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!

Latest blogs

Category: Itineraries

A view of Castle Street in the town of Thornbury, near Bristol

Beautiful towns and villages near Bristol

Jul. 23, 2024

Bristol is the confluence of the beautiful counties of Somerset and Gloucestershire, home to varied landscapes, rolling countryside, stunning natural wonders, and plenty of charming historic villages! Here are some of our favourites, all waiting for you on the city’s doorstep... South…

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…

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…

The 'Galaxy' area of Wake The Tiger Bristol - credit Andre Pattenden

Itinerary: A day of innovation and discovery in Bristol

Mar. 13, 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 explore the city on foot and by using a FirstDay, Bristol Zone – unlimited travel on First buses for one day…

Bristol Ferry at Bristol Harbour Festival - Credit Paul Box

Itinerary: A long weekend in Bristol

Oct. 12, 2022

Planning to spend a few days in the city? Here's a list of must-sees in Bristol to get you started... Day one: The Harbourside Grab a coffee by the Harbourside and visit M Shed, a museum telling the story of Bristol’s past and present, before climbing aboard The Matthew on the quayside nearby. The…

Graves at Arnos Vale Cemetery in Brislington, Bristol

Itinerary: A guide to Bristol's historic cemeteries

May 11, 2022

Bristol-based author Charlie Revelle-Smith offers an insight into the unusual inspiration that led him to write the first installment of his Bristol Mysteries series. A graveyard may not be the first place to come to mind when imagining a perfect day out in the city, in fact, admitting that you’d…

An aerial view of central Bristol landmarks, including the Harbourside and Queen Square

Itinerary: Bristol in 60 minutes

Mar. 03, 2022

Got an hour to kill in Bristol? Perhaps your train has been delayed or you're pottering around until you can check into your hotel? Maybe you're looking for an interesting way to spend your lunch break or are just eager to squeeze even more lovely Bristol experiences into your day. Who can blame…

Mysterious figure on St Nicholas Street - credit Charlie Revelle-Smith

Itinerary: Take a dark tour of Bristol

Oct. 12, 2021

Local author of the Weird Bristol history books, Charlie Revelle-Smith, takes us on his personal tour of some of Bristol’s macabre and gruesome history. From haunted pubs to bloody murder, wrap up warm and retrace the steps of our city’s darkest days… The Tour Map The route is approximately two…

W G Grace plaque in Clifton - credit Graham Flack

Itinerary: Hunt out Bristol's unique plaques

May 25, 2021

Maurice Fells, author of local interest books including The Little Book of Bristol and Clifton History You Can See, introduces his latest work which looks at the city's unusual plaques. Nobody knows just how many commemorative plaques there are in Bristol. The city with its streak of quirkiness…