Bristol is a varied, multicultural city unlike any other, with a rich and sometimes troubled history. Here’s how to plan the perfect weekend there.
THE WEEKEND:
For 1,300 years, the world has sailed in and out of Bristol. Explorer John Cabot pioneered trading routes across the Atlantic, and in doing so discovered Newfoundland; the infamous pirate Blackbeard terrorised the Caribbean, but periodically came home to Bristol; and Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s SS Great Britain – once the world’s largest passenger ship, and now a major tourist attraction – still moors in the city’s harbour.
Bristol’s international ties endure to the present day. Nearly a fifth of the city’s population was born overseas, and centuries of multiculturalism are evident in its architecture, political attitudes and food scene. When you spend a long weekend here, you can see the world without venturing beyond the Bristol Channel.
WHAT TO DO:
Pirate Pete leads maritime-themed walking tours around Bristol, introducing the city’s turbulent history and the real-life stories behind Blackbeard, Long John Silver, and Robinson Crusoe. Dressing up as a pirate is highly encouraged, but if you are too embarrassed to be seen in swashbuckling company, you can walk a self-guided, circular route. There’s a free map on the Pirate Walks website, and you can extend it by continuing west along Prince’s Wharf and Museum Street to the SS Great Britain.
Whichever route you take, allow a couple of hours to visit the excellent M Shed. This former transit shed on the waterfront now houses a museum explaining the history of Bristol and its many communities, past and present. The bronze statue of Edward Colston, famously pushed into Bristol Harbour by protestors in June 2020, is displayed here in a sensitively curated exhibition about Bristol’s role in the slave trade and ongoing protests against racial injustice. Other museum highlights include working steam trains, cranes, and boats.
The Victorian steamship SS Great Britain (ssgreatbritain.org) was the world’s first great luxury liner, launched in 1843 and restored to its original glory. Climb aboard and imagine that you, too, are about to cross the Atlantic to New York, or start the gruelling 60 day voyage to Australia. Promenade on deck, learn how the replica engine works, meet the ship’s surgeon (and hope you don’t need to avail of his services), and see the Wardian Cases which were used to bring exotic plant samples back to Britain.
WHERE TO EAT:
It is said that Bristol-born Edward Teach – better known as Blackbeard – would disembark from his ship into The Ostrich on Bristol’s Harbour, then after a few drinks use the secret passage in the bar to slip away unseen, passing through the caves to his home further up the hill. True or not, this historic pub has a fantastic atmosphere, and nothing beats sitting at its waterside tables on a warm summer evening. The menu at The Ostrich is as eclectic as its clientele, the dishes reflecting the cultural make-up of modern Bristol.
Foodies should also stop by St. Nicholas Markets (.bristol.gov.uk/st-nicholas-markets), the covered market where Bristol’s independent retailers have been doing business for more than 280 years. In between locally-made handicrafts you will find street food stands whipping up mouthwatering recipes from the Caribbean to Japan, the Mediterranean to China, and everywhere in between. Vegetarians and vegans are also well catered for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Moxy Bristol is right beside Cabot Circus, named after the explorer, and within easy walking distance of all of Bristol’s attractions. The bar is decorated with bright, bold murals and doubles as the hotel’s reception, and if you get lucky spinning the Wheel of Fortune at check-in, you might well win a drink on the house.
Rooms start from £99 per night and are decorated in the same funky style as the hotel’s public areas. Personalised sightseeing recommendations are hand painted onto the bedroom mirrors to give you inspiration for your trip.