How To Spend A Day In Bristol UK

The vibrant South West city of Bristol is full of places to discover. From the beautiful harbourside to the bustling city, there’s plenty to see and do. Here’s our guide to the best way to spend 24 hours in Bristol.

Morning

One of the best features about the city of Bristol is the beautiful harbour area, which is filled with a range of interesting boats. Start your day by taking a long stroll around the waterside, stopping at one of the amazing coffee shops the city has to offer first to grab a cup to go and take in the surrounding picturesque views. After you’ve worked up a bit of an appetite, your next stop is breakfast. The perfect spot for your first meal of the day is the Arnolfini; an art gallery located on the harbourside which houses an incredible café. With a variety of food and coffee available, this will suit all different tastes and dietary requirements. We particularly recommend the tofu scramble.

Afternoon

Why not take a gentle stroll into the centre of town? If you like shopping, you’re definitely going to like Bristol. If independent shops and boutiques are your kind of thing, then Park St is where you’ll want to head. With the likes of Carhartt WIP, Reiss, Whistles and more all on one handy (albeit steep!) road, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Or another option is to head to the reasonably new Cabot Circus. This is a huge shopping mall with pretty much every store you could imagine under one roof. There’s also Jungle Rumble, an adventure-themed mini golf course which would make a fun activity to break up the day.

Cabot Circus is also home to a range of different restaurants, so if you’re beginning to get peckish, you can choose from Nandos, Yo Sushi!, 5 Guys and Pizza Express to name a few. Need another caffeine fix? The Department of Coffee and Social Affairs is a newly opened coffee shop with incredible blends and a cute and quirky atmosphere.

Evening

As the day draws in, we recommend heading up to Clifton Village to finish the day in style. If you skipped a big lunch, or you’re simply just hungry and ready for round three, then there are a number of amazing restaurants in Clifton. One of which is Cote Brasserie, which boasts an exquisite French-inspired menu and would be a lovely place for your final meal of the day. Fancy a night cap? Head to The Avon Gorge Hotel, a wonderful pub which has one of the best terraces in the city. Why? The view. This pub is set quite high up, so you can enjoy a glass of wine while looking out across the city below and, most impressively, you’ll be right next to the infamous Clifton Suspension Bridge. It’s lit up at night and is truly a beautiful sight to behold. After your drink, taking a romantic stroll across the bridge is a must and the perfect way to end your day in Bristol.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.