How to spend 48 hours in Bristol | Top things to do in Bristol

South-West England is a place I’ve never really visited, but after spending 48 hours in Bristol, it’s a place I can’t wait to explore more. We’ve put together some of the top things to do in Bristol on your city break, to make the most of your weekend here.

Last year, I started Parkrun and recently started embracing tourist park runs. Tourist parkrun is where you travel around to do other Parkruns. So, when we saw that you could run across the Severn Bridge from Wales to England and back again, we started to plan a weekend break in Bristol.

This vibrant city won my heart within the two days; a cultural hub filled with arts, food and independent shops. We jam-packed food, galleries, and a whole lot of exploring in the two days, so let’s break it down into how to spend 48 hours in Bristol.

Where to stay in Bristol for a weekend

Bristol, to me, seems really connected. There are lots of different areas, all with their own unique vibe.

We found this really cool apartment on Airbnb in the Stokes Croft area. This is a real hub of independent food places and shops. The area was also really close to The Bearpit, which seems to be the centre of the city.

Another popular area to stay is Clifton which has a completely different feel but absolutely beautiful.

5 things to do in Bristol on your weekend city break

You’ve got to Bristol, you’ve found yourself somewhere to stay, so how to spend 48 hours in Bristol is the next question! Like I said, we tried to really squeeze as much as we could in the two days, so here are some ideas for your weekend in Bristol…

The Van Gogh Immersive Experience

The Van Gogh Immersive Experience in Bristol is a must-see visit, even if you’re not a huge art fan! The experience is at Propyard, which is this giant warehouse, and the museum is built inside, over around 5 rooms.

The experience makes you feel the art, and understand the artist in a new way. The main part of the exhibition is the immersive room, where you sit, with the art being projected around you.

I actually went to one of the Van Gogh experiences in Manchester, however this seemed completely different, with more space and even more on exhibition.

There is a bar at the exhibition, along with some food stands (the pizza stall is well worth a trip!), with indoor and outdoor seating.

Ticket prices start from £21.90 for adults and £14.00 for children.

Bristol Art Gallery and Museum

The main reason for going to the Bristol art gallery and museum was to see Grayson Perry’s Art Club, from season 2 of the show. However, once getting there, there was so much more to see than just that exhibition.

The museum and gallery really acknowledges Bristol’s history with slavery, with a beautiful mural celebrating the Black Lives Matter movement as soon as you enter the main hall.

There is also a brilliant Egyptian exhibition, which was fascinating!

There were two main rooms featuring the Grayson Perry Art Club, and it was brilliant to see people’s lockdown artwork. However, cleverly, they’d also put certain exhibits from the Art Club within the normal exhibitions. It was brilliant to see new art with old and was a great way to encourage you to go around the whole gallery and museum.

Entry is free into, however, booking a slot (for free) is advised

The Lido, Bristol

Tucked in one of the streets in Clifton, The Lido is a restored victorian swimming pool, which after a huge restoration reopened in 2008 with a beautiful spa and Mediterranean restuarant.

I’ve wanted to visit The Lido in Bristol ever since I saw it on amazing places to eat on BBC2. Featured in the Michelin Guide 2022, The Lido restaurant is the perfect place to unwind, relax, and eat good food.

Unfortunately there were no swimming slots when we went, so we enjoyed a delicious brunch instead. I opted for Turkish baked eggs, sweet tomato sauce, seasoned yoghurt, walnut butter & flatbread and it was devine. Sweet yet smokey, it was the perfect way to start the day!

Booking is advised for both the restaurant, swimming, and spa. Packages available

The top of your list of things to do in Bristol : Clifton Suspension Bridge

I feel like you can’t go to Bristol without seeing Clifton Suspension Bridge. Even though I’ve seen so many photos of this bridge, it still blew me away. The views as you walked across were just as spectacular, and it’s definitely a must visit.

When we went over to the other side, opposite the visitor centre was a lovely little coffee van which was selling some brilliant coffee – can seriously recommend stopping here.

The visitor centre goes more in depth about the history of the bridge and how it was built. Apparently there are tours you can go on, into the caves underneath the bridge. Sadly, I didn’t have time to do this, so adding it to my list of things to do next time!

St Nicholas’s Market

St Nicholas’s Market is a brilliant place filled with independent shops, street food, and flea market. It has such a brilliant vibe about the place and it was lovely to get to talk to different vendors. I also picked up a beaitful vintage Wrangler shirt which has become a wardrobe staple!

This is a great place to go if you want to have a mooch, try some food, and soak up the atmosphere of the city.

Top things to do in Bristol: The Food!

A girl has got to eat, and it was hard to choose where to go with so many tasty looking eateries. Rather than doing the usual food guide, I thought I would share where we ate this way, as we literally scratched the surface with places to eat!

OM Burger

If you’re looking for veggie & vegan burgers, this is the place to go! I opted for the onion baji burger and couldn’t recommend it enough!

TukTuk

We got this as deliveroo on the evening we got there, and I don’t think the delivery did it justice! We all had bibimbap bowls, which were delicious, and kimchi fries which were soggy and slightly cold (but the flavour was lovely – just didn’t travel well!)

The Lido

I could go on all day about how good the food at The Lido was! Whether it’s brunch, tapas, or dinner – the menu here will make you instantly hungry!

Chatterbox

Whilst Chatterbox coffee shop isn’t in Bristol (it’s actually in Chepstow), this is where we had breakfast on the Saturday morning after parkrun and it was delicious. I had a small breakfast, and it was the perfect size, and a tasty breakfast. Exactly what you need after parkrun

So that is my guide on how to spend 48 hours in Bristol. It’s the perfect place to go for a weekend away. We arrived at 5pm on Friday night, and left around 3pm on the Sunday. If you liked this travel guide, make sure to check out my other UK travel guides. If you’re a foodie, I have a selecion of food gudies for you to read too . Let me know in the comments your favourite place for a weekend break!