12 reasons to visit Bristol — a city with creative flair and direct flights from Cork
Its Bristol City, Among Balloon Fiesta
Visitors from Cork to Bristol will surely be familiar with their own city’s iconic ‘Shakey Bridge’, officially named Daly’s Bridge, that connects Sunday’s Well with the Mardyke.
The Shakey Bridge is a fine example of a suspension bridge, but there is another in Bristol of a jaw-dropping scale.
Isambard Kingdom Brunel — a 19th century engineer with celebrity status whose innovative designs remain impressive in the modern age — designed the famous Clifton Suspension Bridge over the Avon Gorge.
Sitting 101m above water level, it was completed in 1864 and the views while crossing it are worth the excursion alone. Walking across, it’s easy to forget that you are suspended so high above ground — until you peep over the side.
The visitor centre shows how Brunel designed his masterpiece and offers unrivalled views of the bridge at its camera obscura.
While visiting the suspension bridge, pop over to Clifton, an affluent suburb with smart Georgian terraces and leafy squares.
Here you will find independent boutiques, art shops, jewellers, and vintage, thrift, and pre-loved shops, plus independent and quirky shops at Clifton Arcade ( CliftonArcade.com).
A great place to stop for lunch you’ll find plenty of choices. I went to the independent Eat a Pitta ( EatAPitta.co.uk) Clifton branch, where a feta, red pepper and falafel pitta was packed with so much food that I was full for the day.
Believe it or not, we’re not done with Brunel. As well as giving Bristol its most recognisable landmark, he designed ships.
At the Great Western Dockyard, visitors can see his SS Great Britain, built in 1843 ( SSGreatBritain.org).
The world’s first luxury cruise liner, it enjoyed record speeds thanks to Brunel’s pioneering screw propeller technology, which is still in use today. Walk beneath the glass ‘sea’ and step aboard the ship itself teeming with the sights, sounds, and even smells of life onboard.
Explore cabins, the first-class dining room, engine rooms, and galley kitchens. Be sure to visit the interactive companion museum, Being Brunel, to learn more about the engineer extraordinaire.
Walking through the ‘Beermuda Triangle’ — an area, I’m told, where you can vanish into a pub and not be seen again for days — the sounds of jazz and general revelry from The Old Duke hooked me like a fish.
We popped in for one (famous last words) and the live music was only scratching the surface of the charm within, the crowd letting loose as the music takes over. (Scan the ancient ads for international jazz festivals wallpapering the ceiling and see if you can spot the logo for the 10th Cork Jazz Festival!)
If beer is not to your taste, wine lovers should saunter south to Bedminster for an evening of wine and cheese in KASK (@kaskwine on Instagram).
With the slogan ‘We Say No To Shit Wine’, the owners pride themselves on sourcing mind-blowing wine and our tasting proves their palates are on point.
The wine is served from the tap and by the glass in the bar and wine garden and we are both entertained and educated by owner Charlie Taylor.
Bonus points for being dog-friendly, as a wagging Scotty at the next table elevated the evening further.
A trip to Wake the Tiger, an immersive alternative to the traditional art gallery ( WakeTheTiger.com), is an exciting and inclusive journey for all ages to another world called ‘Meridia’.
Visitors explore 27 unique artistic rooms to interact with a world beyond their imagination.
It’s mysterious and indescribable: The slide you can use to exit the exhibition is enough to convince me to visit again.
On a superficial level, you probably won’t find somewhere cooler to take your weekend break pics for Instagram. Hashtag worth it.
Did you know that Bristol is the home of famous street artist Banksy, whose original works can sell for millions of pounds?
A city stroll, however, allows you spot more than a couple for free. You can find some of Banksy’s earlier work as well as some recent additions.
Look out for ‘Mild Mild West’ on Stokes Croft, ‘Well Hung Lover’ on Park Street, ‘The Girl with the Pierced Eardrum’ near Bristol Marina, and the ‘Grim Reaper’ in M Shed.
Speaking of street art, Bristol has embraced its residents’ flair for creativity and an annual street art festival which showcases original work from some of the world’s best street artists.
Upfest ( UpFest.co.uk) in Bedminster is the largest free, live, street art festival in Europe. This year’s graffiti festival included pop-up paint jams, workshops, panel discussions, tours, music, and more.
Artists paint large-scale murals on buildings during the festival, with a schedule available for visitors to pop by and see their progress.
For those visiting outside festival season, the Upfest self-guided street art trail can be followed all year by clicking on the map tab on UpFest.co.uk.
Bristol can also be explored by boat, if Brunel’s work has inspired you during your trip.
The distinctive blue and yellow boats of Bristol’s ferry service ( BristolFerry.com) run 364 days a year and bring passengers from the floating harbour along the River Avon.
You can also hop on a themed cruise, like their Thirsty Thursday trips that sail around Bristol Harbour for 90 minutes with a fully stocked floating bar.
Fancy a night at the theatre? You’re in luck as Bristol is home to the Hippodrome.
Much like the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre in Dublin, the Bristol Hippodrome ( atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome) hosts touring productions of West End favourites, with shows like Six The Musical, Grease, and Dear Evan Hansen on the schedule for the coming months as well as comedy gigs from the likes of Jimmy Carr and Greg Davies.
A thriving port town at the centre of international shipping routes for centuries, Bristol boasts a rich history — and does not shy away from talking about some of the more unsavoury elements, including links to the slave trade.
The free M Shed Museum on the harbourside tells the story of the city through the people who helped shape it ( BristolMuseums.org.uk/m-shed).
A new, permanent exhibit of the Colston statue is a particularly well-curated area.
Toppled by activists in 2020 during the Black Lives Matter movement, the statue now lies on its side in a display centred around the theme of protest, with graffiti from the protests still preserved on it.
Bristol’s vibrant food scene includes the Wapping Wharf community, where you’ll find a food market made of shopping containers.
Cargo 1 and Cargo 2 are home to plenty of cafes and restaurants including Seven Lucky Gods ( 7LuckyGods.com), a casual Japanese-style bar and restaurant.
For later in the evening, dinner at The Granary ( GranaryBristol.com) is an enjoyable spread of local, seasonal, and sustainable ingredients cooked on an open fire with a revolving flatbread stone oven.
A trip downstairs to The Granary Club for a post-dinner cocktail is advised too.
Aer Lingus Regional operates flights between Cork and Bristol, six days a week, and seven from Dublin.
Fares from €39.99 one-way; AerLingus.com
Part of the Doyle Collection, The Bristol Hotel sits on the waterfront and offers harbour views, boutique bedrooms, River Grille restaurant, and the recently launched Rick’s bar ( DoyleCollection.com/hotels/the-bristol-hotel).
- Denise was a guest of Aer Lingus Regional and Visit Bristol
- VisitBristol.co.uk