1. If you are visiting Bristol then you need to get a good view of it’s most famous landmark the Clifton Suspension Bridge. And the Avon Gorge Hotel is a perfect place to stay or visit in order to do so. Sitting atop of the Avon Gorge, this hotel has one of the best settings in the UK (in the picture above you can see the hotel pictured just to the left of the first pillar of the bridge). The Avon Gorge Hotel is perfectly located for exploring the wonderful city of Bristol. From the hotel, there are spectacular views of the Gorge, Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge and the city itself. The Avon Gorge Hotel’s Bridge Cafe restaurant and White Lion Bar offer the perfect setting for eating and drinking. Be sure to take advantage of the spectacular views of the Avon Gorge and world famous Clifton Suspension Bridge on the large, heated terrace. Address Sion Hill, Clifton, Bristol BS8 4LD Tel: 0117 973 8955. www.theavongorge.com/
2. Thousands are expected to take part in what is arguably THE Pride Parade in Britain. Bristol's largest and most colourful parade the Pride Day will also see a free festival take place on Bristol's College Green. We Are: Proud will places Bristol firmly on the global Pride map, as Pride looks forward to welcoming crowds from all over the UK and beyond. Pride Week ensures a vibrant week of events from film, music, theatre, shopping and sport and also boasts a huge, and more importantly FREE, highly visible, outdoor festival in the central heart of the city. Pride Week will run from Saturday 7 July to Sunday 15 July with the massive Pride Day event on College Green on Saturday 14 July 2012. www.wearefest.com/
3. Cabot Circus, a gigantic three-tiered shopping and leisure centre, which provides city centre visitors with over 120 shops including 15 major flagship stores and signature stores, over 25 restaurants and cafes offer plenty of options for weary shoppers Movie lovers are spoilt for choice with the arrival of the UK's third Showcase Cinema de Lux, offering 13 screens (four of which show films in 3D), luxurious seating and an exclusive Directors Lounge. This incredible development in the heart of Bristol is covered by a unique shell-shaped glass roof: the only one of its kind in Europe. It is linked by a specially designed raised footbridge to a new state-of-the-art car park, allowing visitors to cross Bond Street without having to navigate the traffic below. Address: Cabot Circus, Bristol BS2 9AB www.cabotcircus.com/website/
4. Join us at a Foodies Festival near you this summer for the chance to meet top chefs and experience the most exciting mix of food, drink and culinary talent. You will see cooking demonstrations from Michelin starred and top chefs including Ed Baines, Levi Roots, Martin Blunos, Rachel Green and Cyrus Todiwala who will prepare their favourite recipes for you and show you how to prepare these dishes at home. You can sample and buy artisan food from over 100 exhibitors, indulge in signature dishes from top restaurants and sip summer cocktails shaken by expert mixologists. and enjoy an ice cream on the Jamie magazine City Beach; children can enjoy hands on cookery classes in the brand new Childrens Cookery School. Make a full day of it with a unique mixture of masterclasses from top experts in the Food and Drinks Theatre, entertainment and music on the live stage. The next Foodies Festival is at Bristol Harbourside July 13/14/14, Hanover Quay, Bristol, BS1 5JE. www.foodiesfestival.com/
5. The Bristol Marriott Royal Hotel has an excellent location right next to Bristol Cathedral and the Harbourside. Being right in the heart of the city and only five minutes from the Cabot Circus shopping centre, it offers ideal accommodation for enjoying England's South Western charm.To complement your trip perfectly, don’t forget the Roman-style leisure club, where you can enjoy a refreshing swim, soothing sauna or invigorating workout. Address College Green, Bristol BS1 5TA. Tel: 0117 925 5100. www.marriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/brsry-bristol-marriott-royal-hotel/
6. Bristol’s Royal West of England Academy will feature Exploring The Lion King – a unique exhibition which reveals the inspiration and evolution behind Disney’s ground-breaking production of The Lion King, which begins its much anticipated season at The Bristol Hippodrome on 31st August 2012.This innovative exhibition, featuring interactive video touch screens, will reveal the craftsmanship behind The Lion King and will include complete costumes from the production, original set models, sketches and miniature models, including behind-the-scenes interviews - allowing the visitor to see the show’s intricate design and detail up-close.
The exhibition will be on display in the RWA’s newly renovated gallery from Wednesday 11th July 2012 for a ten-week summer season. Entrance to Exploring The Lion King is free of charge and can be visited at any time during opening hours.Address: The Royal West of England Academy, Queens Road, Bristol BS81PX. Tel: 0117 973 5129. www.rwa.org.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/2012/07/exhibitions-exploring-the-lion-king/
7. Bristol's only Michelin starred restaurant – Casamia in Westbury-on-Trym. Plus it was named best in the country in a national competition run by top chef Gordon Ramsay.The whole mood of the place - from the cast-iron gateway off the suburban Bristol high street, down the terraced alleyway, heavy with pots of herbs they use in their cookery, to the vaulted dining room - shouts: "We want you to have a nice time," as does the price tag. At lunch three courses is a storming £20. In the evening it is just £28. For what you get, that is wonderful value. I'm even willing to overlook the vivid paintings of Italian scenes, art that makes the work of Jack Vettriano look subtle.Address: Casamia, 38 High Street, Westbury Village, Westbury-on-Trym, Bristol, BS9 3DZ, T: 0117 959 2884. www.casamiarestaurant.co.uk/
8. Push the boat out.....the Glassboat moored on Welsh Back boasts a polished wooden deck, sculptured oak surrounds and portholes lining each side of the hull. It is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2011. Address: Glassboat, Welsh Back, Harbourside, Bristol, T: 0117 929 0704. www.glassboat.co.uk/restaurant/
9. Browns Bristol – We dont usually do chains when compiling these city guides but this one is housed in a building which has served as the city's museum, art gallery and the University's dining rooms and It is modelled on the Doge's Palace in Venice, so we thought it was worthwhile putting in. An integral part of Bristol since 1992.Address: Browns Bristol, 38 Queen's Road, Clifton, Bristol. T: 0117 930 4777. http://browns-restaurants.co.uk/locations/bristol/
10. Bells Diner. Bell's Diner produces the best food in Bristol by a country mile. I have been here many times and never once been less than overwhelmed. Everything on the plate, from the perfectly-cooked texture of the meat/fish, to the big punchy flavour of the sauces, to the immaculate presentation, screams of expertise and genuine care. To be fair, you may need to bring an adventurous palate and the (still reasonable) prices prohibit coming here all the time, but for a memorable fine dining experience there really is no other option. The staff are friendly, open, and knowledgeable without being prim or pretentious. I cannot recommend it enough, I really can't. Address: 1-3 York Road, Monpelier, Bristol City Centre BS6 5QB. Tel: 0871 811 4392. www.bellsdiner.com/
11. Severnshed. Once a dilapidated old storage shed has now been converted into the hippest drinking spot on the river. Features include the six-ton steel bar which slides up and down the building on hover pads and futuristic toilets more suited to space travel. Great river views attract Bristol's finest to drink and dine al fresco on the terrace. Address: The Grove City Docks, Bristol, BS1 4RB. Tel:0117 925 1212. www.severnshedrestaurant.co.uk/
12. Hausbar. This basement bar is a favourite of ours. The drinks are fabulous, and the menu has a very strong classic cocktail leanings. Inside, the interior is very atmospheric – glamorous in a restrained, upmarket kind of way and just a little rough around the edges. You feel like you’re in on an insider secret when you’re there. Apparently, the name comes from the 1970s German trend of people running little bars in their homes. Address: 52 Belgrave Rd, Bristol, BS8 2XP. www.hausbar.co.uk/
13. The Tobacco Factory. The quality menu has a distinctively Med feel, with excellent-value mezze. Draughts include Bristol Beer Factory’s extremely-locally-brewed No 7, Sunrise, Acer and Bristol Stout plus Bounders and Ashton Press ciders and Grolsch lager. Bottles offer Weston’s Organic, Brothers Pear, Sol and Peroni among others, with Pimms scrummy for summer. Popular with a young, funky crowd as well as locals and theatregoers. Contemporary-chic warehouse design and Sunday-chill atmosphere. Outside area with open yard, covered terrace and bar plus blankets to keep you warm eco-friendlily • Children welcome in the cafe-bar till 9pm. Highchairs and baby-changing facilities available. Address: Raleigh Rd, Southville, BS3 1TF. Tel: 0117 902 0060. www.tobaccofactory.com
14. No.1 Harbourside. This cool-yet-inclusive café/bar is housed in a former transit shed for spices, tea and coffee built in 1893. The original pillars remain in place, albeit with candy stripe adornment in an inviting, light and airy space. Floor-to-ceiling windows bring the outside in, while fat leather sofas and lantern-lit tables take the inside out. Plans for extensive trailing roses on the dockside railings will enhance an already atmospheric den of civility. While the cargo used to come from far and wide, today’s ingredients are as locally sourced as possible, down to Welsh vodka, with only 10% of food and drink from overseas. The opposite is true of the diverse musical offerings (due to be daily). An appreciative crowd savours variations on jazz, folk reggae, world beats and more, with Claudia Aurora’s sublime bossa nova offerings a must-catch treat. This place oozes soul. Quirky twists include English bubbly, mead and an oyster bar boasting fare fresh from a Devonshire river and bringing an indisputable Exe factor. Address: No1 Canons Road, Bristol BS1 5UH. Tel : 0117 929 1100. http://no1harbourside.co.uk/
15. Bristol Cider House. Only 200 metres from Cabot Circus. They do an excellent Cider Tasting Tray comprises 8 third pints of different local draught ciders with local bread, cheeses and pickle plus a recording sheet detailing the ciders. £15 per tray and can be ordered in advance by phone or e-mail. Cider - and particularly real cider - is going through a huge boom in popularity right now, and what better way to sample all the different types and tastes on offer than by treating yourself to one of the Bristol Cider House's new Tasting Trays for only £15. It's an oval tray with hearty chunks of locally sourced bread, cheese and pickle in the middle. Around the outside are eight glasses - each holding a third of a pint of cider. Some are dry, some sweet, but all are produced with forty miles of Bristol. Address 8-9 Surrey Street, Bristol, BS2 8PS T: 0117 942 8196. www.bristolciderhouse.co.uk/default.htm
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