Bristol
Visit Bristol for the Clifton Suspension Bridge, walks along the Floating Harbour, Banksy street art and the city's film and animation scene. Plan a few days to cover the harbor, the museums and the Georgian squares.
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Bristol is a city of about 494,000 people in South West England, on the River Avon. It lies about 11 miles northwest of Bath, 26 miles east of Cardiff in Wales and 106 miles west of London. The city sits on hilly limestone cut by the Avon and Frome rivers. Its best-known landmark is the Clifton Suspension Bridge, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, which crosses the Avon Gorge west of the city.
Visitors come for the harbor walks, the Georgian squares, Banksy works on display around town and museums such as M Shed and Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery. Bristol is a UNESCO City of Film and the home base of Aardman Animations, the studio behind Wallace & Gromit. Allow time in the museums to read about the city's role in the slave trade. Summer is the best season for mild, sunny weather, but rain is spread fairly evenly across the year, so pack for showers.
Bristol in five
- Cross Clifton Suspension Bridge on footThe bridge is open 24 hours a day and free to pedestrians and cyclists; cars pay a contactless toll. The visitor centre on the Leigh Woods side is free.
- Plan an SS Great Britain visitBrunel's 1843 iron ship sits in its dry dock at the harbourside, with a dockyard and a museum around it. Book tickets on the official site and keep a full morning for it.SS Great Britain
- Landing at Bristol Airport? Sort your ETA before you flyBristol Airport links to the center by bus rather than train. If you need a UK ETA, apply before boarding, then allow time for the bus into the city.UK ETA explained
- Look for street art in Stokes CroftMurals change often, so treat any list as a starting point and walk Stokes Croft, the harbourside and Montpelier. Respect private walls and do not climb for a photo.
- Pair Bristol with Bath or CardiffBoth are an easy train ride away and can be a day each from a Bristol base.Bath
Things to do in Bristol
See all attractions in Bristol
Need to know
- Airport
- Bristol (BRS), connected to the center by bus
- Getting there
- Trains into Temple Meads from London Paddington, Bath and Cardiff
- Getting around
- Walking, buses and the harbour ferries
- Best base
- Harbourside or Old City; Clifton for a quieter stay
- Time needed
- 2 days; 3 with Bath
Weather by month
- Rainy days
- Festival
- Best
- Good
- Mixed
- Poor
- JanuaryRain13 rainy daysHigh8°Low3°Cold, quietJanuaryRain
Poor
- High
- 8°
- Low
- 3°
- Precipitation
- 78 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- FebruaryRain13 rainy daysHigh9°Low4°Cold, quietFebruaryRain
Mixed
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 78 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, quiet
- MarchRain15 rainy daysHigh10°Low4°Cool, showersMarchRain
Mixed
- High
- 10°
- Low
- 4°
- Precipitation
- 86 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cool, showers
- AprilPartly cloudy11 rainy daysHigh13°Low5°Mild, blossomAprilPartly cloudy
Good
- High
- 13°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 56 mm
- Rainy days
- 11
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, blossom
- MayPartly cloudy12 rainy daysHigh16°Low8°Mild, greenMayPartly cloudy
Best
- High
- 16°
- Low
- 8°
- Precipitation
- 71 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, green
- JuneRain12 rainy daysHigh19°Low11°Long daysJuneRain
Best
- High
- 19°
- Low
- 11°
- Precipitation
- 65 mm
- Rainy days
- 12
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Long days
- JulyRain13 rainy daysHigh21°Low13°Warm, busyJulyRain
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 75 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, busy
- AugustRain13 rainy daysHigh21°Low13°Warm, balloon fiestaAugustRain
Best
- High
- 21°
- Low
- 13°
- Precipitation
- 75 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Warm, balloon fiesta
- SeptemberRain13 rainy daysHigh18°Low12°Mild, calmerSeptemberRain
Best
- High
- 18°
- Low
- 12°
- Precipitation
- 89 mm
- Rainy days
- 13
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Mild, calmer
- OctoberRain14 rainy daysHigh15°Low9°Autumn colorOctoberRain
Mixed
- High
- 15°
- Low
- 9°
- Precipitation
- 108 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Autumn color
- NovemberRain14 rainy daysHigh11°Low6°Wet, quietNovemberRain
Mixed
- High
- 11°
- Low
- 6°
- Precipitation
- 91 mm
- Rainy days
- 14
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Wet, quiet
- DecemberRain15 rainy daysHigh9°Low5°Cold, lightsDecemberRain
Poor
- High
- 9°
- Low
- 5°
- Precipitation
- 106 mm
- Rainy days
- 15
- Snowy days
- 0
- Days with storms
- 0
Cold, lights
Average daily high and low in Bristol, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.
Festivals: Aug Bristol International Balloon Fiesta
Right now in Bristol
Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.
8
- Feels like
- 5°
- Humidity
- 74%
- Wind
- 18 km/h
- Chance of rain
- 0%
Bristol
11:23 PM
Monday, November 2
- Today11°6°0%Monday: Cloudy. High 11°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Tue12°7°0%Tuesday: Cloudy. High 12°, Low 7°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Wed10°8°0%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 8°. Chance of rain 0%.
- Thu8°6°2%Thursday: Drizzle. High 8°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 2%.
- Fri8°6°11%Friday: Drizzle. High 8°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 11%.
- Sat9°5°12%Saturday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 12%.
- Sun9°6°12%Sunday: Cloudy. High 9°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 12%.
Updated 08:34 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com
Money
Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.7469 GBP
Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API
Every year
- MarCheltenham FestivalThe Cotswolds, a day trip
- Jun–JulGarsington OperaOxford, a day trip
- AugBristol International Balloon FiestaBristol
Day trips by train
- Bathby trainRoman baths and Georgian crescents, an easy day or half day.Read the guide
- Cardiffby trainCastle, bay and museums across the Severn in Wales.Read the guide
- Wells and Cheddarby bus or carEngland's smallest city and a famous gorge, best with a car.
Before you go to Bristol
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Rules for Bristol, checked
- Clifton Suspension Bridge is open 24 hours and free to cross on foot or by bike; cars pay a contactless toll. The visitor centre is free.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Plan around Bristol
Where Bristol fits between London and the west
Read the guideBathRoman baths and Georgian crescents close by
Read the guideCardiffThe Welsh capital across the Severn
Read the guideThe CotswoldsStone villages north-east of the city
Read the guideExmoorMoorland and coast on the Somerset border
Read the guideTrains and buses in BritainWays to link the west of England
Read the guideBristol FAQ
How many days do you need in Bristol?
Two days cover the harbourside, SS Great Britain, Clifton and the street art. A third day is best spent on Bath or Cardiff. One day works if you only want the ship and the bridge.
Is Bristol worth visiting?
Yes, particularly for engineering history, street art and food. It has fewer famous monuments than Bath, so go for atmosphere and pair it with a nearby day trip.
Is Clifton Suspension Bridge free to cross?
Yes on foot or by bike, according to the bridge trust. Cars pay a contactless toll, and the visitor centre is free; no booking is needed to cross.
Where should I stay in Bristol?
The harbourside or Old City for a first visit, Clifton for views and calm, and Stokes Croft for nightlife. Temple Meads is practical if you need early trains.
Is Bristol better than Bath for a weekend?
Bath is more compact and polished, with Roman remains and Georgian streets. Bristol is larger, grittier and more varied, with a better food and music scene. Many visitors split a long weekend between them.