Bristol - Bristol visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Bristol' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Avon.

Bristol sits on the River Avon near to where it flows into the Bristol Channel on the west coast of England at the mouth of the Severn River. On the northern side of the Bristol Channel is Wales. The city is home to about half a million people and has a rich, industrial past. Bristol used to be part of Avon, but this county has been divided recently and Bristol is now a county in its own right, bordering Somerset and Gloucestershire.

The area around Bristol has been inhabited since Palaeolithic times, some 60,000 years ago. There are Iron Age hill forts in various places around the city. The Romans also left their mark with a number of forts in the region and in Bath. In the 11th century the Normans built one of the strongest castles in England here. At this time the port developed and for many centuries Bristol Port was an important trade route between England and other parts of the world. It ranked among the top cities of England alongside London, York and Norwich until the rise of Manchester and Liverpool during the Industrial Revolution. The city suffered extensive bombing damage during WWII.

Bristol Attractions and Events

Today Bristol is a popular tourist destination with many of the attractions focussed around the Harbourside area in the city. Bristol also hosts a number of annual festivals and exhibitions. Below are some of the tourist attractions in the city, some of which are featured on this Bristol map and virtual tour:

Harbourside

• SS Great Britain - Built in 1843 this is the first iron hulled, screw propeller-driven, steam-powered passenger liner on earth
• Red Lodge - Built in 1590, altered in 1730 with fine oak panelling and period decoration.
• Museum of Bristol - due to open in 2010.
• @Bristol - science and technology museum in Bristol.
• St Mary Redcliffe Church - mostly 14th century church building with 19th century spire. Tallest building in Bristol.
• Brandon Hill & The Cabot Tower - attractive park with good views over the city.
• Bristol Cathedral - founded in the 11th century, originally called the Abbey of St Augustine. Open daily.

Old Bristol

• Corn Exchange & The Nails - built in 1743, boasts a clock that tells time both in GMT and the old Bristol time. In front are nails (in reality Bronze pillars) over which the local merchants did business, from which comes the expression 'paid on the nail'.
• St Nicholas Market - various shops and stalls under a glass arcade. Some of these shops, like The Bristol Sausage shop and , famous Pie Minister Pies have become tourist attractions in their own right.
• Castle Park & St Peters Church - extensively bombed during WWII, contains the ruins of Bristol Castle and St Peters Church
• King Street - heart of Bristol's theatre land, used to lead to the Welsh Back docks and has some old buildings, with the Llandoger Trow pub built in 1663.

Clifton

• Bristol Zoo - 5th oldest zoo in the world and the oldest outside of a capital city. It was awarded 'Zoo of the Year 2004' by the Good Britain Guide
• Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery - contains archaeology, history, natural history, art gallery, cafe.
• Clifton Suspension Bridge - 19th century suspension bride across the Avon Gorge built by Brunel.
• Clifton Downs and Observatory - the observatory stands at the top of the downs overlooking Bristol, Avon Gorge and the Clifton Suspension Bridge It contains a camera obscura and a cave leading down towards an observation point
• Clifton Lido & Victoria Pub - Grade II* listed building
• Georgian House - Merchant town house built in 1790 for John Pinney, a slave trader.
• Red Lodge, Park Row - built in 1580, was the lodge for Great House, which has since been demolished.

Eastside

• Stokes Croft / Montpelier - center of Bristol's bohemian side full of all sorts of artists and musicians, cafes and restaurants.
• St Werburghs - full of allotments, a city farm, eco-housing and lively pubs including the award-winning The Duke of York in Jubilee Road and The Miner's Arms
• Easton - one of the most multicultural districts of Bristol, full of fantastic cafes and specialist shops from around the world.

Bristol Festivals and Exhibitions - below are some of the numerous events that happen in Bristol:

• Bristol Balloon Fiesta
• Bristol Harbour Festival
• Bristol International Kite Festival
• Bristol Open Doors Day
• Bristol Vegan Fayre
• Encounters Short Film Festival
• Festival of Ideas
• Mayfest
• Slapstick Silent Film Festival
• Soil Association Organic Food Festival
• St Paul's Carnival
• Venn Festival
• Wildscreen Film Festival

Flight: Bristol International Airport and 'Flyer' bus to city center.
Train: Bristol Temple Meads or Bristol Parkway railway stations. Megatrain run a service from London to Bristol Temple Meads.
Bus: National Express services from Marlborough St Coach, Megabus services from Colston Hall in Colston Street.
Car: M4 (junction 19) and then M32 to the city center. The M5 passes just north of Bristol.