Blog & Guides

Welcome to the Visit Bristol blog, your one-stop shop for ideas, inspiration and handy tips to make your time in Bristol that bit better!

From suggested itineraries to festival round-ups and unmissable things to do, our guides aim to showcase the best of the city, whatever the time of year. We publish new blogs every week and keep our blog posts up-to-date with the latest information, so you can trust that you’re getting the most accurate and useful tips for your trip.

Planning a trip with the family? Check out our guides on Places to stay with kids in and around Bristol and Things to do with teenagers. We’ve also got a list of 60 free things to do to keep costs down.

Coming here to sample as much of the food scene as you can? Have a read through our list of Bristol’s Michelin-starred restaurants, top cocktail bars and pub gardens, or find the best places to go for vegan food while you’re here. We’re sure you’ll also want to try a tasty Sunday roast while you’re here – we've rounded up a few of the best of those too!

If you’re local to Bristol, or here for a few days, we’ve also got plenty of suggestions for day trips to the north, south, east and west of the city so that you can experience as much of the region as possible. Maybe you want to tick off all of the World Heritage Sites near Bristol, or discover our most accessible outdoor attractions.

We’ll also have seasonal guides to help you get the most out of Summer in Bristol, from rooftop bars to scenic cycle routes, or find out what’s on for Christmas in and around the city.

Keep checking back for more brilliant Bristol inspiration!

A cyclist on the Bristol & Bath Railway Path - credit Sustrans

The local's guide: Fishponds

Apr. 19, 2023

Local writer Natalie Burns gives us a run down of her top parks, pubs and pit stops around Fishponds in East Bristol. Fishponds isn’t necessarily the top of the list when you think of places to visit in Bristol (firstly, it's got a weird name!). However, there’s more to Fishponds than the slightly…

Pancakes with bacon and syrup at Maple Lounge in Cleeve - credit TOUTS

Bristol's best brunch spots

Apr. 11, 2023

Whether its a ‘grab and go’ or a leisurely feast, Bristol has a wide variety of brunch beauties on offer. Here’s a quick guide to a some of the city's top spots - we've even broken our recommendations out by area so you don't have to stroll too far for your breakfast! Central The Granary The…

A view of The Matthew replica ship passing through Bristol's Cumberland Basin with the Clifton Suspension Bridge in the background - credit Nick Greville

Itinerary: Discovering local histories in Bristol

Apr. 10, 2023

Learn more about Bristol's communities and local stories at these museums across the city. For these journeys you can take a return train between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare, or purchase a Freedom Travelpass for West of England for unlimited train and bus travel within Bristol, Bath, North…

Performance in the foyer at Bristol Beacon - credit Soul Media

Top 10 music venues in Bristol

Apr. 02, 2023

Bristol has a vibrant music scene beating behind the doors of its many characterful venues. From musical legends in revered concert halls, to 25-piece Samba bands strumming under Banksy-covered walls, from indie hangouts to gigs afloat an old German boat, these music and arts venues cater for all…

Banksy's 'Well Hung Lover' on Park Street, central Bristol

10 Things you didn’t know about Banksy

Apr. 01, 2023

Richard Jones, publisher of the Banksy Bristol Trail app gives us some inside info on the secretive street artist... 1. Banksy’s original Wikipedia page described him as: ‘Born in Yate near Bristol in 1974. The son of a photocopier engineer, he trained as a butcher…’ The page has long since been…

A sourdough donut with a raspberry on top - Credit Supal Desai

Bristol's best doughnuts

Apr. 01, 2023

Get your chops around Bristol’s finest doughnuts... Pinkmans Start the day in the most delicious way and pick up one of Pinkman’s sensational sourdoughnuts, which hit the counter in the morning (from their Cafe on Gloucester Road, or right by Clifton Down train station). Magnificent looking…

One of the guides from the 'Where The Wall' street art tour in Nelson Street, central Bristol - credit Paul Box

Itinerary: Experience the visual arts in Bristol and Bath

Mar. 30, 2023

Experience the best of Bristol and Bath's art scene, and minimise your carbon footprint at the same time. For these journeys you can take a return train between Bath Spa and Bristol or purchase a Freedom Travelpass for West of England for unlimited train and bus travel within Bristol, Bath, North…

An exhibition inside the Royal Photographic Society exhibition space at Paintworks Bristol - credit Derryn Vranch

Itinerary: Discovering photography in Bristol

Mar. 24, 2023

Experience the best of Bristol's pioneering and inspiring attractions using public transport, and minimise your carbon footprint at the same time. For these journeys around Bristol, you can use a Freedom Travelpass for West of England for unlimited train and bus travel across Bristol, Bath, North…

A selection of the dishes available at Cargo Cantina on Bristol's Harbourside - credit Cargo Cantina

Eat your way around the world in Bristol

Mar. 22, 2023

Do you have a favourite dish from your travels, or want to try something new? One of the best things about Bristol's food scene is the variety on offer, so we've rounded up some of the best places in town to get a taste of cuisines from across the globe. Not sure where to start? Book on to a food…

Spicer+Cole at the RWA - credit Spicer+Cole

Bristol's best bakeries

Mar. 15, 2023

In Bristol, you’re never far away from the scent of freshly baked bread or a counter chock-a-block with impressive cakes. Here are some of our favourite bakeries where you can satisfy any hankering for great bakes. Papadeli Based in Clifton, just off Whiteladies Road, Papadeli’s cake counter is…