Bristol One Day Itinerary: 10 Best Things To Do

Last updated on November 5th, 2023 at 09:47 am

Bristol is a quirky city located in the South West of England, and it is a great getaway; however, if you don’t have much time, it’s possible to see Bristol in one day if it’s all you’ve got on your schedule, with my Bristol one day itinerary you’ll soak in the best of the city!
It is an offbeat city with an intense art scene, a broad food scene with many independent shops and stunning architecture.
You will be able to see everything to do in Bristol and add to your bucket list of activities you want to do and what sights to see!

If you enjoy street art, you won’t be disappointed. Also, going to Bristol means you can look forward to seeing some fantastic street art wherever you go in the city! As I previously mentioned, the town is famous for its art scene and is home to Bansky, the world-famous street artist.

Bristol One Day Itinerary: 10 Best Things To Do

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You can find more top activities in Bristol here to switch with or add to your day trip itinerary to Bristol if you’d like. I also recently uploaded two travel diaries where I count some of my time in the U.K., including Bristol, if you want to read them! Of course, you can modify this itinerary as much as possible if you’d like to replace some activities to make your own Bristol one day itinerary.

If you’d like to know more about Bristol, check out my travel guide about these 25 things to do in Bristol!

Here is what to see in Bristol in one day!

Explore Bristol Old Town

Also known as the city’s medieval heart, the old part of Bristol is where you get a glimpse into the past to see what the architecture and layout of the town once looked like.

• St Nicholas Market and Glass Arcade
  St Nicholas Market is one of my favourite parts of the old city of Bristol; the market offers many food stalls worldwide. Most of them offer samples as well. Every single stall smelled more delicious than the previous one.
  
  It’s the perfect spot for lunch or a snack! If you’re looking for some delicious cake, check out Ahhtoots! They even have some vegan and gluten-free options!

• Castle Park and St Peter’s Church
  Between the old city and the Bristol Shopping Quarter, you can find the remains of the medieval castle and the remains of St Peter’s Church overlooking the river’s water.

To explore this part of the city further and delve into its history back when this part of the city was walled, you can take the Old City Trail Heritage walk tour on your own with the explanations on the Bristol Old City website!

I did the tour alone when I lived in Bristol to fully immerse myself and learn more about this side of history. I truly loved it; it’s always so interesting to know more about the city you live in (even if it’s just temporary) and its history!

Street Art: Going to the Harbourside & city centre through Quay Street and Nelson Street, you can see beautiful pieces such as El Mac Mother and Child, The Vandal, The Wolf and more!

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Take A Stroll On Bristol Harbourside

Bristol is a harbourside city that played an important role in trading goods due to its position on the Avon River and, sadly, a part of slavery back in the XVIIIth century like many important harbour cities.

• Millennium Square
  A square in the heart of the Harbourside is where you can find two casinos and different activities, including the seasonal one (ice-skating ring or big wheel). I have never been inside, but you can also find casinos there!

• M’SHED
  One cannot visit Bristol without stopping by the M’SHED! It’s a perfect activity for kids and adults. You will discover everything about Bristol and its history!
  The museum also hosts exhibitions.

• Cargo
  I told you above that Bristol’s food scene is pretty good, right? Well, Cargo is one of the city’s leading hotspots for foodies!

• S.S Great Britain
  This ship is a significant part of Bristol’s history; as mentioned above, Bristol is a harbour city.

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Visit the Beautiful Cathedral of Bristol

Bristol’s Cathedral, formally called the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided Trinity, is located at the bottom of Park Street. On this uphill street, you can find many shops and various restaurants (and Wok to Walk, the best noodles chain and Mrs Potts for amazing hot chocolates and cakes!)

The Gothic cathedral was built during the ‎XIIth century between 1220–1877 and is one of the prominent landmarks in Bristol, which is something not to miss!

Admission is free; however, donations are appreciated and help to keep this gorgeous Cathedral running.

Street art: at the beginning of Park Street, you can find the Man Hanging From a Window on the right!

Brandon Hill & Cabot Tower for free views of the city..

You can find the park of Brandon Hill midway on the left side of Park Street, a bit further after the Museum of Victorian History (free and pleasant, by the way), although this is just one of the many entrances to Brandon Hill.

The park’s hill and the view from the top of the tower are the best views over the city; it’s a great spot to relax and enjoy the view. You can see the cathedral, the harbourside and even the S.S Great Britain from there! It is the perfect spot to watch the fireworks display all over the city and on Bonfire night in November!

Of course, the park is gorgeous and is home to many grey squirrels, which are adorable!

Street Art: If you come to the park from Park Street, you can see several pieces of street art

Price: Free

Admire Art at the Bristol Museum

Pssst, want to see a bit more of Bristol check out those 20 photos!

It is next to the beautiful Wills Memorial Building, Bristol Museum & Art Gallery. The museum has two floors; on the ground floor, you get an insight into the South West wildlife and Egyptian mummies.
On the first floor, you can discover more about dinosaurs and wildlife with animals and rocks. The second floor is dedicated to art with painting and pottery.

As soon as you enter the museum, one of the first things you notice on the left side near the staircase is Banksy’s famous angel sculpture. From the 28th of March until the 1st of September, the Banky’s Devolved Parliament is displayed at Bristol Museum.

Price: Admission is free, but it is recommended to give a £5 donation to help the museum run.

Hours: Open from Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.

Street art: In this part of the city, you can find the famous cheating man graffiti!

Check out Bristol’s Museum website for more info.

Clifton Village & Clifton Suspension Bridge.

• Clifton Suspension Bridge
  One of Bristol’s iconic landmarks! You cannot miss it if you visit the city, even if you only have one day in Bristol. It has to be on your bucket list!

• Giant Cave
  You have to be able-bodied to do this activity, as you must go down some uneven, steep stairs to access the cave.
  Then, you will go through the guts of the cliff and get a different point of view of the Avon River and the Suspension Bridge. It’s really fun to do!
  Price: £ 2

• Clifton Observatory
  The observatory of Bristol can be found in Clifton Down next to the suspension bridge. It was originally a mill, which is now turned into the observatory standing there today.
  Price: 2,50£

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How To Get To Bristol.

Bristol by PLANE

If you’re travelling to Bristol by plane, you will arrive at Bristol Airport on the city’s outskirts, about 30 minutes away with the shuttle. The shuttle’s last stop in the city centre is where you will want to get off.
Otherwise, you could get off at Bristol Temple Meads, but that would mean doing a bit of walking, and the price doesn’t change wherever you get off, so it’s best to get off in the city centre.

Bristol by train

Bristol is also accessible by train if you are travelling within the UK, so I think it’s a better option than to travel by plane. It is more sustainable to travel by train than by bus, but you also save yourself the hassle of going through customs and so on.

You also get to see some gorgeous scenery of the British countryside, a total win!

Bristol By Bus

If the cost of the train doesn’t fit your budget, you can always take the bus; you can find cheap tickets for like £6 one way coming from London, which is a steal knowing that a train ride can easily reach the £100. The downside of the bus is that it takes slightly longer than the train, but nothing dramatic.
It’s a good option if you’re on a budget. I almost always travel by bus whenever I do London/Bristol.

Also, if you’re staying in the city for a couple of days, you might want to consider taking a day trip, and I have the list of the best day trips from Bristol!

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This concludes my Bristol one-day itinerary! I told you at the beginning that Bristol was home to Banksy, but did you know it was also the birthplace of Wallace and Gromit? It’s something I learnt while I was living there!

You may notice that I did not include Stokes Croft in my day trip itinerary even though it’s one of the most famous areas to spot graffiti (breakdancer Jesus, anyone?), as I’m not quite a fan of the area. Besides, you can find some great street art everywhere! Don’t get me wrong, there are some fantastic street art and some hipsterish spots, but I think there are many more exciting spots to see in the city if you only have one day to visit.

I hope you have a wonderful day trip to Bristol and fall in love with this city as I did! And if you’ve already been, let me know your favourite sport or activity!

Hey, I am looking for more cool day trips to take in the South West of the UK; how about you check out my one-day trip to Cardiff? Or what to do in Bath in one day?

Also, follow me on Instagram to check out my travel adventures around Europe and more lifestyle content @cpt_lyne!

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Bristol One Day Itinerary: Best Things To Do

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