AD | 48 Hours in Bristol with National Express.
AD | Collaboration visiting Bristol with National Express.
Known for being the world’s biggest manufacturer of hot air balloons, home of Wallace and Gromit as well as a population of over 615,000, making it the largest city in the South West of England. Bristol attracts thousands of people to their city full of culture and is a place that definitely keeps on giving, here are some ideas on how you could spend a day (or weekend) in this beautiful city, thanks to a trip with National Express recently.
National Express are a fantastic fleet of coaches who travel to 100’s of towns, cities and airports across the country on a daily basis. This isn’t the first time I have used their services in order to experience what the UK has to offer and on an affordable budget, you are never disappointed with the rates that National Express has to offer. Bristol is one of the top destinations on offer and with tickets starting from £20, it’s worth the lengthy journey from Leicester to enjoy a staycation in the city.
STAY
There are plenty of places to stay in the Bristol city centre, however Holidays by National Express have re-launched and now customers can book their UK holidays and staycations packages all in one place. With their Lowest Price Guarantee, customers will never pay more than they have for their UK holidays by coach.
As part of this stay in Bristol we decided to stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Bristol City Centre, a 20-minute walk from where the Bristol Coach Station is located. The shops at Cabot Circus, the Bristol Aquarium, and Bristol Hippodrome are all within a mile from the hotel. Housed in a 17th-century glass kiln, Kiln restaurant serves modern British meals for breakfast and dinner. The hotel also has a free fitness centre that is open all day. The rooms are spacious and comfortable with en-suite facilities, tea and coffee-making facilities, a desk and a flat-screen TV with Freeview. In the morning you can enjoy a varied hot or continental buffet breakfast (included in your stay!) meaning you can fill your belly nicely before heading out to explore everything Bristol has to offer. The views of St Mary Redcliffe Church, a 15th-century church full of gothic detail from our bedroom window were breathtaking. The team at Doubletree by Hilton Hotel were incredibly friendly and accommodating, so I’d attend again for their service alone.
THINGS TO DO
There is so much on offer to see and do whilst you are in Bristol, whilst you can pack it all in, Bristol will definitely leave you wanting more! If you have a head for heights you most certainly need to explore the scenic views of the Clifton Suspension Bridge. If you want to get an insight into Bristol, I’d recommend jumping on a Tootbus (priced at £14.00 per adult).
The 14-stop bus route allows you to explore the home of Banksy, visit one of the most important historical ships in the world – Brunel’s SS Great Britain or sample one of the great restaurants at Bristol’s harbourside. On the other side of the harbour, which you can access by a quick boat ride is more on offer. In Spike Island and Southville there are some eye-catching street art for you to marvel at, although the search for Banksy art was rather time consuming (but worth it if you are a fan of his work and ok to put in the legwork!) On board tour bus, where your ticket is valid for 24 hours, it takes you past Bristol Zoo Gardens, Bristol Aquarium, Clifton Suspension Bridge, Bristol Cathedral, St Marys Redcliffe, Brunel’s Old Station, Bristol Temple Meads, Bristol Hippodrome, Clifton Downs, Clifton Observatory.
If you enjoy grabbing a slice of culture in Bristol, it has a whole host of Free Museums and Historic Houses for you to discover, including M Shed. M Shed tells the story of the city and its unique place in the world. Although these places are free to visit, you need to secure your place by booking due to covid regulations.
Clifton Village is a beautiful suburb of Bristol, tucked away from the hubbub of city life and located just a five-minute drive away from the centre. I didn’t get chance to see this place for itself during my visit but it definitely encourages a re-visit for that place alone to be discovered and enjoyed!
If you are on the scope for bookshops and shopping, Bristol city centre is full of them!
PLACES TO EAT
Bristol has a lot of great places to eat, dependent on your culinary needs. I would recommend that if you are visiting during the weekend you book your table prior to your trip. Some of the places recommend by my followers include Snobby’s for pizza, La Guinguette a French bistrot and The Clifton Sausage. Visit Bristol also have a great directory of places to eat and drink whilst visiting Bristol.
We dined at the Riverstation, located on Bristol’s iconic harbourside (I genuinely think the harbourside was my favourite thing about the city). It has a stunning terrace and balcony with unrivalled views of the river, perfect for alfresco dining when the British weather is on our side! The change their menu seasonally and all of the dishes are fresh and delicious! I easily got food envy from sitting at my table.
Bristol was such a fantastic place to visit and I cannot wait to book my return trip in the near future. The city is always hosting some great events in and around the city so keep your eye on the Visit Bristol Whats On page to find out more!
If you are looking for a more affordable way to travel around the UK right now, don’t forget to book your coach travel tickets with National Express.
Need some more inspiration for a UK city break? Head on over and see what you can do for 24 hours in Liverpool.