24 hours in Bristol with Brunel, boats and Banksy.

Itinerary idea: A vibrant day in Bristol with Brunel, boats and Banksy.

Experience a packed day in colourful Bristol with tours of the city’s impressive attractions, a boat tour along the harbour, world-class street art and finishing the day with a theatre show.

Positioned in the hills of Southwest England, extremely well-connected by road and rail, Bristol is a lively, unique city surrounding the River Avon and on the edge of the Cotswolds. Bristol is known as a pioneer for street art, buzzing Harbourside, and maritime history. There is a variety of attractions suitable for all.

Here’s what you could pack into a day…

9am: Bristol Harbour boat tour. Start the day on the water discovering the history of Bristol’s floating harbour or cruising under Brunel’s famous Clifton Suspension Bridge – refreshments are available on board (you could even take a boat tour later in the day and indulge with a legendary cream tea).

With over 50 years of experience on the harbour, Bristol Packet Boat Trips offer a range of trips suitable for any occasion for groups of up to 95 passengers where you can experience the city from an extraordinary perspective.

10am: Brunel’s SS Great Britain. Conclude the boat tour on the harbourside next to the iconic SS Great Britain, the ship that changed the world. Voyage back in time on a tour of the world’s first great ocean liner which resides in the very dock in which she was built.

Embrace the history of this iconic steamship in two interactive museums, ‘meet’ the designer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, and step on board the ship itself to experience the sights, smells and sounds of Victorian life at sea.

12pm: Lunch at the ship. Finish the tour at the onsite restaurant for a delicious group lunch which can optionally be served in a private room.

1:30pm: Clifton Suspension Bridge and Visitor Centre. Enjoy the spectacular views from Clifton Suspension Bridge on the cliffs of the Avon Gorge. It’s located next to the desirable Clifton Village, bursting with coffee shops and cafes.

Learn more about the impressive engineering by young Brunel on one of the volunteer-led guided tours of the bridge, pre-book a tour of the vaulted chambers, and don’t miss the accompanying visitors’ centre.

2:30pm: Aerospace Bristol. Continue the day by going supersonic 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. Join a guided tour of the museum which includes the chance to step aboard the last of the supersonic jets to ever fly, Concorde Alpha Foxtrot. Discover how passengers would travel in the luxury aircraft and catch a glimpse of the mind-blowing cockpit.

4:30pm: Explore the city. Spend the rest of the afternoon discovering the city centre, including world-famous street art by Banksy, and other artists’ murals dotted around the streets.

Take a look inside Bristol Cathedral, one of England’s great medieval churches and observe the incredible history and architecture – including locations used in BBC’s Wolf Hall adaptation.

Hit the shops at Cabot Circus for some of the nation’s biggest retail names including the upcoming return of Marks & Spencer or explore a range of independent retailers in Broadmead, St Nicholas Markets and Gloucester Road.

6:00pm: Dinner. Take an early dinner at one of the city’s group friendly restaurants, including much-loved Bristol family business, Pieminister, for an indulging, award-winning pie.

Join a culinary adventure across the world at ZaZa Bazaar with a choice of over 300 dishes available in a lively street food market atmosphere with plenty of room for large groups.

Enjoy the waterfront view on the terrace at the critically acclaimed Harbour House restaurant for some of the best seafood in the region accompanied by a delicious glass of English sparking wine.

7:30pm: Sit back and enjoy the show. Conclude the day at Bristol Hippodrome for one of their upcoming iconic west-end shows, including Chicago, Mamma Mia, The Book of Mormon and Les Misérables.

Alternatively, watch a play or comedy show at the Bristol Old Vic, the oldest continuously working theatre in the English-speaking world (behind the scenes heritage tours are available), or visit the Bristol Beacon for a variety of different music shows and genres.

After a jam-packed day, your group will be ready to hit the hay at one of Bristol’s many group-friendly hotels. Celebrate Bristol’s link to the art world in one of the Clayton’s modern rooms housed in the Grade II listed Everards print works building in the Old City. Alternatively, just up the road, experience one of the stylish rooms at the Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel which feature bespoke art pieces from local artists.

Conveniently located near Bristol Temple Meads train station, enjoy a night at the DoubleTree by Hilton Bristol City Centre, Novotel Bristol, Leonardo or Hilton Garden Inn. Located near the motorway in North Bristol is Holiday Inn Bristol Filton for a comfortable stay in newly-refurbished rooms.

With so much in the region to squeeze into one day, why not stay for another night and experience more of this vibrant city. Alternatively, using Bristol as a base to explore further. The neighbouring city of Bath is just 12 minutes on the train from Bristol, this UNESCO World Heritage Site and traditional spa city is famous for the Roman Baths and historic Georgian features. Bath is also the only place in England where you can bathe in natural thermal spring waters by visiting Thermae Bath Spa.

Alternatively, the Cotswolds is just a stone’s throw away. Venture into South Gloucestershire and the South Cotswolds to explore the great outdoors, rural landscapes, quintessential English market towns and country pubs.

Just to the south are the complementary destinations of Wells, Glastonbury and Cheddar, all achievable in one day and offering medieval architectural wonder, Arthurian legend and the best cheese you’ll taste this week!