Why go?

From Blackbeard to Banksy and Brunel, nowhere fosters rebellion, innovation and wit quite like Bristol. A city characterised by incongruity, Bristol’s many villages co-exist in harmony – from the elegant crescents of Clifton to the ramshackle alleyways off the Christmas Steps. It is a city of ethics and individuality, having been awarded European Green Capital for 2015; and between 1 and 9 May the city showcases its food heritage, when the Food Connections festival comes to town.

What to do

With the highest density of independent shops of any square mile in Europe, Gloucester road is a must for any visitor to Bristol. Start with avocado on toast at Bakers and Co, have a heated debate in communist bookshop Dreadnought Books, or pick up a packet of raspberry leaf tea in ScoopAway. Spend a sunny afternoon at Bristol Lido, 0117 933 9530, lidobristol.com, with its heated outdoor pool, spa and award-winning restaurant. Bristol has a host of cultural attractions, including the Royal West of England Academy of Arts, the Bristol Museum and the SS Great Britain. A stroll along the harbour takes in two of the best contemporary art spaces: the Arnolfini, 0117 917 2300, arnolfini.org.uk, and M Shed, 0117 352 6600, bristolmuseums.org.uk m-shed, a museum that weaves the lives of local people into a narrative about the city as a whole. If the weather lets you down, head over to the 18th-century St Nicholas Market, 0117 922 4014, stnicholasmarketbristol.co.uk. Its food hall is packed full of artisan producers and niche foods from around the world. Just off it, Al Bab Mansour’s fragrant Arabic coffee with cinnamon, rosewater and cloves transports you straight to North African coffee houses and vibrant souks.

Where to stay

Converted sugar warehouse Hotel Du Vin, 08447 364 252, hotelduvin.com, is ideally situated for exploring the city and the rooms have a luxurious loft feel. For a novel experience, Scandi-style Brooks Guesthouse, 0117 930 0066, brooksguesthousebristol.com, has four vintage Rocket camper vans on its roof. Each has a double bed, en-suite bathroom and a view over the spires of Bristol’s old town. Number Thirty Eight, 0117 946 6905, number38clifton.com, is a Georgian merchant’s house in Clifton and consists of 12 boutique bedrooms overlooking the downs. the Bristol Hotel, 0117 923 0333, doylecollection.com, is a four-star in the heart of the recently regenerated harbour quarter, with water views from most bedrooms.

Where to eat and drink

Bristolian restaurateurs are fanatic about locally sourced, seasonal ingredients. Tapas restaurant Poco, 0117 923 2233, eatpoco.com, has won numerous awards for its ethical approach and sources 90 per cent of its menu from within 50km. It records meticulously the name of the ship that caught its seafood, and cocktails are based on foraged ingredients; the Dandelion & Burdock is the pick of the bunch. West Country food maestro Josh Eggleston won his first Michelin star at the age of just 27. He turned down a job offer from Gordon Ramsay to set up the Pony and Trap, 01275 332 627, theponyandtrap.co.uk, sourcing as many ingredients as possible from Somerset’s Chew Valley. His pigeon breast with bresaola, walnut and apple is not to be missed. Inspired by the bars of Soho, Flinty red, 0117 923 8755, flinty red.co.ukk, offers the buzz of the West End at Bristol prices. It prides itself on enhancing flavours with unusual combinations – cocktails served with anchovy toast were a surprising winner. For Sunday lunch, look no further than prohibition-style restaurant the Ox, 0117 922 1001, theoxbristol.com; tucked away in a basement, it sources all its meat from fifth-generation Bristol butcher Buxton’s.

Time running out?

Opt for a ferry rather than a taxi to the station. It takes only 20 minutes and the skipper is happy to point out curiosities: like the tunnels under the walls where black-market goods were once smuggled into the city.

Travel Information

Travel Information

Getting There

First Great Western trains run from London Paddington to Bristol in less than two hours. firstgreatwestern.com

National Express coaches can be taken from London and destinations across the UK. nationalexpress.com

Bristol Airport serves numerous cities and can be reached easily from the centre by coach. bristolairport.co.uk

Resources

Visit Bristol provides all the key information you will need for travel and seeing the city, http://www.visitbristol.co.uk, while bristol247.com has plenty of suggestions for events and going out.