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Bristol is a large, modern, cosmopolitan city which forms the gateway to the South West of England. Bristol is a year round destination offering a lively cafe bar and restaurant culture and is nationally and internationally acclaimed for its arts and cultural excellence.
Bristol is home to world-class attractions, museums, galleries, parks and open spaces, attractive architecture and historic buildings and internationally recognised festivals such as St Pauls Carnival, Bristol Harbour Festival and the Balloon Fiesta.
Bristol is the UK's 8th most populous city and is situated by the River Avon bordering on the Unitary Districts of Bath and North East Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire. Bristol has always had strong links with the sea. The city spans a broad area, extending to the Bristol Channel. The area of Bristol near the coast is called Avonmouth, and is where the commercial Port of Bristol is situated.
Read more about Bristol in the About Bristol section.
Bristol has long since been an important city. The name "Bristol" derives from the Old English word "Brycgstow", which means "the place at the bridge", clearly a reference to a bridge over the River Avon. During Norman rule, Bristol had one of the strongest castles in the South.
Situated 169km (105 miles) west of London and 39km (24 miles) east of Cardiff, Bristol is built around the River Avon. It also has a short coastline on the Severn Estuary, which flows into the Bristol Channel.
Bristol is a large city with a lot going on every week. Bristol is highly acclaimed for its artistic and cultural excellence and has excellent shopping facilities.
Bristol has a wealth of historical attractions dating back over many centuries. We list some of the most notable attractions including Bristol Castle, Bristol Cathedral, the New Room, Bristol Bridge and The Nails
Bristol has a good choice of educational establishments with 17 secondary schools, two major universities, the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England, and two further education colleges, City of Bristol College and Filton College. There are also a large number of independent schools.
Bristol's port is a major hub of economic activity and imports grain, timber, fresh produce, petroleum products and motor vehicles (of which Bristol is the largest importer to the UK). Other strong industry sectors in Bristol include aerospace, weapons manufacturing, the media, tourism, IT and financial service sectors.
Lists famous Bristolians (natives of Bristol) from popular culture and the past, including engineering genius Brunel whose designs revolutionised public transport and modern engineering.
Bristol is highly acclaimed for its artistic and cultural excellence with grand and bold architecture, several attractive parks, a good choice of sports and recreational facilities, and some fantastic museums and galleries.
Bristol is renowned for its choice of shops, with a wide range of different shopping areas, shopping centres and market. Here you will find everything from small local boutique shops to large high street fashion retailers.
Bristol has extensive transport infrastructure spanning land, sea and air including two main railway stations, a harbour with ferries, a port, an international airport and of course extensive bus services.
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