on Petherbridge Way.

Ahead of the closure, Bristol City Council has made some improvements to Boiling Wells Lane to make it easier to walk and cycle along."

1st March 2023

Upcoming free 'Bike Doctor' sessions

Get your bike safety checked free including minor repairs within a 30 minute slot (first come first served). Bike Bristol can also provide Dr. Bike for your workplace and we now do mobile repairs - see more here.

These free community Dr. Bike sessions are funded by Bristol CIty Council (Travel West) " Whether you ride your bike every day or you haven’t gone pedalling in years, Travelwest’s free Dr Bike service will make sure you’re ready to hit the road."

19th Feb 2023

How to avoid being 'doored'

Avoid getting 'doored'! This is an avoidable yet serious cause of up to 10-20% of cycling collisions*. Has this happened to you? The issue is that as a cyclist you'll have no warning of a door opening as a driver or passenger decides to get out without checking. It's therefore very important to ride a minimum doors-width away from vehicles and outside the 'door zone'. Note: Drivers/passengers have ultimate responsibility, clarified in 2022 highway code changes , and can face fines for dooring a cyclist.

Bizarrely, many of the city's painted cycle lanes encourage you to ride in this dangerous space alongside cars. Instead to be safe you must ride outside the bike lane which adds to the perception (for less well educated road users) that cyclists are being 'difficult' or 'entitled' by riding outside the lane.

These painted bike lanes, especially where they are narrow and in the door zone, need widening or removing. Much of a narrow painted lane is also in the 'gutter' the space a meter from the pavement which you are also advised not to ride in too!

The bottom line is to ride approx 1.5 meters away from the side of vehicles to rule out hitting a door.

Drivers and passengers are required to check carefully before opening a door, which was clarified in recent highway code changes ( https://www.gov.uk/government/news/the-highway-code-8-changes-you-need-to-know-from-29-january-2022 )

This also clarified that road users should allow pedestrians to cross at junctions and that drivers should not cut across cyclists. This issue is many may not have ready it:

"Where you are able to do so, you should open the door using your hand on the opposite side to the door you are opening; for example, use your left hand to open a door on your right-hand side."

"This will make you turn your head to look over your shoulder."

"You are then more likely to avoid causing injury to cyclists or motor cyclists passing you on the road, or to people on the pavement."

*Looking at statistics from a number of cities worldwide.

15th Feb 2023

All major road building projects scrapped (Wales)

Wales has taken a bold move away from building more roads! More roads leads to more driving and more congestion and even the move to electric cars does not help congestion or harmful particles from tyres and brakes. The Welsh government recognises the need to drive and this is still possible but this move will reduce vast £multi-million sums spent on major roads projects, which is also important as it allows money to be redirected to sustainable modes such as cycling and public transport. Many of us that ride bikes drive too but are willing to accept this cannot be made the best/easiest/cheapest option as it has seemed to be for decades. To address the balance moves like this are necessary to create behaviour change. To be successful the move needs to ensure better bike paths and cheaper bus/rail services. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-...

10th Feb 2023

Mobile Repair Service Launched

Bike Bristol now offers mobile bike repair from our cargo bike. A qualified bike mechanic will come to you at work or at home and repair your bike as you wait! Book Mobile Repair Here.

There's also free public Dr Bike sessions running (basic safety checks) including:

15th Feb 12.30-4pm: We'll be in St George Park Wednesday 15th Feb 12.30-4pm. Get a free safety check. First Come First Served! Travel West will be on site sharing maps and travel advice. You may also be eligible for free travel vouchers.

16th Feb 10-3pm : The Bike Doctor will be on Ridingleaze Highstreet, Lawrence Weston, outside Co-op alongside a Sustrans Street Party.

Wednesday 22nd February: Shirehampton Public Hall, 10am to 1.30pm

6th Feb 2023

Bristol Cycling Campaign

Read the February newsletter here

3rd Feb 2023

New Cycle Paths on their way

Major upgrades are expected to commence this year to improve walking and cycling. The missing link between the end of the Bristol to Bath path into the city centre will be addressed, creating a safer route through to the harbour/fountains along Baldwin Street. The Park Row scheme is progressing too which will see the temporary bollards/wands made permanent to protect those cycling up to the hospital, university and Clifton. The Cotham Hill temporary pedestrianisation will also be kept, helping businesses recover and people enjoy safer, less polluted streets.

28th Jan 2023

Free bike repairs

Upcoming free bike safety checks and repairs "Dr. Bike" funded by the council. You can request a free Dr. Bike here.

🚴Thursday 2nd Feb: 10am-3pm: Shirehampton Tithe Barn, BS11 0DE

🚴Saturday 4th Feb: Filwood Community Market, 10am to 2.30pm

🚴 Thursday 16th Feb 10am-4pm: Ridingleaze Highstreet, Lawrence Weston (street party) BS11 0QB

🚴Thursday 9th Feb: Bricks Bristol (BS4 4AB), 11am to 2pm

14th Jan 2023

Should you have stabilisers on your child's bike?

Many children's bikes come with stabilisers and they have been widely used for years but we’ll explore if they are good for your child's cycling development. Stabilisers are a quick way to get your child on a bike and pedaling but they won't really have learnt how to cycle.

Riding a bike involves the whole body with balance and core strength guiding the bike through the seat, pedals and handlebars. Like walking, cycling requires riders to coordinate muscles in a complex way to stop them falling. Stabilisers remove the need for a child to engage the muscles and balance required, which although is a temporary fix, will not help them make progress beside turning the pedals in the correct direction (which can be useful).

Book a lesson to help your child to cycle here or find out more about our courses.

Keeping a bike balanced requires an interesting bit of control. As you ride, the bike will essentially learn and start to fall to the left or to the right. To prevent this becoming a full fall, the rider actually needs to turn the handlebars towards the lean. This then allows a rider to turn while at the same time preventing the fall. By turning towards the fall sufficiently, the lean will stop and they will straighten up. Cyclists are constantly doing this in a barely noticeable way - continually making micro adjustments. This skill must be developed by the rider feeling the sensation of leaning and through trial and error will find that turning at the right time will keep them balanced.

Stabilisers however stop a bike leaning with interesting results. It will require the rider to turn left to go left, whereas with a bike without stabilisers, they must first lean in the direction they wish to go. To initiate a lean to the left they must actually turn right slightly which causes the bike to start to fall to the left. This is called ‘counter steer’. Therefore on a bike with stabilisers a rider is learning to turn the handlebars exactly the wrong way.

There will also be a potentially significant emotional issue trying to remove the stabilisers as the child may feel they have taken a step back and be upset that they can no longer pedal. Instead it is recommended that a child start on a balance bike or if they have a pedal bike, the pedals can be removed to become a balance bike (and stabilisers removed). Once a child has spent some time ‘scooting’ about on a balance bike they should begin showing improvements and if they can ‘glide’ with their feet in the air they are getting ready to progress.

Get in touch to book a lesson where we can undo bad habits caused by stabilisers and get your child cycling often within an hour.

13th Jan 2023

The Out & About Brislington website is live!

The online interactive map showcases paths, trails, nature spots and wildlife info in BS4! Visit the website https://outaboutbris.com/ and follow at https://www.facebook.com/OutAndAboutBrislington

Explore the heritage, wildlife and nature spots in Brislington, discover quieter and more convenient ways to get around your neighbourhood by bike, scooter or on foot. Let’s go out & about Brislington!

Have you used the Out and About website to explore the Brislington area? If you've used it and it's helped you discover new pahs or information, help us complete a short set of questions ('Case Study') to receive a free £30 voucher for Bike Bristol. (email [email protected])

12th Jan 2023

Chocolate path due to open May this year!

From the council: "A major milestone has been reached in the work to stabilise Cumberland Road, which will enable Bristol’s Chocolate Path to reopen by the end of May.

Sustainability

Travel challenge, what and why, cycle, scoot or hop on a bus or train . .

About 15% of the total greenhouse gases and 22% of the CO2 emissions are attrib uted to transportation 1 . By opting to use public transport as opposed to a single occupancy vehicl e, we can each reduce congestion, whilst simultaneously improve air quality in the city and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Travel by land or ferry over flying, where possible.

Aviation currently contributes around 2% of overall global emissions and this figure is increasing more than any other form of transport. Flying is also highly unequal , with 70% of UK flights taken by just 15% of the population. The s cience says that it’s sustainable to fly abroad only 15-20 times over a lifetime . Cheap flights to weekend city breaks has a major carbon impact, and we need to think carefully about how often we need to take long haul flights, too .

Top tips

Reduce your dependence on cars by l imiting trips in a car to essential journeys only.
Explore the University’s travel links on our Transport pages . University students & staff are eligible for discounts on annual bus passes .
Enjoy your surroundings and t ake in the sights of routes you never knew existed .
Find your favourite form of active travel. You could walk or cycle, or nip about on an e -scooter, roller blad es or skateboard. Not sure if cycling is for you? Why not loan a bike from Bristol City Council to find out?
Consider parts of the UK you have yet to visit. Research the most sustainable way to holiday there, considering how you will travel and where you will stay.
Download the free Bristol Moves+ app. Collect points to redeem rewards for your daily steps. You can also join take part in group challenges with your friends and colleagues. Visit the website for details.

Get rewarded for Active Travel with Bristol Moves +

Bristol Moves+ is a free app that allows you to collect points and redeem rewards for your daily activity. By walking to or from work, getting off the bus a stop early or turning indoor meetings into walking meetings outside, you could be getting points to put towards a hot drink or reusable coffee cup! Visit the website for details.

1 The Geography of Transport Systems

Be the Change

Be the change  by signing up to this challenge for at least one month.

#UOBethechange

Use #UOBethechange hashtag and share your journey of taking up the travel challenge with others!

The Bristol Mayor

Mayor of bristol, marvin rees' blog.

Making Bristol’s transport network safer for all

Transport in Bristol is a challenge regardless of your mode of travel. Bristol is a historic city with many protected buildings with old, constrained roads, covering a small area for our rapidly growing population. Shorter-term issues, like the shortage of bus drivers at First Bus, are causing huge frustration for us now, but our transport network has even deeper flaws.

Bristol has had no mass transit system for decades and underinvestment in infrastructure for even longer. Compounding those problems was a post-war rebuilding of our city imagined at a time when the motorcar was king.

We continue to face these challenges while modernising our infrastructure, pedestrianising swathes of our city, and growing our economy inclusively and sustainably.

When dealing with transport planning, the single biggest flaw is to approach the challenge through a single prism and a single focus. Our challenge is to enable people’s movement while bringing people with us on a journey to sustainable, efficient, low carbon travel.

Many campaigns struggle: alienating and isolating people, building barriers to growing support for change.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marvin Rees, Mayor of Bristol (@marvinjrees)

More immediately, our cycling plans are published in our Local Cycling Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) . Our driver for the LCWIP proposals have been the clear disparity of cycling journeys to work between wealthier and more deprived areas of the city. This plan contains routes to enable the growth of cycling amongst more disadvantaged communities.

In addition to the above all developments and infrastructure plans, we want to maximise the inclusion of safe cycling with segregation where possible. We’re also investing in a new £14 million Family Cycling Centre in Lawrence Weston, where cycle training will take place as part of a wider family cycling offer.

Active Travel England have set out standards that we aspire to where they are deliverable. We want to deliver infrastructure which enables growth of cycling amongst more disadvantaged communities.

As part of our work with the West of England Combined Authority we’ve been able to begin the project for a programme of cycle hangars in the city. We will use the funding which will be made available at the January committee to prioritise cycle hangars for council blocks. The project scored blocks against strategic criteria such as their links to strategic cycling network, levels of deprivation, and car ownership. This identified 168 cycle hangar spaces for sixteen sites, and we’ll begin installation next year.

Bristol has a clear transport hierarchy which prioritises pedestrians and then cyclists. Our work to bring e-scooters to Bristol and the huge take up they have seen has also driven alternative travel to cars, taking around 3 million car journeys off our roads and saving hundreds of thousands of kilos of CO2 emissions.

🛴 @voitechnology riders in #Bristol will boost spending on our high streets by £13m this year 🏙️ Our city is the most popular in the UK for Voi e-scooters, replacing an estimated 3m car journeys so far as part of a modern, sustainable transport mix https://t.co/tRj0JaCMMK — Marvin Rees (@MarvinJRees) November 5, 2022

It is important to address issues with Bristol’s transport infrastructure in a way that benefits all residents and the different methods of travel.

Moving traffic offences make our roads unsafe for all road users and pedestrians. People with limited mobility and additional access requirements are especially vulnerable to people who ignore the rules of the road. These offences include driving through a ‘No Entry’ sign, going the wrong way in a one-way street, turning left or right where this is not permitted, and driving where and when motor vehicles are not allowed. In December’s Cabinet meeting we will consider a report that applies to the Secretary of State for Transport for new powers over moving traffic violations to Bristol. More details on the six enforcement sites are available here.

This is an example of a multi-issue, focused approach to improving Bristol’s transport network, that makes travel safer for cyclists, pedestrians, and all road users.

We are introducing a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) to Bristol. While three-quarters of cars won’t be affected, high polluting cars will be charged for driving through a city centre zone. The CAZ will clean up the air that we all breathe, and our £42 million support fund is helping people and businesses to upgrade their vehicles. This is a holistic approach to improving how we can travel across our city. At the same time as reducing congestion and making travel easier, it will improve the health of cyclists, walkers, and residents traveling through Bristol.

Read my article with Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London, in the New Statesman , highlighting the importance of cleaning up the air we breathe.

Our mass transit plans have progressed and are ready to be completed by the next administration and the combined authority. This is the single most transformation approach to transport in our city for a century and will remove more car journeys than any other initiative, paving the way for far greater implementation of segregated cycling and active travel like other modern cities.

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Home > United Kingdom > 15 Things To Do Alone in Bristol, UK: Solo Travel in Bristol

15 Things To Do Alone in Bristol, UK: Solo Travel in Bristol

By Dymphe / May 26, 2022

If you want to find amazing things to do alone in Bristol , then you'll love these activities! Doing solo travel in Bristol is very fun because of the things you can do.

When you're in the United Kingdom , going to Bristol is very fun. It's a beautiful city with some great things to see. For example, the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery is very nice and so is the Clifton Suspension Bridge.

Going here by yourself is also very fun. If you want to meet new people, there are great things to do. But there are also nice activities if you want to explore the city or relax.

For example, a very fun activity for solo travel in Bristol is joining a film club. This is great if you like movies and it's fun if you want to make friends.

Furthermore, a self-guided tour of Bristol is also a great activity. That's because it allows you to learn about the city and it's very relaxing.

And there are more amazing things to do alone in Bristol. If you want to be active, you can play badminton with a group. And if you want to relax, you can go to a pretty botanic garden.

Table of Contents

1. Join a Film Club: Fun Thing To Do Alone in Bristol If You Like Movies

If you love movies, you can join the " Bristol Film Overthinkers ".

This film club is great if you want to discuss movies together with other people. The club is amazing for solo travel in Bristol.

Most of the meetings of this film club are about discussing the movies. You watch the movie at home, and then meet up to talk about everything!

Sometimes, this club hosts events where you watch a movie together with others at a cinema.

What makes this one of the best things to do alone in Bristol is that the meetups are a great way to socialize. And you may make some new friends among the other movie enthusiasts!

2. Hike and Learn About History in Bristol

If you like walking and learning about history, this is one of the best things to do alone in Bristol for you!

You can join the " A Walk in the Past " group for walking through historic landscapes.

Each walk is between 3 and 6 miles, and each walk takes place at another place. You'll get to see historic places, get active, and hear interesting historical stories! So it's definitely one of the most interesting activities for solo travel in Bristol.

3. Explore Live Music Performances With a Group in Bristol

If you like live music, one of the best things to do alone in Bristol is to join the " Bristol Live Music Group ".

This is a group for people that want to explore the music scene of the city.

During the events of the group, you visit concerts, and other performances together. Doing this together is much more fun than going to these places on your own.

What's great is that there are events with a large variety of music genres. For example, the group goes to places with indie, world, funk, blues, and other types of music. It can be anything actually!

What's great is that you can see the music gigs on the Meetup page of the group. Based on this, you can decide which event you want to visit.

The social aspect of the events is a lot of fun during solo travel in Bristol. And it is great if you want to make new friends in the city.

4. Take Part in Cooking Classes: Amazing Thing To Do Alone in Bristol For Those Who Like Food

Taking part in cooking classes is another one of the best things to do alone in Bristol.

The Little Kitchen Cookery School is perfect for this.

They offer small-group cooking classes that are quite affordable and very fun!

During these Bristol cooking classes, you'll learn a lot of new things for sure. You get to know new dishes, and you learn new skills that you can apply later!

What's great as well is that you do these cooking classes with other people. This social element makes the classes much more fun. And you may make new friends when you are cooking together!

Another great thing about this social element is that you get to eat the food you made together after class. Doing this during solo travel in Bristol is a lot of fun because otherwise you would have had to eat alone.

5. Do a Self-Guided Tour of Bristol

If you prefer to explore the city on your own, you can do a self-guided tour.

A self-guided tour is a great way to see the city on foot while you are in control. Also, it's one of the best things to do alone in Bristol for sure.

For this, you have to download a self-guided Bristol tour from GPSmyCity . They have a variety of tours. Each one explores a particular path of Bristol.

One of these tours is the Banksy Tour in Bristol. During this tour, you can see the public works of Banksy in the streets of the city, which is awesome!

Another great self-guided tour in Bristol is the historical churches of Bristol tour. This tour lets you explore 6 great historical churches in the city.

But there are many other great tours for you to see.

With these self-guided tours, you can get to know the city.

On your own, you can decide where to go and what time to spend everywhere. Compared to a walking tour, this gives you a lot more control!

6. Play Badminton With a Group: Active Thing To Do Alone in Bristol To Make Friends

If you like playing badminton, you can join the Bristol Badminton Group .

This is a club that is suitable for everyone. You don't need a lot of experience to join!

The group hosts badminton events every Monday where you can play games with other people. There are two courts where you can play. One for beginners, and one for more advanced players.

Not only is this activity great if you like badminton, but it is also great if you want to socialize with others! So it's perfect if you want to make friends during solo travel in Bristol.

7. Go for a Relaxing Walk at Queen Square

A place where you can go for a lovely small stroll is Queen Square.

This is a small square in the city center. Going to this square is one of the best things to do alone in Bristol.

You find here some walking paths and a bit of nature that is great. This makes going here very relaxing.

Also, you can rest on one of the benches at the square.

8. Relax at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden

If you are looking for a relaxing place in the city, you can visit the University of Bristol Botanic Garden.

You can learn here about the evolution of plants. And there are lots of beautiful plants and flowers to see at this place. This place is incredible if you like nature.

What's great is that you can wander around the place and only focus on nature. That way, you can relax on your own, which is awesome during solo travel in Bristol!

9. Have Fun at a Comedy Magic Show

Another one of the best solo activities in Bristol is seeing a comedy magic show.

The " House Magicians' Comedy Magic Show at Smoke & Mirrors in Bristol " is awesome!

It is a very entertaining show to visit on your own. Two magicians perform great illusions and do this in a comedic way!

What's great is that the setting of the theater where this takes place is very intimate. This makes you feel part of the show. That's also why it's one of the best things to do alone in Bristol.

Moreover, there is also a lot of interaction with the audience.

10.Take Part in a Bike Tour in Bristol: Great Thing To Do Alone in Bristol To Get To Know the City

Another great way to explore the city during solo travel in Bristol is a bike tour. Cycle the City has Bristol Bicycle Tours that are great!

During their sightseeing tour, a guide leads the bicycle ride. If you like biking, this is one of the best things to do alone in Bristol.

You go around the city for a bit more than 2 hours.

The guide takes you to the most famous sights, but also to hidden gems, which is a lot of fun!

You'll go through the old city and see the Clifton Suspension Bridge. Furthermore, you'll also see Banksy murals. But there is a lot more!

What's great is that you can see lots of sights in 2 hours. Much more in comparison to a tour on foot, because biking is a much faster way to get around!

11. Go on an Adventure With Other Women

Joining the " Gutsy Girls - Bristol and Bath " Meetup group is great if you are looking for adventure.

This is a group of other women that organizes events that are adventurous. These events can be about anything, from hiking to paddle boarding to mountain biking!

During these events, you'll explore the city and other places near it. This makes it possible to see a lot of beautiful places

Furthermore, you may make new friends when you go on an adventure with others! This social aspect makes it great for solo travel.

12. See an Exhibition at the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery

One of the best things to do alone in Bristol is going to the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. This is a great museum in the city.

You find here a large collection of various items.

This collection includes artifacts of the history of the city, geology, and much more. You also find here a large section with natural history objects.

What's great is that the art of the museum features art from all over the world and from all periods in time. This makes the place even more varied, and even more fun to visit during solo travel in Bristol!

Furthermore, what's great is that you can go here for free. There is no admission fee!

What's great as well is that there are often temporary exhibitions that focus on a particular type of art. This makes the place even more interesting!

13. Do a Walking Tour and Learn About History and Street Art

A great way to discover the city is through a guided walking tour.

The " Bristol: Blackbeard to Banksy Guided Walking Tour " is great for this.

During this experience, you walk through the city for about 2 hours. A local guide shows you around and leads you to interesting sights in Bristol.

There are great castles, churches, and other historic buildings. By going here, you can learn a lot about the city.

Besides that, you visit many other sights, including more modern ones. For example, you also learn about Banky during this tour!

After doing this tour, you have a much better understanding of the city!

Also, there is a social element to this activity, as you do it with small groups of people!

14. Learn To Do Pottery in Bristol: Unique and Fun Thing To Do Alone in Bristol

Learning to do pottery is great when you are doing solo travel in Bristol.

Through a beginner pottery wheel session in Bristol , you can learn the basics!

During this class that takes about 2 hours, you learn everything from the start. You don't need to have any experience.

At the end of the class, you can choose one thing that you made to make ready to take home. You can pick this up about 2 months after the class because it is not immediately ready.

You do this class with at most 5 other people, which makes it a social experience, while also being very intimate.

15. Take Part in a Paddleboarding Experience

If you like paddleboarding, you can take part in a Bristol paddleboarding session . This is one of the most unique things to do alone in Bristol for sure!

This is a great sport that is a lot of fun. During this session, you can learn the basics and go paddleboarding on the waters of Bristol. During this, you can see some famous sights in the city.

What's great is that you do this experience with others, which makes it possible to socialize.

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Bristol City Council wins only 17 per cent of Clean Air Zone fine appeals

West Country
Clean Air Zone
Environment
Tuesday 22 August 2023 at 12:40pm

Fewer than one in five motorists who challenge a Clean Air Zone fine from Bristol City Council lose their case if they take it to appeal, new figures have revealed.

Tens of thousands of Clean Air Zone fines have been issued since the scheme went live on the last day of November 2022 , but new figures from the Traffic Penalty Tribunal suggest that when motorists appeal against the fines, they are successful more often than not.

Data from the Government’s Traffic Penalty Tribunal shows that the tribunal judges ruled in drivers’ favour in more than half, some 56%, of all appeals.

And of the rest, most were settled with a compromise - usually that the driver should pay the £9 charge, but not the £60 or £120 fine.

The Government’s Traffic Penalty Tribunal is effectively the court of appeal for parking and traffic fines, and is the next step for motorists after they have unsuccessfully appealed to the local authority who issued the fine in the first place.

No concrete figures have been released yet from Bristol City Council about its Clean Air Zone - the authority said it would issue a report when the scheme has been running for 12 months, giving the numbers of fines and the impact the zone has made on air quality and traffic numbers after it has been in place for a year.

But the Traffic Penalty Tribunal has released figures on the numbers of cases which reach its appeals court.

As of Wednesday 16 August, the total number of Clean Air Zone penalty charge notices (PCNs) that have been appealed to the tribunal is 1,106.

Of those, 224 are still awaiting a decision or resolution, but of the 882 that have been decided, only 150 have been refused - with the tribunal judges agreeing with the council that the fines are valid and should be paid.

A total of 500 appeals have been allowed, with the drivers told they don’t need to pay the charge or the fine at all.

And a total which were ‘closed by consent order’ was 232.

These are appeals which are closed before a ruling is needed, usually where the council has agreed with the motorist that they should pay the charge but not the fine.

Included in the 'allowed' category are appeals where the council has withdrawn the fine entirely - which is what happened to four PCNs challenged by a driver from the Bath area, who claims the legal orders enforcing the Clean Air Zone in Bristol are riddled with errors and not legally binding.

The driver, known as Mr L, challenged Bristol City Council on those grounds and the council withdrew his fines rather than go through a Traffic Penalty Tribunal hearing, avoiding a ruling which he said could set a precedent for all the CAZ fines.

Bristol City Council refused to explain why it had withdrawn those fines, and has refused to comment on the TPT’s latest figures.

Of the 882 appeals taken to the tribunal, the tribunal has ruled in the drivers’ favour in 57% of the cases, a compromise agreement has been found in 26% of cases, and the council’s fines have been upheld in just 17% of cases.

Many of the cases where the fines are withdrawn and 'not contested' by the council when they are taken to the TPT relate to cases where vehicle number plates are cloned, or the car recently changed hands and the fine was incurred by the previous owner, or where the driver did pay the CAZ but got the date wrong on the form.

A council spokesperson said: “Those who think they have received a Clean Air Zone PCN in error or have mitigating circumstances can submit an appeal. Each appeal will be assessed based on its own merit.”

A spokesperson for the Traffic Penalty Tribunal said anyone who wants to challenge a Clean Air Zone fine has to first of all appeal to the council itself.

“Anyone receiving a PCN must first challenge it with the local authority (known as ‘making representations’), so the authority has an opportunity to assess the circumstances and evidence at this stage,” he said.

“If the authority rejects representations then a motorist can submit an appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.

" Please see here for further reference of the CAZ enforcement / appeal process, and you will find comprehensive information on the appeals process elsewhere on our website,” he added.

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On Soccer With Rory Smith

Coaches have to be salesmen, too.

David Moyes has established West Ham as a fixture in the top half of the Premier League and a regular presence in Europe. So why do so many fans want him out?

West Ham Manager David Moyes watches his team amid a cloud of bubbles.

By Rory Smith

West Ham, in the end, could not quite withstand the barrage. Bayer Leverkusen’s first goal — a Jonas Hofmann shot that picked its way through a thronged penalty area — broke its resistance. The second, a late, artful header from Victor Boniface, shattered its hopes. The club’s Europa League adventure will likely extend no further than the quarterfinals.

Still, there is no great shame in that. Leverkusen is, of course, Europe’s great form team: on an unbeaten run that now stretches to 42 games, and on the verge of claiming its first German championship. Xabi Alonso, its estimable young coach , remains on course to claim a treble — league, cup, Europa League — in his first full season.

The bare facts of West Ham’s campaign are not quite as impressive, but they are admirable enough. The club sits seventh in the Premier League, above both Newcastle United and Chelsea and just a point behind Manchester United. A top-six finish remains a realistic ambition.

That would mean another run at Europe next year, a fourth in succession. West Ham is starting to feel at home on the continent: It reached the Europa League semifinals in 2022, losing out to Eintracht Frankfurt, and then beat Fiorentina to claim the Europa Conference League trophy in 2023.

That was West Ham’s first trophy since 1980, and only the fifth major honor in its history. David Moyes, the coach, and his team were met with a heroes’ reception and a bus parade through the streets of east London. The club’s fans have, for much of this season, delighted in making the ever-so-slightly inaccurate claim that they are “ champions of Europe .”

Moyes should, then, be able to sit back and take great pride in what he has achieved. When he suggested, in February, that “it would be hard to say there have been many better times at West Ham,” it was hard to quibble. He has been at the club — in his second spell — for five years. By West Ham’s standards, this almost amounts to a golden age.

Which makes it strange, then, that a sizable portion of the club’s fan base would like nothing more than to see Moyes removed from his post. His contract expires this summer. He has said he will make the call on whether to sign a new one at the end of the season. At least half of his public is adamant that should not be an option.

Among the ever-voluble ranks of the Premier League’s commentariat — the hard-nosed veterans and the grizzled insiders who act as the game’s largely self-appointed thought leaders — the mere existence of that schism has caused no little consternation.

What else, they ask, could Moyes have done? True, his teams’ style of play is not always the most aesthetically pleasing. West Ham can be a little more cautious than is perhaps ideal, but then look at all it has achieved: Moyes has established West Ham as a regular presence in the top half of the Premier League. He has turned the club into a regular presence in Europe.

Any dissent, in that view, indicates either a lack of realism or a lack of gratitude on the part of a fan base that has never, certainly not recently, had it so good.

That seems to be Moyes’s overall impression, too. On a human level, it is entirely understandable that he has found the criticism hurtful enough that he has attempted to confront it, to quell it, to put his case.

“Maybe there would be managers who excite them more,” Moyes said of his club’s fans in February. “Possibly. But the one who is sitting here wins more.” (Admittedly, his timing on that occasion was not exactly ideal: The claim was made at a point when West Ham had won precisely none of its previous eight games.)

And that, in both Moyes’s mind and those of his allies, should be the end of the matter. It is a foundational belief of English (and quite a lot of global) soccer that all that really counts is winning. Fans might think they want an exciting, adventurous, thrilling style of play, but they will reject it outright if they start losing.

In the case of the modern Premier League, this is best exemplified by what is best thought of as The Parable of Alan Curbishley.

At the turn of the century, Curbishley had led Charlton Athletic not just to the Premier League, but into the top half of the table. After several years of this quiet triumph, though, the team’s fans grew restless, dissatisfied. They wanted to know what was next. The club eventually caved and replaced Curbishley with a more progressive coach. It was duly relegated.

This happened almost two decades ago. It is still reliably trotted out now, one of those stories told to children to warn them of the dangers of dreaming. Moyes — as well as his many and varied allies — subscribe to this school of thought almost as an article of faith: Be careful what you wish for; better the devil you know.

The problem is that, by citing results as the only relevant gauge, they are inadvertently condemning themselves. West Ham has had an admirable season, but it has won only 13 of its 32 Premier League games. Liverpool beat Moyes’s team, 5-1, to end its stay in the Carabao Cup. West Ham was eliminated from the F.A. Cup by Bristol City. Bayer Leverkusen will, most likely, send it out of the Europa League next week.

This is the reality for the vast majority of teams, of course, for all of those clubs marooned outside the game’s untouchable elite. Seasons do not end in glory. You lose, or at least fail to win, more games than end in victory. The results might be better than expected, or than they would be otherwise. But for most teams success can only ever be relative.

In that context, it is more important than ever — and it has always been important — to offer the fans something else. To make them feel, and make them believe, that they are part of something bigger. That could be a particular style of play. It might be the promotion of youth. It might be an underdog story, or a redemption arc.

But if you are going to persuade fans to endure the times of want in order to get to the moments of plenty, then there has to be something for them to clutch close to their chests. It all has to be for a reason. And warning them that they might lose a few more games if you were not around, that they should appreciate the little you can provide, does not really cut it.

Moyes is, like many in soccer, contemptuous of the fashion for talking about philosophy. He is right to be cynical. Much of it has the air of a sales pitch: empty, misleading and faintly disingenuous.

But to scorn it is to avoid the reality that it has become not only a part of the job but central to it. Managers have always been salesmen, pitching their ideas, their vision, themselves to their players. That has not changed. The only difference now is that has to be communicated to the fans, too.

Every Team Is Good

Bayern Munich, you will have heard, is a bit of a mess at the moment. This weekend, its 12-year reign as German champion will come to an end. In the next couple of months, it will appoint its fourth manager in three years. There are plans in place, by all accounts , to replace a significant proportion of the current squad during the summer.

Arsenal, on the other hand, is the game’s coming force: the outstanding team of the Premier League season — the meanest defense, the most prolific attack — sitting atop the table with just a handful of games left, its fingertips brushing a first championship since the triumph of the Invincibles two decades ago.

How, then, to explain that they shared a (fairly representative) 2-2 draw at the Emirates on Tuesday? How could it be that a side falling apart in the Bundesliga, a league so often derided as a pale, agricultural imitation of its English cousin, now has a chance to eliminate from the Champions League the leader of the mighty Premier League?

Because Arsenal suffered just a little stage fright, perhaps. Because the Bundesliga is not quite as lacking in quality as England, in general, likes to assume. Because Bayern’s fall, while undeniable, is also from a fairly lofty height.

But mainly, the simple explanation is that — for all soccer’s tendency to hyperbole, its overriding obsession with systems, its fetishization of tactical complexity — a single game can be (and often is) determined solely by the talent of the individuals on the field.

And, as all four Champions League quarterfinals this week proved rather neatly, at this rarefied level, there is precious little qualitative difference between the players who make up the teams. Judged over a season, the structures in place at Arsenal might offer a better guarantee of success than those at Bayern Munich. On one evening, in one tie, though, they guarantee nothing at all.

Meaning Is Relative

The metaphor was almost a little too obvious. Tradition dictates that, whenever Athletic Bilbao wins a major honor, the club’s squad sails the trophy into the heart of the city on its own barge, La Gabarra.

It was required this week, after Athletic won the Copa del Rey last Saturday, but the barge has been docked for so long — 40 years, in fact — that the club’s staff had to spend a decent portion of Sunday cleaning off the rust.

Still, the parade that followed was worth the hard work: hundreds of thousands lining the banks of the Nervion river, and many more sailing in their own vessels alongside.

The images provided one of those welcome, periodic reminders that soccer tournaments matter as much as we decide they do, as a whole generation of fans has been reared on the idea that domestic cups like the Copa del Rey are a second-order honor, somewhere between a nuisance and an afterthought.

This is, at best, a self-fulfilling prophecy. If clubs cherish these tournaments, then they imbue them with meaning for the fans, and vice versa.

Much the same happened at Roma and West Ham, winners of the first two editions of the (initially maligned) Europa Conference League. They bought into the newfangled tournaments; in doing so, they made winning them a cause for celebration. Trophies mean what we want them to mean, and things are a lot more fun if we want them to mean something.

Rory Smith is a global sports correspondent, based in the north of England. He also writes the “ On Soccer With Rory Smith ” newsletter. More about Rory Smith

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The big Bristol travel challenge. The Big Bristol Travel Challenge is a great way to get active each July. Leave your car at home and walk, ride, run, skate, scoot or take public transport for more of your everyday journeys. Its free to take part and there's lots of help and encouragement throughout the month. You can set goals, track your ...
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And it's having a measurable impact; as part of the Big Bristol Travel Challenge the council ran with Sustrans in July, we recorded a total of 6,269 sustainable journeys. Of these, 2,988 were by walking and 1,718 were by cycling. In all, this change over the month saved 2,341Kg of Co2 emissions as well as people saving £3,575 in travel costs.
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Get free active travel support. We can help you reduce your car journeys with free cycling trials, eScooter credit and bus taster tickets. The council has funding to help people travel more sustainably. We can all help reduce air pollution and improve air quality in Bristol by walking, cycling and using public transport for more journeys.
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Take part in the Big Bristol Travel Challenge. ‍♂️ Find out how far you can walk, scoot, cycle or bus in a month, and win great prizes for taking...
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Big Bristol Travel Challenge. 26 June 2023. Register for The Big Bristol Travel Challenge today! It is a great way to get active this July! Leave your car at home and walk, ride, run, skate, scoot or take public transport for more of your everyday journeys. The challenge is a fun, free tool to help you boost your health and wellbeing this July ...
Join the Bristol Active October challenge
This October, we're challenging everyone in Bristol to try new ways of getting around - whether that's by taking the bus, walking, scooting, cycling or car sharing more often. Changing just a few of your journeys each week can help you save money, improve the air we all breathe and keep you feeling fit and healthy. The.
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🏆 Take part in the Big Bristol Travel Challenge. ... Bristol's Summer Film Takeover - A Wall is a Screen: Secrets of the Old City Friday 30 June from 9pm A guided evening walking tour through Bristol's Old City. Explore hidden architectural gems and watch short films projected onto buildings Free tickets: ...
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Sign up for the Big Bristol Travel Challenge and track how much cost, calories and carbon you can save by travelling sustainably this July....
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How far can you scoot, cycle, walk, bus or lift-share in a month? Join the Big Bristol Travel Challenge to this July to find out! Take part as an individual or join a team with great prizes to be won each week. Find out more 👉 https://orlo.uk/9gVTL . 29 Jun 2023 13:00:28
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👍 This year's #BristolTravelChallenge participants have loved travelling more actively so far this month. 🚶 "It was really good day and I avoided the traffic while walking to places."
Bristol Travel Guide (Updated 2024)
Whether you're interested in seeing the baths, cathedrals, or Jane Austen's home (her family lived here in the early 19th century), Bath is an easy and enjoyable day trip from Bristol. Trains from Bristol to Bath run all day and it's just a 16-minute ride for 8.80 GBP (return). 4. Explore the Wookey Hole Caves.
Things to do in Bristol: A Bristol Itinerary and Planning Guide
It's found near the top of Brandon Hill, just a short walk from the Bristol Museum, and the 32 metre tower offers an excellent view of much of Bristol and surrounds, including the river area. Climbing the tower is free, and you can see opening times here. 3. Georgian House Museum.
Chloe Crowther on LinkedIn: Journey on 18th Jul 2023
I took part in the Big Bristol Travel Challenge over July, logging almost 20 different journeys made by cycling, walking, running or public transportation throughout the month.
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Get active this July with the Big Bristol Travel Challenge. Bristol Council is running a challenge this July with prizes to be won - just log your miles here! ... Available to everyone who lives or works in Bristol the challenge is a fun, free tool to help you boost your health and wellbeing this July." 14/4/23.
Be The Change Travel
Travel by land or ferry over flying, where possible. Aviation currently contributes around 2% of overall global emissions and this figure is increasing more than any other form of transport. Flying is also highly unequal, with 70% of UK flights taken by just 15% of the population. The science says that it's sustainable to fly abroad only 15 ...
Making Bristol's transport network safer for all
Transport in Bristol is a challenge regardless of your mode of travel. Bristol is a historic city with many protected buildings with old, constrained roads, covering a small area for our rapidly growing population. Shorter-term issues, like the shortage of bus drivers at First Bus, are causing huge frustration for us now, but our transport ...
Travelwest on Twitter: "RT @BristolCouncil: Take part in the Big
RT @BristolCouncil: 🏆Take part in the Big Bristol Travel Challenge. 🚶‍♂️🚲Find out how far you can walk, scoot, cycle or bus in a month, and win great prizes for taking part. Sign up https://orlo.uk/vEQ1Q . 26 Jun 2023 09:30:41
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The West Country Water Park is another place to go for watersports near Bristol. Just 17 minutes from the city centre, the lake has loads of fun activities, including paddleboarding, waterskiing, windsurfing and kayaking. Particularly popular with kids is the aqua park, an inflatable obstacle course on the water!
Friends take on Bristol to Istanbul tandem charity ride
University of Bristol student Archie Benn and Nottingham University student Isaac Tredant will travel from Bristol to Istanbul for the challenge. The pair hope their "Bristanbul" ride will raise ...
15 Things To Do Alone in Bristol, UK: Solo Travel in Bristol
3. Explore Live Music Performances With a Group in Bristol. If you like live music, one of the best things to do alone in Bristol is to join the "Bristol Live Music Group". This is a group for people that want to explore the music scene of the city. During the events of the group, you visit concerts, and other performances together.
Bristol City Council wins only 17 per cent of Clean Air Zone fine
Bristol City Council refused to explain why it had withdrawn those fines, and has refused to comment on the TPT's latest figures. Of the 882 appeals taken to the tribunal, the tribunal has ruled ...
Coaches Have to Be Salesmen, Too
Minor League Baseball's Real Estate: The fight over a new stadium for the Eugene Emeralds highlights a wider challenge for cheaper alternatives to big-league live sports.
European Challenge Cup: Gloucester 23-13 Ospreys
Gloucester seal their place in the semi-final of the European Challenge Cup after a 23-13 win over Ospreys at Kingsholm.

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Bristol Travel Guide

Table of Contents

Top 5 Things to See and Do in Bristol

1. See the Clifton Suspension Bridge

2. Visit Bristol Cathedral

3. Learn nautical history aboard the SS Great Britain

4. Visit St Nicholas Market

5. Enjoy the street art

2. Hang out on King Street

3. Daytrip to Bath

4. Explore the Wookey Hole Caves

5. Take a stroll along the Bristol Harbour

6. Tour the Bristol Aquarium

7. Wander the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

8. Visit M Shed

9. Take a harbor tour

10. Meander through Castle Park

11. Take a free walking tour

Bristol Travel Costs

Backpacking Bristol Suggested Budgets

Bristol Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Where to Stay in Bristol

How to Get Around Bristol

When to Go to Bristol

How to Stay Safe in Bristol

Bristol Travel Guide: The Best Booking Resources

Bristol Travel Guide: Related Articles

The 14 Best Things to Do in Bristol

Where to Stay in London: The Best Neighborhoods for Your Visit

The 8 Best Hostels in London

How to Spend a Week in London

The 9 Best Walking Tour Companies in London

70+ Free Things to Do in London

Things to do in Bristol: A Bristol Itinerary and Planning Guide

Things to Do in Bristol

1. Bristol Museum and Art Gallery

2. Climb Cabot Tower

3. Georgian House Museum

4. Christmas Steps

5. Lunch at St. Nicholas Market

6. Explore the Old City

7. Take a Street Art Tour

8. Watch Sunset at the Clifton Suspension Bridge

9. Bristol Cathedral

10. Bristol Aquarium

11. We the Curious (Bristol Science Centre)

13. Visit the SS Great Britain

14. Take a picture of the colourful houses

15. Underfall yard

Getting to Bristol

How to Get Around Bristol

Where to Stay in Bristol

When to Visit Bristol

Day Trips from Bristol

Further Reading for your Bristol Visit

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