13 min readIf you find the capital city a bit too stressful or overcrowded, come to Bristol instead!
We've listed some destination dupes where you can swap some of London's best-known attractions for a quieter (and often cheaper) version in our beautiful city.
Swap The Cutty Sark for... Brunel's SS Great Britain
The famous clipper dry docked in Greenwich is known as one of the fastest ships of her time, but did you know that Brunel's SS Great Britain was actually launched 25 years earlier and was the world's first great ocean liner? The Great Britain was the largest ship in the world when she set sail in 1843, and was also notable for being the first screw-propelled and wrought iron ship.
You can visit the original ship on Bristol's Harbourside (no need to sit on a tube for half an hour!), where you can step aboard and see what life was like for Victorian passengers, many of whom travelled all the way to Australia on board this magnificent vessel. There's also the Dockyard Museum with artefacts from the ship and its many journeys, and the Being Brunel museum, where you can learn more about the man behind the ship: Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
Image - Brunel's SS Great Britain
Swap London's South Bank for... Bristol's Harbourside
A stroll along the Thames may be iconic, but Bristol's Harbourside offers just as much history, heritage, and impressive views. Start from Cascade Steps in the city centre and walk the Harbour Loop, taking in countless galleries, museums, bars and restaurants. Highlights include the Arnolfini gallery, M Shed museum, the modern Wapping Wharf dining & shopping district, Brunel's SS Great Britain, and historic boatyard Underfall Yard.
This area was a working port until the 1970s, when it was gradually converted to a harbour for leisure. The best way to see the 'Floating Harbour', as it's known locally (due to its impressive engineering, dating from 1809), is by boat, whether you opt for the waterbus hop-on-hop-off service from Bristol Ferry, a fish and chip cruise on The Matthew, or tours with commentary from Bristol Packet Boat Trips and No.7 Boats.
Don't miss Bristol Harbour Festival in July, it's one of the city's flagship events with displays on the water, live music, family-friendly activities and even circus performances.
Image - Bristol Harbour Festival
Swap Tower Bridge for... Clifton Suspension Bridge
The most well-known sight in Bristol, and with good reason! Taking over 30 years to build from 1831 to 1864, the Clifton Suspension Bridge is every bit as impressive as it was on the day it opened, a whole 30 years before Tower Bridge (which may look medieval, but is actually Victorian).
Walk across the bridge to enjoy some stunning views of the Avon Gorge and city beyond, and make sure to visit the Clifton Suspension Bridge Museum on the Leigh Woods side of the bridge, which is free to enter. You can also join free tours of the bridge on weekends, or book onto a hard hat tour of the vaults underneath the bridge!
Image - Clifton Suspension Bridge
Swap Borough Market for... St Nicholas Market
Avoid the queues at London's popular food market with a trip to Bristol's foodie paradise, St Nicholas Market. The market has gone through many incarnations since it opened in 1743, and now boasts some of the best street food in the city across its arcades, plus plenty of seating both inside and out.
Some local favourites include pie and mash at Pieminister, Persian wraps from Matina, BBQ'd meats from Low 'n' Slow, delicious dumplings from Eatchu, paella from La Lola, hefty sandwiches from Royce Rolls, and a range of curries from Spice Up Your Life. The market also has a rockin' pub and an award-winning gin distillery.
Image - Food tour in St Nicholas Market. Credit GOOD Stories in Food
Swap the West End for... Bristol Hippodrome
Struggling to get tickets for your favourite show? Bristol Hippodrome plays host to a huge range of touring West End hits throughout the year, as well as well-known stand-up comedians and entertainers such as Derren Brown. This grand Edwardian theatre is full of original decor and charm and is located right in the heart of Bristol city centre, so you won't have far to travel from your hotel.
Image - Bristol Hippodrome
Swap Camden Town for... Stokes Croft
If it's an alternative vibe you're after, Camden Town may have lost its edge, but Stokes Croft to the north of Bristol's city centre still has its rebellious streak intact. Visit the People's Republic of Stokes Croft HQ for community events and to pick up some radical designs from Stokes Croft China, which helps fund their community projects. Next door is Jamaica Street Studios, a community-owned artist hub, and across the road is Turbo Island, where ravers often congregate.
Up the road is Banksy's Mild Mild West mural, which you'll find outside The Canteen, a fully vegetarian bar and venue which hosts free live music and DJs throughout the week. Other nearby nightlife spots include iconic nightclub Lakota, revamped live music venue The Croft, and DJs at The Full Moon & Attic Bar and The Love Inn. The area has recently seen some critically-acclaimed restaurants opening up, from Caper and Cure to Bokman, but Stokes Croft remains as quirky and arty as ever.
Image - People's Republic of Stokes Croft
Swap London Zoo for... Bristol Zoo Project
Whether you're passionate about conservation or want to see gorillas up close, Bristol Zoo Project ticks just as many boxes as its famous London contemporary, but with more of a wild side. Having moved from the original Bristol Zoo site in Clifton in early 2024, Bristol Zoo Project is set across 136 acres and aims to immerse both visitors and its animal residents in the natural environment.
Stroll along the treetop walkway in Bear Wood to see the animals that would have roamed ancient Britain, including bears, wolves and lynx. Elsewhere, you'll meet giraffes, zebras, meerkats, red pandas and lemurs, with special talks and feeding sessions throughout the day.
If you're a fan of underwater creatures, you can also swap the London Aquarium for Bristol's Aquarium on the Harbourside!
Image - Lowland gorilla at Bristol Zoo Project
Swap the Thames Clipper for... Bristol Ferry
Bristol has miles of waterways, and one of the best ways to beat the traffic is to hop on a Bristol Ferry, which you can take directly from Bristol Temple Meads Station to the city centre. As well as the waterbus service, Bristol Ferry also run special trips, including a Harbour History Tour and weekend shuttles to Beeses riverside bar.
Image - Bristol Ferry
Swap Notting Hill for... Clifton
Grand houses, rows of boutique shops, cosy pubs and picturesque squares - no, it's not London's busy bo-ho neighbourhood of Notting Hill, it's Bristol's gorgeous Georgian suburb: Clifton!
Switch up your antique shopping from Portobello Road to Clifton Arcade, and browse bookshops or stop into cafes along Princess Victoria Street. Don't miss the sweeping terraces of Royal York Crescent, or the colourful houses of Cliftonwood. Stop in for a drink with an unbeatable view of the Clifton Suspension Bridge at The White Lion or 360 Cafe.
Image - Royal York Crescent in Clifton
Swap the Bermondsey Beer Mile for... the East Bristol Brewery Trail
For a city more than fifteen times smaller than London, Bristol still manages to punch above its weight with its brewery scene. Many of the city's pubs stock a range of local brews, but we'd also recommend a trip to some of the breweries themselves for a true taste of Bristol beer. The main concentration of breweries can be found in St Phillips, behind Temple Meads Station, where you'll find Little Martha, Moor, Good Chemistry, Left Handed Giant and Wiper and True in quick succession. Look out for the East Bristol Brewery Trail events on the May and August bank holiday weekends, where these breweries pull out all the stops with special collaborations, live music and street food.
You'll also find Lost and Grounded Brewers to the east of the city centre, Bristol Beer Factory to the south, and a duo of brewers in St Werburghs: Fierce and Noble, and Wiper and True's Barrel Store, with New Bristol Brewery just a short walk away.
Image - Wiper & True Taproom
Swap the London Wetland Centre for... WWT Slimbridge
Around 40 minutes north of Bristol is the site of the first WWT wetland centre, Slimbridge. Not only can you spot birds from across the world throughout the year, you can also tour the wetlands on a canoe safari during spring and summer - something you can't do in London!
Image - WWT Slimbridge
Swap the Tower of London for... Berkeley Castle
Built 150 years after the infamous Tower, Berkeley Castle also packs in a huge amount of history, having hosted countless kings and queens over the centuries, and was even the place where Edward II was murdered in 1327. You may also recognise Berkeley Castle for its numerous film and TV cameos, including The Other Boleyn Girl, Wolf Hall, The Mirror and the Light, Poldark, The White Princess and Johnny English Strikes Again.
Image - Berkeley Castle
Swap Westminster Abbey for... Bristol Cathedral
London's grand Westminster Abbey has been hosting the country's coronations since 1066, but Bristol Cathedral's history goes back over 900 years, with the oldest surviving part of the Cathedral, the Chapter House, dating from 1160. Fun fact: the Chapter House actually doubled as Westminster Abbey for Anne Boleyn's coronation in the BBC adaptation of Wolf Hall!
Image - Bristol Cathedral. Credit Graham Flack
Swap The Globe for... Bristol Old Vic
As much as the original Shakespearean Globe Theatre was entertaining guests in the early 1600s, the theatre burned down in 1613, with the modern reconstruction opening in 1997. Bristol Old Vic on the other hand is the English speaking world's oldest continuously working theatre, entertaining audiences since 1766. Take a tour of the theatre to learn more about the building's epic history, or explore their archives, which include everything from programmes, posters and tickets through to the Thunder Run, an eighteenth century sound effect.
Image - Bristol Old Vic
Swap Fitzroy Square for... Queen Square
London has no shorttage of grand Georgian squares, but we'd argue that Bristol's beautiful Queen Square has far more interesting stories to tell. Not only was it the first landscaped residential square in England outside London, built between 1700 and 1727, it was also the site of the Bristol Riots in 1831, and is also located next to the Hole in the Wall pub, which is said to have been the inspiration for th Spyglass pub in the book Treasure Island.
Image - Queen Square
Swap Richmond Park for... Ashton Court Estate
Looking for a sprawling park to take a stroll and see some deer up close? Ashton Court Estate is located on the southern fringe of Bristol, with over 850 acres of woodland and grasslands to explore.
Image - Red deer at Ashton Court Estate
Swap the Monument for... Cabot Tower
For unbeatable city views, climb the 100+ steps to the top of Cabot Tower in the heart of Bristol, built in 1897 to commemorate John Cabot's voyage to Newfoundland 500 years earlier. The tower has 360 views of the city and is also free to visit, unlike The Monument in London, which was built in the 1670s as a permanent reminder of the Great Fire of London.
Image - Cabot Tower
Swap Highgate Cemetery for Arnos Vale Cemetery
The UK's Victorian garden cemeteries were built just as much for visitors as they were for those who were being laid to rest. Arnos Vale Cemetery to the east of Bristol's city centre is set across 45 acres with serene woodland, impressive memorials and grand buildings. You can join one of the regular tours to learn more about those buried in the cemetery, or the wildlife that has flourished in this quiet corner of the city.
Image - Arnos Vale Cemetery. Credit Ed Wallace
Swap London's Premier League football teams for... Bristol City or Bristol Rovers
As much as London's numerous Premier League teams attract visitors from across the globe, Bristol boasts two football teams where you can get an authentic and affordable football experience. Bristol City FC play in the Championship, while Bristol Rovers FC are in League Two.
Image - Bristol City match at Ashton Gate Stadium
Swap Hampton Court Palace for... Thornbury Castle
Hampton Court Palace may be synonomous with King Henry VIII, but Thornbury Castle just outside Bristol hosted Henry and his new bride Anne Boleyn in 1535, and you can even stay in the same room as the royal couple! If you don't booking an overnight visit, you can instead book in for an extravagant afternoon tea in the wood-panneled dining room, with views of the landscaped gardens.
Image - Thornbury Castle
Swap the East End's pie and mash shops for Pieminster
One of the nation's favourite comfort foods, pie and mash is a hard combo to beat. While the East End's pie, mash and liquor isn't to everyone's taste, we're yet to meet anyone who doesn't become an immediate fan of Pieminister after trying their delicious meat pies - they also have several vegetarian, vegan and even gluten free options, so everyone can enjoy their tasty dishes!
Image - Pieminister
Swap Ronnie Scott's for... The Old Duke
Jazz lovers have flocked to Ronnie Scott's in Soho for decades, but Bristol has its very own jazz pub, which hosts free live jazz and blues performances every night of the week! The pub also hosts its free Old Duke Jazz Festival every August bank holiday weekend, with a packed line-up of jazz artists playing their stage throughout the day.
Image - The Old Duke
Finally, something you can only find in Bristol... the Balloon Fiesta!
One of the most amazing spectacles you can see in the UK, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, comes to the city every August, with over 100 hot air balloons taking to the skies over Bristol across three days. You can also expect live music, stunt displays and a chance to get up close with the hot air balloons and their pilots. Make sure you're there for the Night Glow, where the balloons are lit up in time to music - it's an experience you'll never forget.
Image - Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
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