I’ve lived in Bristol for 9 months now and have embarked on a number of different walking tours. These 1-2 hour adventures offer a unique perspective of the city with an informative and interesting guide. They’re great for anyone wanting to get to know the city better or those visiting who want to make the most of understanding Bristol. I thought I’d write a short description of the three tours I’ve embarked on in order to give an insight into which might be right for you!
City Highlights Tour (Robert Collins)
This was the first tour I joined on the weekend I arrived in Bristol. My boyfriend and I were treated to over two hours of turbulent Bristol history, from a brief discussion of the slave trade and iconic individuals to the origins of the old city and the construction of the floating harbour. For anyone interested in the history of the city, this detailed tour is a must.
Tickets are £6 and available from the Tourist Information Centre on the Harbourside.
Haunted and Hidden Tour (John)
My boyfriend and I jumped on this tour spontaneously last weekend, feeling like a bit of fun. This tour was just over an hour and spoke about the more pop culture elements of the city, including the spots used in many famous TV series and movies. Some haunting ghost stories were told and spooky parts of the city revealed – such as the door to the Hatchet Inn, which is made partly of human skin! For anyone wanting a more lighthearted and gruesome perspective of the city, hop on this tour.
Tickets are £5 adult/£4 concession and can be bought directly from John – tours run every Friday night from outside the Cathedral.
The Slave Trade Tour (Robert Collins)
Joining another tour with the knowledgable Robert Collins, Arch and I decided to learn more about Bristol’s involvement with the slave trade. As many people are aware, Bristol merchants and ports were significant in trading slaves and there are many surviving reminders in the city, including Pero’s Bridge (also known as the Horned Bridge) which is named after a slave. Numerous infamous individuals linked with Bristol are also connected with the slave trade – Edward Colston, a generous donor in Bristol, is known to have traded slaves, whilst the Wills family (who founded Will’s Memorial Building) are also known to have links to the slave trade. If this period of history interests you and you’d like to know more, make sure to grab tickets to this 2-hour tour.
Tickets are £8 and available from the Tourist Information Office.
The Girl In The Window 