two nights in

Bristol

Bristol is a city and ceremonial county in South West England. It is on the River Avon, and bordered by Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south, with a short coastline on the Bristol Channel to the west. Wikipedia

Population 472,465 (Wikidata)

Live guide From your hotel

Before you go

Emergency numbers in United Kingdom

Visas and entry What your passport needs for United Kingdom

Getting there

Remembered in this browser only, with the last few you used.

Still gathering the markets around Bristol. I'll let you know here when it's all in — or open the live guide.

Best-documented sights

All of them in the guide

Within a kilometre of the centre, ordered by how well documented each is — not by a "best" anyone decided. Each opens on the map in the guide. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited there.

Through the year

  1. Slapstick Silent Film Festival

    January

    A festival of vintage films

    Official site

  2. St Paul's Carnival

    February – March

    African and Caribbean arts festival

    Official site

  3. Great Bristol Run

    May

    Great Bristol Run has 10K and half marathon races passing many city landmarks including the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The next is probably Su 12 May 2024

  4. Upfest

    May – June

    Europe's largest free street art festival, 17 days in late May, early June. Worth exploring the murals visible all year. Maps of murals available on webpage.

    Official site

  5. Bristol Harbour Festival

    July

    Bristol Harbour Festival has music, dance and maritime events. The next is 19-21 July 2024

  6. Bristol Balloon Fiesta

    August

    Bristol Balloon Fiesta is held on Ashton Court Estate (see above) in August, with mass ascents, night glows and a funfair

  7. Encounters Film Festival

    September

    Encounters Film Festival is an international film festival held annually in Bristol, England. Founded in 1995, it is the UK's longest-running short film competition.

    Official site Wikipedia

Annual events from Wikidata and Wikivoyage (Bristol); descriptions from Wikipedia where it has one, photos from Wikimedia Commons. Dates move year to year — check before you plan around one.

Eating nearby

All 96 places to eat

Somewhere to run

Getting around

Train stations: Princes Wharf 860 m, SS Great Britain 1.1 km, Bristol Temple Meads 1.2 km, Redland 1.5 km, Montpelier 1.5 km, Clifton Down 1.5 km, Bedminster 1.7 km, Butterfly Junction 2.0 km, Lawrence Hill 2.1 km, Stapleton Road 2.4 km, Parson Street 2.7 km, Ashley Down 2.8 km, Sea Mills 4.7 km, Filton Abbey Wood 5.7 km

Want picks in Bristol that suit you? Ask your travel assistant, free with an account. Something wrong or missing on this page? Tell me

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors, as of 9 October 2026. Description from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Events from Wikidata and Wikivoyage, population from Wikidata.