Old Market, Temple Meads & Redcliffe

Just outside of the city centre, you'll find the charming areas of Old Market and Redcliffe, as well as the rapidly developing area around Temple Meads railway station. Each offers its own unique vibe, but all are crammed full of beautiful architecture, interesting stories and friendly locals.

Old Market

Just a few minutes walk from Bristol Shopping Quarter lies the vibrant Old Market. The area is steeped in history and was once a thriving market on what was for centuries the main road to London. Today, it is home to some of Bristol's most historic buildings, and you can see architecture from all periods nestled side-by-side.

The area is steeped in history and contains over 60 listed buildings, a testament to its storied past. Old Market still bears witness to some ancient customs such as its Pie Poudre Court, which wasn’t formally abolished until 1971. The court was situated in the still open Stag and Hounds pub and dealt out summary justice to market-day offenders.

Old Market is a chest of shopping treasures, and is beginning to build itself up as another independent and bohemian area of the city. Home to an array of independent traders from furniture makers, vintage fashion and antique shops to art galleries and cafes. It's also home to Bristol's largest independent department store, Gardiner Haskins.

The area has achieved the Purple Flag award for its safe and diverse nightlife and for its well-managed night-time economy so whether you want cabaret, live music, world food or a quiet traditional pub, you can find it in the Old Market Quarter. Old Market is also home to Trinity Centre which is recognised as the birthplace of the 'Bristol Sound' and still hosts live music and club nights today.

As well as the city centre area, Old Market is known for its strong connections to the LGBTQ+ community and as being a welcoming gay village. Popular gay-friendly venues include The Old Market Assembly, The Old Castle Green and The Old Market Tavern.

Temple Meads and Temple Quay

Temple Meads railway station sits at the heart of this developing area, which in recent years has become a centre for commerce, business and creative industries. Bristol's central railway station, Temple Meads, is a historically significant building, with a stunning architectural facade. It first opened in 1840 as the western terminus of the Great Western Railway, which was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Temple Meads derives from the nearby Temple Church, which was built by the Knights Templar in the 12th century and today has a tower that leans 1.6 metres out of the vertical, meaning Bristol has its own leaning tower!

Temple Quay is fast becoming a new hub of the city with businesses moving into the waterside area, leading to the opening of popular bars, cafes and restaurants, and the seriously good artisan bakery Harts Bakery. There's also Temple Quay Market held every Tuesday and Thursday, alongside a programme of events in the central square.

Redcliffe

Snaking around the opposite bank of the floating harbour is the area of Redcliffe, home to the striking St Mary Redcliffe Church. The church is a gothic masterpiece that has been standing on this site for 800 years. In 1574, Queen Elizabeth I proclaimed St Mary Redcliffe "the fairest, goodliest, and most famous parish church in England." 

Running beneath the area is a network of caves. There are many entrance and the full extent is unknown. It is thought that these cave have had many uses, including providing fine sand for the city's glass making trade and providing storage for goods that were to be shipped to America.

It is also thought that these caves could have been used in the Transatlantic Slave Trade, and there are local tales that the caves may have been used by smugglers and pirates to hide treasure. The caves are closed to the public, but special tours can be arranged, and the network is opened to the public every September as part of Bristol's Open Doors Day.

Finzels Reach

Finzels Reach is a flourishing new neighbourhood in the heart of Bristol, which is fast becoming one of the city’s most exciting new social hotspots.

Wander across the striking, s-shaped Castle Bridge, which wends its way across the river from Castle Park to Finzels Reach, to discover all that this vibrant new area has to offer. You can enjoy a bite to eat or coffee at Spicer+Cole and Café Matariki, or enjoy soaking up the sun on Bocabar’s outdoor terrace. Head to the huge Left Handed Giant brewpub for beers with waterside views and Le Vignoble for sumptuous wine tasting. There's also a weekly street food market every Friday.

As well as restaurants and bars, there’s a thriving community of people living and working at Finzels Reach, including the likes of Channel 4's national Creative Hub based in the historic Fermentation Buildings. With striking new architecture combining with sensitively renovated historic buildings, Finzels Reach has its own unique identity.