Mini Guide to Bristol - Avon
Bristol is the largest port in England and this West Country city has developed a stature as the second city of the south. Just under half a million people live here and although it was bombed extensively in world war two, Bristol has been rejuvenated by successfully attracting commercial investment.
There is some stunning countryside in this part of England and having a car is definitely the best way to see it. For instance you can drive to the nearby old Roman town of Bath which is made up almost exclusively of listed buildings and is splendidly perched on top of a hill
However, driving in the city centre of Bristol can be a bit of a nightmare due to the many one way systems, although you can get free maps of the city on the Visit Bristol tourist information website. It is worth knowing too that Bristol operates some car pooling lanes, and that there are plenty of NCP car parks to use within the city.
Because Bristol has a harbour you may also want to see some of its sights by taking a ferry, and you can get from the city centre to the train station this way. The harbour was built where the Frome and Avon Rivers converge together in order to navigate the Avon Gorge on the way out to the Severn Estuary.
When you are ‘harbourside’ you can see the old battleship - the SS Great Britain, stop of at the Bristol Museum on Princes Wharf or go to the Explore Science Centre and Planetarium.
Bristol is a great place to shop with the huge Cabot Circus shopping mall providing everything you could possibly want. There are also a number of bars and restaurants, and because it is a student city there are nightclubs open every day of the week.
It has its own airport, Bristol International which is located about 10 kilometres south west of the city centre and operates both Easyjet and Ryanair flights among others. From here you can fly to a whole host of European destinations such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Frankfurt and Milan, as well as cities in Britain such as Edinburgh, Dublin and Glasgow.
If you are driving to Bristol come in from the M4 (from London) or M5 motorways and then take the M32 directly into the city centre. Car hire is a good idea as taxis can be quite expensive, especially if they get stuck in traffic.
Bristol is situated in the South West of England and the River Avon runs through the city. Bristol International Airport is approx 13 km from the city centre. Taxis and car hire is available at the airport and there is also an airport bus which runs frequently into the city centre.
The city is the principal centre of culture, employment and education in the region and was a finalist for the 2008 European Capital of Culture. Bristol has two principal railway stations, the Bristol Parkway which is located to the north of the city, and Bristol Temple Meads which is in the centre of the city. Both railway stations have direct services to many UK destinations. Bristol has good motorway connections and is served by the M4 and the M5.
Bristol is a popular tourist destination. It is the home of Isambard Brunel’s Clifton Suspension Bridge, the ss Great Britain and Temple Meads Station. There are so many ways to explore Bristol including walking tours, open top bus tours and tours of historic buildings. Bristol has an excellent waterfront and Explore-At-Bristol is based there. This is a 21st century science centre which combines the best of hands-on activities with the very latest multi-media techniques. Good walking areas run alongside the river and boats also operate daily scenic tours.
The Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery is also worth a visit. One of Europe’s largest hot air balloon events, the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, is held annually in Bristol during the month of August. For evening entertainment the city’s principal theatre company, the Bristol Old Vic, performs at the Theatre Royal which is situated in King Street not far from the city centre. The Bristol Hippodrome theatre is right in the city centre and has great shows including West End shows, opera and ballet.
The aerospace industry plays a large part in the city’s economy and BAE Systems Airbus and Rolls-Royce are based in Filton. Concorde has now come to rest at Filton and visits can be made to view this famous icon of the air. Filton is approx 13km from the city centre and can be reached by bus or car. Bristol has two football clubs, Bristol City and Bristol Rovers together with Gloucestershire County Cricket Club and Bristol Rugby Union Club. Public travel around the city is provided by the First Group bus company.
All the taxes and the premium location fee are included in the price of your Rhino car hire Bristol.