A weekend in Bristol

2023 is a year rich in long weekends and public holidays! So we wanted to make the most of it by looking for a destination for the long May Day weekend. At the end of January, we booked our plane tickets to Bristol on easyJet: 68.31€ return per person, almost a giveaway if you look at the current situation and the rise in ticket prices. Bristol was one of the cheapest destinations offered by the airline, from Paris Orly, so we said to ourselves “why not!”. After a bit of research, we realised that the city had more to offer than its industrial past. We hope to make you want to go there in turn!

What to see and do in Bristol?

West of Bristol

Clifton

A district we loved discovering in Bristol! Located on the heights of the city, about forty minutes on foot from the centre, this chic residential district won us over. There is a peaceful atmosphere, as in a village, while still having that lively, dynamic side, in particular on the main street. Here, there is plenty of choice for eating: street food, upmarket, brasseries, world cuisines… there is something for every taste. A few unmissable spots in the district:

• Royal York Crescent: a perfect arc of a circle formed by many terraced houses in a row; it is said to be the largest Crescent in Europe.
• The Mall Gardens: small, well-kept gardens in the heart of the district.
• Clifton Suspension Bridge: unmissable when you come to Bristol! This bridge that spans the river Avon dates from the 18th century – it costs money for cars, but is free for pedestrians. Where to admire the bridge from: The Lookout Lectern viewpoint, from the bridge entrances on either side and from Clifton Observatory, on the hill. We were there at sunset and the colours were superb!

Ashton Estate Court

If there is one green space not to be missed in Bristol, it really is Ashton Estate Court park! It is easily reachable by bus from the city centre: allow about 10-15 minutes with the X3 or X4 lines (look on the Citymapper app for the best route). We chose to get off at the Leigh Woods stop, very close to one of the park entrances, up on the heights, near the Clifton bridge. The reason for our visit: the presence of deer that you can watch from quite close if you are lucky! We took the waymarked paths to go down and find them further below, towards the middle of the park, where they were all gathered. We stayed a long time watching them and photographing them! We then carried on our walk heading towards the park’s mansion and its gardens. The place is very restful and quiet: it does you good to walk in the middle of nature during a weekend in the city. As we had planned to have dinner in the Clifton district, we walked back up the whole slope of the park to reach the Leigh Woods entrance and cross the Clifton suspension bridge.

All the information about the park here.

Accommodation: where to stay in Bristol?

You should know that accommodation in Bristol city centre is wildly expensive. So we stayed outside the centre, in the Totterdown district, 20 minutes on foot from Bristol Temple Meads station and 20 minutes by taxi from the airport. We booked a private room on Airbnb for 347€ for the 4 nights. A really lovely place to stay near Bristol! The room offered by Helena is on the lower level of her house, with a large window opening onto a terrace with a view over the city; the room is therefore separate and independent. Everything was clean and well renovated, with really cosy decor, perfect for feeling at home. Our host had even left us something for breakfast in the morning. We highly recommend it for accommodation in Bristol!

Food and drink: where to eat in Bristol?

• A cappella cafe & pizzeria : a very good place in Totterdown where we went twice. Good pizzas (£13.95) and very good desserts that are not expensive (special mention for the “sticky ginger, orange and cinnamon cake”). Bills of around forty euros for 2 pizzas and 2 desserts.
• Low and Slow St Nicholas Market : a good street food spot inside the covered market; £8.50 (9.70€) for the Box Meal with pulled meat, salad, mac & cheese and beans.
• The Harbourside Street Food Market : an open-air market in the city centre, perfect for a lunch break that is not too expensive. We tried the sausage and black pudding pastries as well as the brownies from the little stall at the end of the market.
• Nutmeg : a very good Indian restaurant in the Clifton district, listed in the Michelin guide; 63€ for two starters, two mains and naan. Remember to book, the place is very popular.
• Swoon Gelato : good ice creams in the centre of Bristol; £5 for two flavours (very good pistachio ice cream) -10.73€ for two.
• Crafty Beans Cakes & Cafe : good brownies with different flavours; £6 for 3 brownies (including a Guinness one, worth trying!)

What we thought of Bristol

We did not really know what to expect coming to Bristol, and yet, we really liked our few days’ stay in England! The city is quite underrated and not often visited by French tourists. This little-known destination is worth the detour! Bristol is a young, dynamic city, changing fast, with many restaurants, cafés, artisan shops… it is buzzing here! We felt that it was an artistic, creative city, which showcases its industrial heritage by renovating it. The closeness to nature also struck us: you can easily escape the hubbub of the city centre thanks to the many parks and the quieter, residential districts like Clifton. In short, a city to discover!
So think of Bristol for a future long weekend from France, easily and quickly reachable by plane, in particular with easyJet. The idea is to stay in Bristol, visit the city in two full days and go for a day or two to Bath, about ten minutes away by train. And you have your perfect weekend!

Are you planning a stay in England? Read all our articles about the country!