The Top 5 Places to Unwind in Bristol

Brandon Hill is one of the nicest green spaces in Bristol, and is also the highest point in the city! Located only a 10 minute walk from University, it is one of the perfect places to unwind. There are some lovely ponds and plenty of places to sit and read, walk through, or grab a coffee with a friend. You can also walk up Cabot Tower to see amazing views of the city for free!

The Downs are the perfect place to unwind for all our first year students living in the North Village. There is a delightful walk through the Downs to the lookout point, where, at the far end, you can see beautiful views of Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Avon Gorge. You can even walk into the nature reserve, where you might spot a Bristol goat in the gully, which have been reintroduced to help increase biodiversity in the area! It is a great place to escape the busyness of the city, and take some time to relax in nature.

As the weather gets colder, it can be harder to find places to unwind outside!

The Arnolfini Centre is the ideal indoor hideaway, especially for those who love art or who enjoying spending time in galleries. It is located along the Harbourside, next to the river, and has free entry for everyone. It has many different exhibitions each year, places to sit and draw, yoga mats to take some time to meditate, and sometimes the centre runs free art classes upstairs. There is also a lively café downstairs, which turns into a bar in the evening, if you fancy a drink.

The best way to stay updated with the Arnolfini Centre so you don’t miss out is by checking out their website here.

Chance and Counters is one of Bristol’s board game cafés. For any board game enthusiast, it is an amazing place to relax with friends, as they have over 700 different games along with coffees and beers, and great food too!

There are two locations in Bristol; one on the Christmas Steps and one on Gloucester Road. At only £2 per person to play, it is a cheap way to spend an afternoon for students!

If you want to find out more, visit their website here for opening hours and booking in advance.

For those who love reading, and find book shopping to be a relaxing pass time, this book shop is definitely worth a visit! It is packed with affordable, second hand books, and is run by a group of volunteers who are always kind and helpful.

For English students, the Clifton Community Book Shop is also an affordable way to find books for your course, or for extra reading! And if you feel like the ultimate unwind strategy, you could even buy a new book here and head directly to Brandon Hill after to spend a while reading in nature!

The book shop regularly hosts community events in the evenings too, so if you would like to get to know the Clifton community outside of uni this is an excellent opportunity!

If you’d like to explore the bookshop before you head down, you can find them here on their website.