Discover Bristol for travel trade, with key attractions, group-friendly experiences, itineraries and practical visitor information to help plan memorable trips.
About Bristol
Creative and colourful, from its brightly painted houses to its contemporary art galleries and cutting-edge street art, Bristol always makes a big impression and offers an exciting mix of experiences for visitors of all ages.
A packed festival and events calendar, a dynamic cultural programme and some of the best food and drink in the UK makes the city a laid-back yet cutting-edge destination. Bristol is also a UNESCO Creative City of Film.
Key attractions
Voyage back in time at Bristol Dockyards on a tour of the world’s first great ocean liner, Brunel’s SS Great Britain, which resides in the very dock in which she was built. Some of the best views of the ship can be found on a tour with Bristol Packet Boat Trips or on a group Paddleboarding adventure.
Join a guided tour at Aerospace Bristol which showcases the aviation achievements of Bristol. The star of the show is Concorde, but the museum also holds exhibits from the early days of flight through to today’s cutting-edge technology.
Explore Bristol's culture at Bristol Museum and Art Gallery. Then take a walking tour of the city's famous street art scene, where Banksy's work sits alongside pieces from artists across the globe.
Enjoy the spectacular views from Clifton Suspension Bridge on the cliffs of the Avon Gorge, before learning more about this iconic landmark at the Clifton Suspension Bridge Museum. You can then explore the nearby Clifton Village, bursting with coffee shops and cafes, and beautiful Georgian architecture.
Harbourside
Bristol is centred around its historic harbourside, with many of the city’s main attractions and top restaurants on the water’s edge, meaning you can reach many of them using the Bristol Ferry waterbus service!
There’s no better way to see Bristol than from a boat, and as well as the ferry service, you can also take a City Docks Tour or Cream Tea Cruise with Bristol Packet Boat Trips, or climb aboard The Matthew to enjoy an evening of sea shanties and traditional fish and chips.
Discover Bristol’s maritime heritage with a morning at M Shed, where you can also see historic boats moored outside, followed by a visit to Underfall Yard, a working boatyard with an interactive visitor centre and café.
Refuel at Wapping Wharf, home to over 15 independent restaurants, several of which have been named in the Michelin guide.
Major events
Bristol’s calendar is packed throughout the year, with three flagship free festivals: Bristol Light Festival in February, Bristol Harbour Festival in July, and Bristol International Balloon Fiesta in August.
The harbourside plays host to a range of outdoor concerts and events in the summer months, including Bristol Sounds and Siren Bristol.
You’re also well catered for if you’re a foodie, with annual events including Bristol Craft Beer Festival, Feast On, Bristol Cider Week, Bristol Cocktail Weekend and Bristol Coffee Festival.
Other festival highlights include FORWARDS music festival and Bristol Pride. Cinema Rediscovered, Slaptick Festival and Cary Grant Festival are perfect for fans of the silver screen.
Find more major events throughout the year in Bristol
Street art
Bristol is the home city of Banksy, the world’s most famous urban artist, and also hosts the annual Upfest street art festival, the largest of its kind in Europe, where you can see hundreds of artists painting large murals across the south of the city. Weston Wallz is an offshoot of Upfest that takes place in nearby Weston-super-Mare.
History
The medieval Bristol Cathedral is often used as a film set, and tours are available of this magnificent building, including the opportunity to climb to the top of its tower for unrivalled views across the city centre. St Mary Redcliffe, an imposing parish church, has huge links with USA history and also appears in a number of high-end TV productions.
Bristol’s historic Georgian House Museum or Red Lodge show what life was like in the city in times past, and you can catch a show or take a heritage tour at the 18th century Bristol Old Vic theatre, the oldest-continually working theatre in Europe.
Visit the oldest Methodist building in the world, The New Room, in the heart of Bristol, to learn more about John and Charles Wesley’s time in the city, and how they founded the church. Curator tours are available for groups and there is an excellent on-site café.
