Some call it graffiti, others call it works of art.
Whatever you call street art, there’s one undeniable fact: It’s incredible to stumble across as you walk around a city.
While Londoners experienced this last month when a whole host of new Banksy stencils popped up across the city in a week, the people of Bristol know the feeling all too well.
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The English town in Somerset, considered the UK’s cider capital, is also famous as the birthplace of Banksy and as such, many of his early works can be found tattooed across the city.
The famous artist, who remains an enigma after years of spray painted works appearing overnight on buildings across the world, began freehand graffiti around Bristol in the early 90s.
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Across the decade he started switching to stencils, with both of these different styles filling the city’s walls and basically turning it into an outdoor museum.
There are many walking tours which can take you around town to tick off all the big works of art – like Banksy’s take on Girl with the Pearl Earring, titled Girl with a Pierced Eardrum, or the equally famous The Mild Mild West.
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However, there’s also the self-guided tours, which can be the better option as it enables you to split up the adventure across a 24-hour period.
While the city is easy to get around on foot, it took us a little over two and a half hours (and 17,000 steps!!) to cover off all the main points using Bristol Street Art Tours’ Self Banksy Tour, which provides a slightly out-of-date audio guide along with your map.
It’s worth noting, it appears the first point of the tour and the earliest Bansky work to see – which was graffiti in a carpark – has unfortunately been painted over. But the rest of the tour is smooth sailing.
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What else to see and do in Bristol
If street art isn’t your thing, there are still plenty of drawcards to this city, located about 195km out of London.
A short bus ride away from the city centre of Bristol is the Clifton Suspension Bridge, which provides stunning views across the Avon Gorge and the River Avon.
The Clifton Observatory is just next to the bridge and houses one of thke oldest working camera obscuras in the UK.
The engineering marvel is located up two flights of stairs and in a small dark room but for those who can handle narrow stairs and small spaces, it’s worth the visit.
It shows projections of the world outside on a white surface in the centre of the room and allows you to spin the view around a little, so it’s basically one of the world’s first panoramic style cameras.
You’ll need to walk through the town of Clifton to get to the suspension bridge but it’s worth a stop in this quaint English town.
It’s filled with a delectable selection of shops, including the stylish bakery Anna, a heavenly patisserie where the chunky cookies were as big as your hand – a must try!
While Bristol Museum & Art Gallery does feature a Banksy statue in the foyer – a piece he gifted the museum called Paint Pot Angel, which is one you’ll find on your walking tour – the museum offers a range of other art collections as well. And best of all, it’s free.
On a sunny day, the college green in the centre of Bristol, is a lovely place to sit and people watch, with plenty of food and drink options nearby to grab and sit in the park with.
For some picture perfect views, visit Wapping Wharf across the river or hit Millennium Square for an epic selfie with a giant mirror ball outside science centre We The Curious.
Nearby, you’ll also find Bristol Aquarium and Sky View Bristol, which is the city’s giant Ferris wheel.
If live music is more your thing, there are plenty of options in pubs all around town of an evening.
Places to eat and drink
St Nicholas’s Market, located in the heart of the old city, is also a haven of local produce and street food options but it’s shut on a Sunday, so some strategic planning is required if you’re only there for a weekend.
There are plenty of casual options with a trendy twist and Bambalan is one such restaurant, with indoor and rooftop options available.
The menu offers a selection of sharing boards, mezze, shish kebabs, burgers and sourdough pizzas, which you can either order solo or to share.
There are also lots of pubs and chain restaurants to choose from all around the city.
Where to stay
With the street art scene what Bristol has become famous for in recent years, it’s no surprise some hotels are leaning into the theme.
The Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel is among them.
The hotel, which has been in the Old City for around 150 years, recently underwent a major refurbishment, which saw them swap their traditional Victorian look for a more contemporary, urban, street vibe.
Various pieces of street art line your walk along the corridor and the rooms are generous in size with a few selected pieces of art – ranging from what’s on the walls to the furniture itself.
And the brightly coloured chairs and sofas in the foyer are perfect for weary feet after a long day on the Banksy trail! (you wont want to get up)
How to get there
Bristol is around a two and a half hour drive west from London but the easiest way there is on the train – taking just under 90mins from London Paddington to Bristol’s Temple Meads train station.
The station is a short walk from the city centre, which is generally quite walkable – the cobblestones in the old city make dragging suitcases a little more of difficult but no more than usual across any part of Europe.
Great Western Railway (GWR) have 50 trains per day from London Paddington, every day of the week.
They also have a new “long weekender” ticket, making it cheaper and easier to escape the big smoke for a few days.
While you’re there, Bath is located just 15 minutes away on the train, a UNESCO world heritage city, where Jane Austen penned many famous novels and a place where the Georgian architecture doubles for Bridgerton filming locations.
Some train tickets can be used to visit both places.
The writer was a guest of Visit Bristol.
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