Bristol Hotels

Bristol Rundown

Bristol is bursting at the seams with culture and historical attractions, as well as an eclectic mixture of restaurants, bars and nightlife – from the classy joints in Clifton, to the more down to earth establishments in student areas. There’s truly something to fascinate and please around every corner. Bristol Harbour has become a hub of activity – salute as you board SS Great Britain or set off on an intrepid journey of your own.

Tabot Square Shopping Centre has enough shops to occupy you for a day. However the busy shopping facilities on Bristol High Street are testament to the fact that shops in city centres cannot only survive, but thrive, despite the onslaught of out of town retail parks – the giganticCribbs Causeway being one.

If you dislike parting with your cash, Bristol has plenty of options – pack a cricket set, picnic and a few chums and pitch up at Bristol Downs - all the ingredients for a great day out. If you have a tendency towards vertigo perhaps you should avoid Clifton Suspension Bridge – a supreme example of the engineering genius of Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The drop is awesome.

Bristol’s Top 10

Bristol Events

Foodies Festival Food, as well as drink, and top culinary talent at this annual event held in June at the Harbourside.

The Bristol Shakespeare Festival The very best of open air theatre during July, held at various attractive green spaces across the city.

Much loved community carnival St Paul’s Afrikan Caribbean Carnival offers dance, music and colour during July.

Pride Bristol celebrates all things GLBT in July. Fun and popular event with a host of entertainment on offer.

Race For Life Get your running shoes on, and help beat breast cancer at this annual Cancer Research UK event in July.

Bristol Harbour Festival One of the city’s liveliest and largest events – held in July – dragon boat races, markets and kids’ shows are just a few of the entertainments on offer.

Bristol International Balloon Fiesta Four days of colourful fun at the UK’s biggest Balloonfest. Look skywards at Ashton Court in August.

Bristol Fashion Week Takes place at Cribb’s Causeway, Bristol’s largest shopping centre, during the month of September.

Bristol International Festival of Kites and Air Creations Superb contraptions will take your breath away during September.

Christmas in the city starts with the switching- on of the Bristol Christmas lights, and Christmas markets on nearby Corn Street. The festive fun runs from November to January.

When to Go

· Like most of the UK, Bristol has a mild yet changeable climate, featuring four distinct seasons, from crisp spring days, warm summers and cool winters. Autumn is a pleasant time to visit, when humidity is lower.

· Temperatures during the summer months tend to peak at around 25°C, with an average of around 23°C. Winter months see temperatures fall to 7°C on average.

· Winter tends to be the wettest season, however as usual, when heading off anywhere in the UK, always pack plenty of waterproofs in anticipation of rain.

Getting There

· Bristol Temple Meads is the main railway station and is around a 15 minute walk from the centre, or a short bus trip. Trains run to most major UK cities from here. Drivers have the M4 and M5 motorways on the doorstep for fast transport around the country.

· Bristol Bus Station is where to get your National Express coach to cities across the UK, and it’s around 2 hours to London.

· Bristol International Airport is just eight miles south of the city, on the A38, for flights to Europe and the UK. The Bristol Flyer is an express coach service to and from the airport from the city centre.

General Information

Attractions

Activities

Restaurants

Nightlife

Climate