Situated in the beautiful parkland of the Blaise Estate, the Blaise Castle House Museum was an 18th century house and now holds most of the Museums Service's social history collection. It was immortalised by Jane Austen, who described it as "the finest place in England" in Northanger Abbey.
Available :
Daily; not Thu or Fri
Paris, Milan, London and now Bristol can lay claim to their own fashion week. Held at Cribbs Causeway Mall, catwalk shows display the coming season's newest trends, while stylists, colourists and beauticians are on hand to give shoppers fashion advice.
Available :
Sep 2013 (annual)
Rajpoot Restaurant is housed in a grand, split-level Georgian house that overlooks Bristol's Clifton Downs. The extensive menu draws influence from throughout India, with an impressive number of fish dishes. For dessert, try Mughal sweets like iced Rasgulla cooked in syrup with green cardamom or hot fried Jalabies with vanilla ice cream.
Available :
Daily; not Sun
The Friends Life T20 begins with a group format in June, before quarter finals in July and Finals Day at Southampton's Rose Bowl in August. Gloucestershire Gladiators play their home games at the County Ground in Bristol.
Available :
Jun - Aug 2013 (annual)
Bristol Zoo Gardens, located in large award-winning gardens in Clifton, carries out conservation projects and breeds endangered species. The Seal & Penguin zone is particularly popular, allowing visitors to see creatures beneath the water's surface, through transparent tunnels.
Available :
Daily
Anywhere with reindeer has a headstart on festive celebrations, so Bristol Zoo Gardens is just the place to spend a Fantabulous Christmas! For two days, entertainers, bands, storytellers and Santa himself are on hand to ensure everyone feels some Christmas cheer.
Available :
Dec 2013 (annual)
Get less bang for your buck at Bristol Zoo Gardens this Guy Fawkes Night! As its animals are distressed by the conventional clamour of fireworks displays, the zoo holds a special, but silent, fireworks spectacular to celebrate this usually cacophonous night.
Available :
Nov 2013 (annual)
Platform 1 in Clifton attracts a crowd who enjoy dancing to a range of good music. The excellent sound system plays an eclectic mix of house, disco, funk and soul in this cosy underground venue with its retro décor.
Available :
Daily
A long-established, award-winning Bristol favourite, Bell's Diner in Montpelier serves European food with a modern twist, such as beef carpaccio with a beetroot sorbet. The understated décor in cool colours with pristine white tablecoths belies the buzzy atmosphere. It is ideal for those with an adventurous palate. Reservations are a must.
Available :
Daily; not Sun
The Croft on Stokes Croft showcases local, national and international DJs and live bands. The laid-back Front Bar regularly hosts DJs and acoustic bands and the Back Room has live acts most nights of the week.
Available :
Daily
Bristol's first art gallery, the Royal West of England Academy in Clifton was founded in 1849. Housed in a magnificent grade II-listed building, the gallery contains many fine works bequeathed by the academy's main benefactor, Ellen Sharples, plus new additions.
Available :
Daily
The Royal West of England Academy presents its most popular exhibition of the year. The Autumn Exhibition features over 500 watercolour, oil, paint, print, sculpture, photography and drawing works chosen from 1500 pieces submitted by well-known and little-known artists.
Available :
Oct - Dec 2013 (annual)
Amoeba in Clifton is an ideal place to spend an evening people watching out front or quietly chatting with friends on the terrace. The drinks menu includes cocktails, spirits and beers from around the world including refreshing fruit beers.
Available :
Daily
The Clifton Suspension Bridge, spanning the Avon Gorge in Clifton, is Bristol's most distinctive landmark. Designed by British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the bridge was opened in 1864 to carry horse-drawn vehicles, but now around 12,000 cars cross daily.
Available :
Daily
Bristol Museum and Art Gallery in Clifton houses permanent displays of local, national and international interest and excellent temporary exhibitions, usually with a local theme. The top-floor galleries include Old Masters and a collection of British and modern art.
Available :
Daily
The natural world is brought into fresh focus with the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition at Bristol City Museum & Art Gallery. Travel the globe through the eye of a lens, from the cold Arctic to the deepest tropical rainforests.
Available :
Nov 2012 - Mar 2013 (annual)
Zerodegrees is a city centre microbrewery serving black, wheat, pale and pilsner ales as well as thirst-quenching fruit beers. Pizzas from a wood-burning stove complement the beers and the open terrace has views across the city's rooftops.
Available :
Daily
Boston Tea Party in Park Street serves delicious, affordable meals with ingredients mainly sourced from the West Country. The menu covers light snacks to more substantial meals such as sweet potato and feta wraps. Diners can choose from eating upstairs in the terraced garden or snacking on a panini on one of the comfy sofas.
Available :
Daily
The generous portions, good value and excellent service at the Beijing Bistro on Park Street ensures a loyal following. The minimalist, modern décor in this split-level venue does not detract from the delicious wok-fried noodle dishes served piping hot. The large windows overlooking Park Street make it a great place for people watching.
Available :
Daily
The Bristol Guild on Park Street, a labyrinthine building covering three floors, is a landmark shop selling hand-crafted and designer gifts. You'll also find unusual toys, gourmet foods, jewellery, furniture, crafts and kitchenware.
Available :
Daily; not Sun
The University of Bristol Botanic Garden is on a secluded site near the edge of the Avon Gorge. A peaceful oasis away from the city, it's also a learning experience.
Available :
Wed, Thu, Fri, and Sun only
Bristol's Red Lodge is a magnificent 16th-century house, furnished in both Elizabethan and Georgian styles. It houses one of the city's greatest treasures: the Great Oak Room, considered to be one of the finest Elizabethan rooms in the West Country.
Available :
Daily; not Thu or Fri
Big-name UK and international DJs appear regularly at The Syndicate, a superclub in the city centre. The main arena pumps out dance music from a sophisticated sound system and room two offers alternative music, including punk and rock.
Available :
Daily
Once the home to a West India sugar merchant and his slave, Bristol's Georgian House, in the city centre, has been restored and furnished to show a typical 18th-century house, including the elegant living rooms, servant quarters and kitchen.
Available :
Apr - Oct 2013 (annual)
The Big Chill Bristol brings the laid-back vibes and atmosphere of the Big Chill Festival to the South West. Expect comfy spaces, cool design and a relaxing blend of drinks, music and food. DJs spin tunes in the bar.
Available :
Daily
Located in the old Corn Exchange in the city centre, St Nicholas Market has a wide selection of stalls and tiny shops selling one-off products not seen in high street shops, including clothes, jewellery and bric-a-brac.
Available :
Daily; not Sun
The Dot to Dot Festival is a unique opportunity to sample a broad range of established and up-and-coming global music acts. Various venues across Bristol play host to this year's festival, which also visits Nottingham and Manchester.
Available :
Jun 2013 (various dates)
The Bristol Shakespeare Festival is a celebration of open-air performance that welcomes theatre companies from all over the country. Much-loved productions by the Bard are staged at indoor and outdoor spaces across the city, including Ashton Court and Bristol Zoo.
Available :
Jul - Aug 2013 (annual)
Mayfest is Bristol's annual celebration of outstanding new theatre from the South West, the UK and beyond. Performances take place at venues around the city and feature a mixture of productions from new and innovative to esteemed and established.
Available :
May 2013 (annual)
Runners make their way across the car-free roads of Bristol on the day of the Bristol 10k Run. Passing the Avon Gorge and the harbourside, the dedicated runners sweat it out for this charity run.
Available :
May 2013 (annual)
Do your bit for climate change by taking part in Bristol's Biggest Bike Ride, an annual event that promotes two wheels over four. Run by the council, the event gives keen cyclists a choice of traffic-free routes.
Available :
Jun 2013 (annual)
The Bristol Half Marathon is one of the UK's leading road races. More than 15,000 runners follow a course that takes in Bristol's old city, the harbourside and the stunning Avon Gorge.
Available :
Sep 2013 (annual)
Bristol Doors Open Day provides the chance to see the inside of some of the city's most fascinating and important buildings. Many are not normally open to the general public, and entry is free.
Available :
Sep 2013 (annual)
British engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel's 19th-century iron ship is now a meticulously restored showpiece. The largest and most powerful ship built in her time, ss Great Britain dominates the waterfront along Hotwells and reflects Bristol's proud maritime history.
Available :
Daily
If the sight of someone slipping on a banana skin leaves you in stitches, then Bristol's Slapstick Silent Comedy Festival is for you. Relive classic silent movies and view live comdey shows at the Watershed and other venues around town.
Available :
Jan 2013 (annual)
Bristol's Old Vic has a beautiful, Georgian auditorium and is the oldest continuously working theatre in the country (since about 1766). Renowned for an excellent repertory programme, it plays host to some of the best local and national theatre companies throughout the year.
Available :
Daily
Bordeaux Quay, on the Harbourside, sources most of its food from the South West and serves delicious, seasonal European-style food. The menu changes frequently but often includes fresh, roasted sea bass. There is a brasserie downstairs with a bright upstairs restaurant which surrounds a central atrium. The effect is simple but sophisticated.
Available :
Daily
The Bristol IMAX Theatre is the only IMAX screen in the Southwest and measures a gigantic 21 metres wide and 15 metres tall. Choose from a selection of scenic, beautiful or action-packed films and prepare to be swept away by the spectacular visual effects.
Available :
Daily
An award-winning family attraction, Explore-At-Bristol interactive centre reveals an amazing world of science and discovery. Science is brought alive through visuals and interactive exhibits. Enjoy a planetarium show or join the live science team for fun experiments and activities.
Available :
Daily
If mega eco-friendly describes you best, head to the CREATE Centre, where an exhibition shows you all you need to know about recycling. Meanwhile, the next-door Ecohome is full of ideas and information on eco-friendly construction and living.
Available :
Daily
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