What to visit in Bristol? This English maritime metropolis, famous for its music and film industry, has a lot to offer the tourist.
An hour and forty minutes by train from London, this port city boasts unique festivals and events twelve months a year. It holds the title of European Green Capital 2015 and since 2014 has been chosen by ‘The Sunday Times’ as the best place to live in Britain. We have already warned you that after reading this article, you will want to meet her because In Skyscanner we teach you the ten best things to see and do in Bristol.
- Clifton suspension bridge
Crosses the gorge of the Avon, on the river of the same denomination and it was built in 1864, linking the neighborhood of Clifton with Leigh Woods in northern Somerset county. It was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel and is recognized in the United Kingdom’s list of classified monuments. One of the symbols to see in Bristol has a visitor center, open every day from 10.00 to 17.00, where to know the history of the viaduct. On Saturdays and Sundays, at 3 pm, it is possible to take a free tour accompanied by a guide.
- SS Great Britain
What to do in Bristol if you’re passionate about boats? This project by British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel was the first Iron-built Hull liner, as well as the first passenger craft to be propelled with a propeller. When it was launched on July 19, 1843, it was the largest ship in the world, with 8 meters in length, until in 1854 it was overtaken by the Himalayan HMS. With the entrance (14 pounds for adults, and 8 for kids between 7 and 17 years old) you can visit the SS Great Britain as many times as you want for a year.
- Canal Kennet and Avon
With 140 kilometers in length in two sections, it incorporates 105 locks along its route. Navigable since the early EIGHTEENTH century, fell into disuse in the early TWENTIETH century, but was restored towards the second half, and reopened in 1990 after major restoration work. The Kennet and Avon Canal is essential if you are thinking of visiting Bristol and are also fond of fishing or canoeing or cycling. But also, if you want a quiet walk or contemplate a variety of more than a hundred birds.
- Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery
One of the museums to see in Bristol is on the list of Britain’s oldest and most famous museums. Inside it houses an outstanding collection of objects related to geology, prehistory, natural History, Egyptology, oriental art for the youngest: dinosaurs and other endangered animals, as well as fossils, minerals, and precious stones. In his art gallery, he exhibits paintings by British, European and international artists, as well as modern oils. Admission is free and opens every day of the week between 10.00 and 17.00.
- Tyntesfield
If you plan to visit Bristol as a family, Tyntesfield is the perfect place. Deer, hares, eleven varieties of bats, dragonflies, birds, reptiles the diversity of this farm in North Somerset makes it the ideal place to enjoy wildlife. While you enjoy a unique spot, the little ones in the House will get tired of running and playing in their green meadows. And, if hunger is so intense, it offers two places to eat, self-service restaurant and coffee, with some recipes made with ingredients grown in its orchard: vegetables, fruits, berries or garlic.
- Avon Valley Railway
The Avon Valley Railway (AVR) is one of the tourist attractions to see in Bristol if you are a fan of trains. With more than 80,000 visitors per year, it offers trips in this Steam vehicle from Bitton station to Oldland Common, and from there, to Avon Riverside, on a Riverside tour of the same name. The Bitton has been thoroughly renovated following the Victorian style and, in addition to a museum to learn the history of the line, has a restaurant-car where you can taste breakfast, food and the typical English tea from the 5th of the afternoon.
- Stanton Drew stone circles
The Stanton Drew Stone Circles are located on the outskirts of the town of the same name, in the English county of Somerset. Its date of construction is between 2000 and 3000 BC, and its largest circle is 113 meters in diameter. For free admission, a symbolic pound is requested to access the field, open all year round during daylight hours. Although it is the third-largest complex of prehistoric stones standing in England, it is still a relatively little-known spot to visit in Bristol.
- Temple Church
Built by the Knights Templar, medieval order founded to protect pilgrims to the Holy Land, was largely destroyed during the Second World War. Originally circular, it became rectangular after its renovation, and its famous Leaning Tower to see in Bristol gave more than a headache to the masons who worked on its restoration, as its correction has not been achieved. Although its interior cannot be visited, its surroundings are perfect for the walk. Temple Church cemetery is now a public garden.
- Bristol Zoo
You travel with kids, and you don’t know what to do in Bristol? One of the leading zoos in Europe is located in this city. Founded almost two centuries ago, the variety of animal species that inhabit its facilities is one of the largest in the world, as well as that of specimens in danger of extinction. Red Pandas, crocodiles, armadillos, giant turtles, flamingos, Penguins, lemurs… and, also, there is the possibility to reserve experiences such as being a gardener for a day, feeding tigers or a ‘face-to-face’ with the imposing gorillas. Unforgettable!
- Blaise Hamlet
This village to visit northwest of Bristol is composed of nine picturesque houses around a vast green space. Included in the list of Historic Parks and gardens of historic interest in England, Blaise Hamlet was designed by John Nash and built-in 1811 for retired employees of the Quaker banker. Although they are not open to the public, as they are still inhabited, the cabins, with brick chimneys, ‘dormer’ windows and roofs adorned with straw, can be admired and photographed from the common green space.