The official whistle-stop Bristol travel guide
Back in January, I had the pleasure of visiting Bristol. Having been to Bath (right next door) and having also heard some great things about the city, I'd been keen to get down sooner rather than later.
Luckily, the kind folks at Visit Bristol helped me out by inviting me down to see what all the fuss was about.
This guide will take you through everything you need to know, from the perspective of someone who has done it before.
Have a read on and hopefully you'll be equipped with the knowledge you need to tackle this unique little city.
And hopefully, it'll all be done and dusted within 5 minutes so you don't get bored of my rambling. In fact, time yourself. Go on. I dare ya.
Why Bristol?
Bristol is unlike any other city in the UK - if not the world.
The people there are totally unique and their buildings (*and the art adorning them*) are even more unique - if that was possible. There is history in abundance, but in equal measure, they are packing new, exciting architecture, experiences and places to visit.
We'll get down to the finer details a little further on but rest assured, if you're a culture junkie, you really need to get down here.
How to get there
Planes, trains and automobiles baby.
If you're visiting Bristol from further afield, you can fly directly into their airport. Trains vary wildly in price - a ticket for me (without a railcard) from Liverpool would be £85 - aka a rip off. Obviously the further into the south of England you are, the cheaper it'll be.
We chose to drive because a full tank of petrol for me is about £40 so our journey was £80 in total split between two - not bad. The journey took about 3.5 hours. Again, the further south you are, the shorter and cheaper it'll be. The further north - the further the inverse is true. Obviously.
You can also get the ferry down there if you're a weirdo.
What are the prices like?
Prices are pretty much what you'd expect in the south of England.
Not too different but you will notice the difference if you're used to doing your shopping, eating and drinking in the cheap ol' north.
That being said, it's a lot cheaper than London so that's a bonus.
Where to stay
Brooks Guesthouse were our hosts for the weekend and I couldn't recommend the place highly enough. The rooms were stylish, the breakfast was unreal and the staff were really attentive and made sure we had everything we needed.
They also have a deal with the nearby car park which gets you a heft sum off your ticket which saved us more than £25!
If you want somewhere where you'll be well looked after and has everything you could possibly need, the Brooks Guesthouse is the place for you.
One thing I do have to mention though - the wifi in our room was virtually non-existent. To the point that we had to hotspot our phones instead. It may have just been our room because downstairs it was fine but just one to keep in mind.
What to actually do
I titled this article 'The ultimate 5-minute Bristol travel guide' and I aim to keep it to 5 minutes. Ain't nobody got time fo' long reads when it comes to city guides.
You're probably reading this on your way down to Bristol if you're anything like me so we'll get you up to speed in record time. You bloody last minute-r you...
Where The Wall tour
Probably what Bristol is most renowned for - their street art and graffiti.
The guys at Where The Wall take you through the hometown of Banksy. The main guy, John, who takes the tours 52 weeks of the year, is the most knowledgeable bloke you could hope to have as a guide.
With personal connections to Banksy and so many other street artists, his take on the scene is really refreshing. The 2-hour tour was over in a flash and was by far my favourite part of the trip.
If you do anything - do this.
M shed
This museum is a fantastic foray into Bristol's past and present. You could spend hours in here and you should definitely make a beeline for it when you visit.
We the curious
A lot of it is aimed at a younger audience but that didn't stop us having a laugh in there. There's actually loads of interesting stuff to get stuck into and you may well find a lot of curious facts that you hadn't known before. Bonus.
The Bristol Ferry
The Bristol Ferry is a unique way to experience Bristol's rivers and it's actually very fun. The captain was friendly AF (like everyone in Bristol come to think of it) and offered us loads of info on where to go and what to see.
As long as you don't suffer from sea legs, the Bristol ferry is a must-do.
St. Nicholas market
Very, very bougie.
I loved St. Nicholas market (which is literally across the street from the Brooks Guesthouse) thanks to its amazing bustling atmosphere. There are all sorts of cool little stores dotted around the market as well as a buzzing restaurant scene.
We went for some vegan sausage rolls and samosas and I have to say - that samosa was the best god damn samosa I've ever tasted. Thank you Bristol - home of heavenly samosas.
Where to eat
There are all sorts of places to eat when visiting Bristol. Seriously, there's something for all palettes.
Quay Street Diner
The folks at Quay Street Diner were kind enough to host us on the Saturday night of our stay and what a gaff this place is! If you're into your burgers, you've gotta try this place out.
On the night we went, they had a mahoosive party on upstairs meaning our main took 2 hours to come, but all was forgiven thanks to the unbelievable customer service these guys provided.
They brought us loads of snacks to keep us going and threw in a load of prosecco for good measure. Not to mention the grub was worth the wait.
Seriously, the waffles at the end were some of the best I've ever had.
Nandos
A little bit boring of us but sometimes you have to be #cheeky and go for a Nandos don't you?
There's way more on offer in Bristol's food scene but I just couldn't resist the allure of that sweet, sweet chicken.
Sue me.
Spicer & Cole
This was a cafe we stopped off at for breakfast on our first day in Bristol and I fully recommend giving it a try.
It gets very busy but just look at that grub they're serving up...
Would I recommend visiting Bristol?
100% yes.
There's literally something for everyone here - from upmarket eateries to independent, street-art draped bars - you'll find it all down in big ol' Brizzo.
Make sure to tell everyone that The Man Blueprint sent you - you'll be sure to get all sorts of discounts.
Well, you won't, because no one there has ever heard of me but it'd be funny if you did, so you know...do it.
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