Exploring Bristol doesn’t have to break the bank – there is so much to do and see in this beautiful city, loads of which can be done frugally. In this article, I’ll be sharing three different day ideas, to give you some inspiration on how you can tour Bristol on a budget!
Day 1: Clifton
The first main attraction in Clifton Village is the Village itself! Made up of scenic winding streets full of small independent shops and cafes, it is a perfect place to have a walk around.
You can grab yourself a very reasonably priced drink and pastry at Parsons Bakery – this is a popular spot with students, and for good reason with the iced coffees selling for £1.95. Victoria Square is around a minute’s walk away and is a lovely open space to sit down and enjoy your drink.
The Clifton Observatory is another great place to visit. For just £5, you can enter both the Giant’s Cave, which gives you a stunning view of the Clifton Suspension Bridge, and the Camera Obscura, which using amazing Victorian technology allows you to watch the bridge and surrounding area in real-time.
If you want to go further, you can even walk across the Suspension Bridge, which will take you towards the edge of Bristol into Somerset. From here, you can walk to Leigh Woods, a National Trust Nature Reserve with plenty of walking trails and an abundance of wildlife.
Day 2: Park Street
Another great place to enjoy a cheap day out is Park Street. Start your day by heading out towards Brandon Hill, where you can visit Cabot Tower, walk among the plants, and enjoy a great view of Bristol.
On your way, you can always stop and get a coffee – you probably don’t need me to tell you that Pret is currently offering a free month of coffee when you get their subscription, and there are lots of other independent coffee shops down Park Street as well!
Berkley Square is also nearby, and again it is a lovely spot to sit and walk around.
If you are into reading, the aptly named £3 Book Shop on Park Street offers a wide selection of new books, all sold for only £3 each. On the other side of the street is the Oxfam bookshop, again a great place to pick up a bargain.
There are also various vintage clothes shops down Park Street, such as The Vintage Thrift Store, which has a lot of great bargains, with clothes selling from £4 upward!
To end your day, you can walk down to College Green. Here, you can visit the stunning Cathedral free of charge, and sit down on the grass to enjoy the view.
Day 3: City Centre
St Nicholas’s Market is a wonderful place to visit in Bristol. It is home to many interesting stalls and shops and sells what many would consider some of the best food in Bristol.
After a trip to the market, you can take a walk along Bristol harbour. Here, you can admire the port and enter some of Bristol’s many museums. For example, the M Shed explores the history of Bristol – here, the Colston statue is exhibited and it is a place where you can learn more about Bristol’s history of slave trading and the Black Lives Matter movement which lead to the statue being pulled down.
Afterwards, you can visit the Arnolfini, a modern art gallery which exhibits a wide variety of interesting and engaging arts. It often has exhibitions regarding important modern-day issues, such as gender equality and austerity.
Both the M Shed and Arnolfini are free entry, so all the more reason to go and visit!
This piece is part of a themed content week focused on getting back to university at Bristol.