Jane's Midlife Journey

Bristol, my childhood home, is rich in history and culture and makes for an excellent day trip. Spend a leisurely day exploring the harbourside or stroll up Park Street towards the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge. At a less leisurely pace, you can squeeze in both.

How to get to Bristol

Bristol is 100 miles west of London and has excellent transport links. The M4 runs east to west linking the city to London and Wales, while the M5 runs north to south between Exeter and Birmingham.

By train:

Bristol has two main train stations. The centrally located Bristol Temple Meads has services to many cities including London, Cardiff, Plymouth, Birmingham and beyond.

If you are arriving at Temple Meads, take some time to admire the station itself, which dates back to 1840 and was designed by engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

By bus:

There are numerous local and national buses to Bristol. National Express, Flixbus and Megabus all run services to the city. Most services terminate at Bristol Coach Station.

I opted to travel with Highcliffe Coaches, who run day trips to Bristol offering pick ups across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Parking

Details on where to park can be found on the Visit Bristol Website. Note: Bristol operates a Clean Air Zone, meaning some older or more polluting vehicles will need to pay £9 to enter the city. Details can be found on the government website.

Getting around Bristol

The harbourside area is best explored on foot. My itinerary covers a distance of just over 2 miles excluding the Suspension Bridge. This adds an extra mile each way, which can be done on foot or by bus. Bus No 8 runs from the city centre, up Park Street to Clifton Village, a 7 minute walk from the bridge.

Bristol in 1 Day Itinerary

1	Harbourside
2	MShed
3	Banksy’s Grim Reaper
4	Brunel’s SS Great Britain
5	Banksy’s Girl with a Pierced Eardrum
6	Arnolfini Arts
7	Millennium Square
8	Bristol Cathedral
9	Banksy’s Well Hung Lover
10	Bristol Museum
11	Banksy’s Paintpot Angel
12	(Clifton Suspension Bridge)

Harbourside

Having grown up in Bristol, much of the city is familiar to me. However, in recent years, the Harbourside has undergone a huge transformation. What was once derelict dockland, is now a vibrant area filled with waterside restaurants, bars, shops and hotels. Amongst these, you will find several museums and galleries, plus plenty of public art.

MShed

Now part of Bristol Museums, MShed tells the story of the people and places of Bristol.

The Colston Statue

One of the museum’s most notorious exhibits is the Colston Statue. Colston was a wealthy slave trader (his company is estimated to have transported around 80,000 people from Africa to the Americas, with approximately 19,000 dying en route and the rest being sold into slavery). In 2020, a statue of Colston was defaced and thrown into the harbour. It was subsequently retrieved and, following public consultation, placed in the museum with its graffiti intact.

MShed is open daily except Monday from 10 am until 5 pm. Entry is free.

Banksy’s Grim Reaper

Also on display at MShed is the Grim Reaper. This figure was painted by Bristolian artist, Banksy onto the Thekla, a harbourside ship and nightclub, in 2003. After a decade on the ship’s hull, the ship’s owners removed the Grim Reaper and loaned it to the museum.

Brunel’s SS Great Britain

A little further along the harbourside, you will find the SS Great Britain. The ship was designed by renowned engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Launched in 1843, the Great Britain is considered to be the first modern ship, being built of metal rather than wood and powered by an engine rather than wind or oars. By far the largest ship in the world at the time, the Great Britain had a colourful history which included shipping wealthy passengers to New York, emigrants to Australia, troops to the Crimean War and coal to the US, before running aground on the Falkland Islands in 1937.

In 1970, the ship was towed back to Bristol and subsequently refurbished to become a maritime museum. Visitors can tour the ship itself, go underground to inspect the dry dock and explore the ‘Being Brunel’ museum.

The SS Great Britain is open daily except Monday from 10 am until 4 pm. An adult annual pass costs £22 on the day (£19.80 online in advance).

Banksy’s Girl with a Pierced Eardrum

Just round the corner from the SS Great Britain, you can spot another work by Banksy. The Girl with a Pierced Eardrum appeared on the side of a building in Albion Docks, Hanover Place in 2014. Based on Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, the earring has been replaced with a security alarm.

Arnolfini Arts

Across the harbour (via Prince Street Bridge) is Arnolfini Arts. This contemporary art gallery shows a  programme of art exhibitions. When we visited, the exhibition was Everything is Energy by British artist Emma Talbot.

The Arnolfini is open daily except Monday from 11 am until 6 pm. Entry is free.

Millennium Square

Cross the harbour again at Pero’s Bridge into Millennium Square. The square was built in the late 1990s as part of the harbourside regeneration. It is home to We the Curious – a Science Museum with a funky mirrored Planetarium out front.

The square also has also a reflecting pool, a fountain and sculptures of various famous Bristolians, including actor Cary Grant.

Bristol Cathedral

From here, cross the road and head for Bristol Cathedral. The cathedral dates back to the 12 Century. It sits on College Green, a grassy, tree-lined area where you can relax for a while and watch the world go by.

The cathedral is open daily from 10 am until 4 pm (11.30 am until 3 pm on Sundays). Admission to the Cathedral is by voluntary donation. The suggested donation is £5.

Banksy’s Well Hung Lover

Continue up Park Street, where another work by Banksy is visible. Painted in 2006 on the side of a sexual health clinic in nearby Frogmore Street, Well Hung Lover depicts a naked man hanging from a window, while a suited man looks out, watched by a woman in her underwear.

Bristol Museum

A little further up Park Street is Bristol Museum. The first two floors of the museum tell the story of the region’s past. The second floor houses an art gallery. Outside, you can see the creation of Bristol filmmakers Aardman Animations, makers of films including Wallace & Gromit, Chicken Run and Shaun the Sheep.

The museum is open daily except Monday from 10 am until 5 pm. Entry is free.

Banksy’s Paintpot Angel

Inside the museum is another work by Banksy. Paintpot Angel formed part of the artist’s 2009 Banksy versus Bristol Museum exhibition. The angel with a paint pot over its head, remains where it was placed overnight during Banksy’s museum ‘heist’.

Clifton Suspension Bridge

If you have the time and energy, you can continue further up Park Street to see Bristol landmark Clifton Suspension Bridge. The iconic bridge, which spans the Avon Gorge, was designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. The bridge was constructed over three decades, finally being completed in 1864 after Brunel’s death. You can walk across the bridge to a small museum on the opposite side.

The bridge is open round the clock. Pedestrians can cross for free, while motorists must pay £1. The museum is open daily from 10 am until 5 pm. Entry is free.

• Updated: January 2026