Bristol city guide and sightseeing         

Summary
With its exciting cultural scene, vibrant nightlife and proximity to superb scenery, Bristol is a top-rated UK city. It's a great spot from which to explore the West Country, it's easily accessible and it's near enough to take day trips to other cities like Bath and Wiltshire.

Visitors can enjoy cutting-edge arts and culture; immerse themselves in the architectural gems of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, closely associated with the city, and head to the harbour for award-winning cuisine and a superior glass of wine.

Getting there/getting around Bristol
There are numerous trains and coaches to and from the city - including direct bus services to Heathrow and Gatwick airports. There are also regular trains between Bristol Temple Meads and London Paddington, Cardiff, Penzance and Edinburgh. There are a number of UK, European and US flights to Bristol's International Airport.

By road, it's accessible from the M5 and M4 motorways. You exit the M4 at junction 19 and follow the M32, and you exit the M5 at junction 18 and follow the A4 Portway.

Sightseeing around Bristol
There are any number of tours you can take - from walking tours such as the two-hour Pirate Walk, exploring Bristol's historic harbourside and learning about its fascinating maritime past - riddled with piracy, slavery and expeditions - to the Eastside mp3 audio tours which you can download free of charge. You'll get the chance to meander at will - from street cafes to specialist shops - and stop and just enjoy the passing parade too.

Other tours include ferry and boat tours of the harbour or even a hot air balloon flight across the city. If you're tour-phobic, make sure you take in the harbourside and Eastside, Brunel's famous Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Cathedral.

For those who love architecture and history, Brunel's bridge is just the start, there's also his SS Great Britain, sitting in dry dock, his floating harbour (with the famous Underfall Yard) and the underground vaults at the Old Bristol Station (now the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum).

Bristol family attractions, day trips and shopping        

Family attractions in Bristol
The kids will love a trip to the ice rink which offers family skating lessons, or sign the whole family up at the Adventurous Activity Company for half or day-long climbing, orienteering and canoeing adventures in and around the city.

For those who are a bit less activity driven, head to the Bristol Zoo Gardens or HorseWorld, where it’s possible to make friends with the rescued donkeys and horses. Most kids will enjoy interactive science centre, Explore-At-Bristol, where they'll get the chance to enjoy a hands-on experience of the latest multi-media techniques. For those grey days, take them to the IMAX cinema or nearby Berkeley Castle, England's oldest inhabited castle.

Day trips from Bristol
The Avon Valley Railway has numerous steam trains to try out and a trip can be combined with a river boat outing along the scenic Avon Valley. The nearby village of Cheddar has caves and Britain's largest gorge for you to explore. You can climb Jacob's Ladder to the Lookout Tower or take the Gorge Tour by open-top bus.

The nearby Wookey Hole Caves were the home of the notorious Witch of Wookey, and you'll also be able to visit the 19th Century Papermill with its caves, museum and popular activities like the Magical Mirror Maze and Neptune's Kingdom.

As the perfect spot from which to explore the West Country, you'll easily be able to head out for days in Bath, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire.

Shopping in Bristol
From small, independent boutiques and stores to mega-malls, shoppers will be able to find whatever they want in Bristol. Broadmead, the main shopping centre has over 300 stores including all the high street chains. A huge regeneration programme will expand Broadmead and offer even more choices in the centre and nearby. This includes a 13-screen deluxe cinema. The programme, sure to boost Bristol in the UK's premier shopping stakes, is due to open in September 2008.

There are also The Mall Galleries with a range of shops, including smaller independent stores and The Mall at Cribbs Causeway, just off Junction 17 on the M5, and home to over 135 stores. For designer clothes, antiques and arts and crafts head to Clifton Village and the West End. Foodies and organic fans should make sure they head to the UK's first regular Slow Food Market on the first Sunday of every month.

Bristol nightlife, restaurants, bars and clubs         

Restaurants in Bristol
One of the musts is the award-winning modern restaurant Severnshed, located inside a 19th century boathouse built by Brunel. With its huge terrace offering great waterside dining opportunities and its unique floating bar, it's a treat.

Among the top rated restaurants are the Square Restaurant in The Berkeley Square Hotel and the Cloisters Restaurant, in the chapel of a former manor house. Both are winners of an AA rosette and offer great service and dishes.

Along with the many fish 'n chips and fast food establishments are some top-rated Indian, Lebanese and European restaurants.

Nightlife in Bristol
The university gives Bristol its fair share of clubs and pubs where there are special offers on drinks, drinking games and if you feel like a laugh you can head to the Coronation Tap to watch the effects of drinking 'harmless' Exhibition cider (8.6% alcohol) on the first-years.

If you're a bit more upmarket, this town's got plenty of choices, from tasty cocktails at Severnshed.