- Bristol
- /
- free
- (14)
-
United Kingdom
A classic city centre park. Trees and paths take you from the park to the shops and general vibrancy of Gloucester Rd. Great all year round. And now with added coffee courtesy of some entrepreneurial soul - complete with table cloths and yummy snacks. A great place to while away an hour or two. Or the whole day.
Off Effingham Rd
tinyurl.com/28cxmj
Nearest station: Montpelier
Up and down Stokes Croft, near the centre of Bristol, there's an explosion of street art. On Jamaica Street there's an outdoor art gallery organised by the People's Republic of Stokes Croft. There are plenty of hoardings up and down Stokes Croft with interesting street-art and you can see the Banksy piece, The Mild Mild West. The shops and clubs are picking up the theme too. Don't forget to take your camera.
Stokes Croft, Bristol, BS1
Jamaica St, Bristol, BS2 8JP
People's Republic of Stokes Croft www.prsc.org.uk/
You can see my article about Stokes Croft Graffiti on my blog
heatheronhertravels.blogspot.com/2008/03/graffiti-tourism-in-bristol.html
A giant redbrick warehouse sitting between the River Avon and the entrance to the floating harbour in the Cumberland Basin. It's home to environmental think-tanks and the City Council's sustainable development unit. It has a gallery and cafe open to the public. The best part of the centre is the attached Ecohome which anyone is welcome to nose around.
Smeaton Road, BS1 6XN;
tel: 0117 925 0505;
www.bristol-city.gov.uk/ccm/content/Environment-Planning/sustainability/create-centre.en
Come the third weekend of November each year it's the turn of artists living in Totterdown to cast open their front rooms as makeshift galleries. Totterdown is a hilly neighbourhood with great views and a thrown together feel to its buildings. This is a chance to sit with an artist in their house, look at their work and have a cuppa if they're kind enough to offer one.
All around Totterdown BS3;
www.frontroom.org.uk
Artists living in South Bristol throw open their houses to display their work to the public for a weekend in the middle of May each year (check the website for details). Simply follow the map. Gawp, admire, criticise or perhaps even buy something.
Bedminster, Southville & Ashton, in south Bristol;
www.sbaweb.co.uk
Bristol has numerous beautiful private interior spaces that never get seen. Over the second weekend of September each year there's an opportunity to do so. Most striking are the haunting Redcliffe Caves that take you underground in the heart of the city and date back to the 15th Century.
Buildings across the city;
www.bristoldoorsopenday.org
Right in the heart of the city St Werburghs is a unique neighbourhood which down the years has attracted hippies, travellers and artists to live there. Entry to the farm is free. There is a range of livestock, a community garden, an adventure playground, a farm shop and a cafe which Gaudi appears to have been let loose on. Adjacent to the cafe is The Farm pub where on Sunday nights Dj Derek plays from his consummate reggae selection and chats away to the crowd in his Jamaican patois.
Watercress Rd,
St Werburghs BS2 9JY
0117 942 8241
www.stwerburghs.org
Dockside contemporary art centre built into a 19th century warehouse. Attached to the galleries is a cinema and an impressively stocked specialist bookshop. The provocative cafe bar, designed by artist Bruce McLean, has seating outdoors perfect for summertime. Next to the outdoor seating is a sculpture of Italian explorer John Cabot looking longingly to the harbour's exit and out to the sea beyond.
16 Narrow Quay BS1 4QA
www.arnolfini.org.uk
An independent exhibition space tucked away down a city centre snicket in between the Crown Court and Corn Street. Half the fun is in finding the place. The gallery showcases the work of up and coming new artists and is an escape from the hustle of town.
6 Leonard Lane BS1 1EA
www.centrespacegallery.com
It provides exhibition space, contains a specialist bookshop and architects' offices and runs a series of lectures and events on design and the built environment. A place to glean ideas and to learn more about Bristol's escalating development.
Narrow Quay BS1 4QA
www.architecturecentre.co.uk
Brunel never lived to see it completed but if he had he may have topped it off with faux-Egyptian sphinxes on each of the bridge's towers. It's had a recent refurb with new lighting installed to show it off by night and with its' Avon Gorge backdrop remains a potent symbol of the city and the reckless engineer who designed it.
Sion Hill, Clifton BS8
Take the Number 8 from Bristol Temple Meads to Clifton Village.
Possibly the best park in Bristol, if just for the views. The park is set on one of Bristol's seven hills. To the south lies the floating harbour, Bedminster, Hartcliffe and the Mendip Hills. Look out over the roof tops into the centre of the city on the north and east sides of the park. Climb up the Cabot Tower for the best 360 degree views of the city and beyond. If you're bored of the views there are plenty of ravenous squirrels to feed.
Brandon Hill, up Charlotte Street or Great George Street off Park Street
Take Number 8 or 9 Bus from Bristol Temple Meads to top of Park St.
As you hurtle down the inglorious M32 into Bristol you'll notice his name plastered in large letters across an old railway bridge. Brian Sewell claims to have unveiled Banksy's identity but little is known of him other than that he is Bristolian. His 'Mild Mild West' mural of a giant teddy bear lobbing a molotov cocktail at riot police looms large over Stokes Croft.
Photography gallery on Christmas Steps. They display contemporary work and have a limited edition of prints available for sale.
5 Christmas Steps BS1 5BS
www.fotohausgallery.com
Send your feedback or queries to been.there@guardian.co.uk
Search Been there
Your tips about Bristol