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! 

Support local business with the Love Bristol Gift Card

Give the gift of Bristol! The Love Bristol Gift Card can be used at more than 180 businesses across the city, including retailers, restaurants, theatres and music venues. Whoever you give the gift card to will be able to pick a new outfit, enjoy a meal out or buy something nice for their home from…

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Things to do in Bristol on a Sunday

In town on a Sunday and stuck for entertainment? Well, just so happens we have a few ideas. From *free* dance classes to *free* gigs, there’s no excuse to be holed up in your hotel room watching The Antiques Roadshow… Take a tour Get to the know the city on a guided walking tour - the Blackbeard to…

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Itinerary: Take a dark tour of Bristol

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…

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Itinerary: A long weekend in Bristol

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…

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Itinerary: Bristol in 60 minutes

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…

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Itinerary: Explore Brunel's Bristol

Legendary engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel is one of Bristol's icons - he may have been born in Portsmouth, but many of his greatest engineering achievements were right here in Bristol. Two of the city's best-known attractions, the Clifton Suspension Bridge and SS Great Britain, were designed by…

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8 ways to make the most of #SummerInBristol

From soaring hot air balloons to bustling Harbourside festivals, incredible live music to new cultural event spaces, food festivals to family fun; there’s something very special about #SummerInBristol... Read on to find out why Bristol is always a good idea: find out what’s coming up and how to make…

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Gromit Unleashed 3: Central and Harbourside

Are you coming to Bristol for Gromit Unleashed 3 this summer? We've compiled this list of the most central locations on the trail - see how many you can tick off! We've split our list into the central Bristol and Harbourside; it's up to you if you want to do both sections on the same day though…

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From Blackbeard to Banksy: 1000 years of Bristol in just two hours

Step through the mists of time and clear the fog surrounding Bristol's fascinating origins. What if you could stand where literary giants found inspiration, listen for underground rivers, discover hidden WWII stories, explore ancient taverns, and decode world-famous street art – all in one…

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Gromit Unleashed 3 locations in Bristol

Tick off all of the locations from this year's Gromit Unleashed 3 trail, with sculptures of Wallace, Gromit, Feather’s McGraw and Norbot dotted in and around the city! The Gromit Unleashed 3 trail is running from Monday 30 June until Sunday 31 August 2025, so you'll have plenty of time to visit all…

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