Parks & Gardens in Bristol

Bristol is often described as a city in the countryside. It is blossoming with green spaces to spend a lazy afternoon or packed with really fun play equipment to entertain the children. With over 400 gardens and parks in Bristol you will never be far away from somewhere to take time out from the thrill of the city.

Beautiful countryside envelopes the city on all sides and Bristol makes a good place to go out exploring South Gloucestershire and South Cotswolds or Rural Somerset from.

Some of the largest parks in Bristol City Centre are Castle Park, Brandon Hill, Queen Square and Clifton Downs and if you happen to come at the right time of year you will find them hosting some of the biggest festivals in Bristol. Bristol Zoo Gardens is home to lots of exotic species and has wonderful gardens to admire as you work your way around each animal enclosure.

Just a short journey out of the city centre and you will find the extensive grounds of Ashton Court Mansion, once home to the wealthy Smythes of Bristol, or Blaise Castle Estate, another exceptional mansion house to explore.

A cemetery may not be your first thought when it comes to parks in Bristol, but Arnos Vale Cemetery is one of the earliest and best examples of a Victorian Arcadian garden cemetery in the UK and you will find many listed building and monuments of significant importance here. The University of Bristol Botanical Gardens is filled with a diverse range of plants and set to a backdrop of a remarkable Victorian house.

The extensive network of waterways and parks in Bristol means that 90% of Bristolians live within 300m of green space and when you stay at one of the many Bristol hotels and B&Bs, you will be too.

Bristol Parkhive

Bristol Parkhive is a free app that has been produced in celebration of Bristol's achievements of the accolade of 'European Green Capital City 2015' - the first UK city to do so. It lists a huge number of Bristol's beautiful and varied parks and green spaces - highlighting unique features, identifying locations, showing pictures, listing events and providing information about the facilities, access and travel.

To download the app - Go to the following links for Apple and Android.

Discover East Bristol

Discover East Bristol is an interactive website and map showing all the parks, nature reserves and other green spaces that you can discover and enjoy in the East of Bristol.