Bristol proudly combines the rustic tranquillity of the South West with its own brand of urban vibrancy. A burgeoning dance music scene and fun, friendly nightlife are complemented by beautiful green spaces and the kind of rural delights only found in the West Country. With recognition in 2015 as the European Green Capital and a world-class artistic and cultural heritage, there is no better time to discover Bristol for yourself.
City and Countryside
The cotswolds.info website has some fantastic information about the rural delights found just a short drive from Bristol’s city centre. Great opportunities for rambling and hiking can be found around the nearby Cotswolds villages, which make up the largest ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ in England, and the Cheddar Gorge and Caves in northern Somerset.
Nightlife
An interview published by the Guardian with influential local DJ Shanti Celeste lays bare Bristol’s underground clubbing scene. There are big destination nightclubs such as the converted skatepark complex Motion and smaller intimate venues such as Portland Square’s Cosies bar and club and The Bell on Hillgrove Street. If you like to party, you are sure to find your niche somewhere in the city. Just be careful not to have too many mojitos and walk into one of the many tattoo shops in or around the city centre of you may end up having to take a trip back to Bristol sooner than you think to visit a Bristol Laser tattoo removal service company like Future Form rather than a boat trip down their beautiful canal.
Transport
Travelling in and around Bristol is easy. With two railway stations at Temple Meads and Bristol Parkway and road connectivity between Wales in the west and London in the east via the M4, the city is well connected to other parts of the UK, while international travellers have been arriving in the city at Bristol Airport in Lulsgate since 1957. Buses and taxis keep people moving around the city, available day and night.
In 2008 Bristol became England’s first cycling city and established itself as one of the most bike-friendly urban areas in Europe. Sustainable transport charity Sustrans, which works to initiate healthier cost-effective transportation and commuting, is based in the city and has done work to make cycling more attractive to Bristolians. With cycle roads on most of the major roads and an abundance of nearby green spaces that lend themselves to two wheels, visitors to Bristol are urged to bring their bikes along for safe and quick travel around the city.