Bristol is a varied, multicultural city unlike any other, with a rich and sometimes troubled history . Here’s how to plan the perfect weekend there. THE WEEKEND: For 1,300 years, the world has sailed in and out of Bristol.
Explorer John Cabot pioneered trading routes across the Atlantic, and in doing so discovered Newfoundland; the infamous pirate Blackbeard terrorised the Caribbean, but periodically came home to Bristol; and Isambard Kingdom Brunel’s SS Great Britain – once the world’s largest passenger ship, and now a major tourist attraction – still moors in the city’s harbour. Bristol’s international ties endure to the present day. Nearly a fifth of the city’s population was born overseas, and centuries of multiculturalism are evident in its architecture, political attitudes and food scene.
When you spend a long weekend here, you can see the world without venturing beyond the Bristol Channel. WHAT TO DO: Pirate Pete leads maritime-themed walking tours around Bristol , introducing the city’s turbulent history and the real-life stories behind Blackbeard, Long John Silver, and Robinson Crusoe. Dressing up as a pirate is highly encouraged, but if you are too embarrassed to be seen in swashbuckling company, you can walk a self-guided, circular route.
There’s a free map on the Pirate Walks website, and you can extend it by continuing west along Prince’s Wharf and Museum Street to the SS Great Britain. Whichever route you take, allow a couple of hours to vi.