Sammy Jones

There’s a reason we named Bristol the best place to visit in the UK in 2024 (well, there's many, actually). Its arts and culture scene is ever-growing, with plenty of new galleries lighting up the city this year, including brand-new gallery space Undershed.  On our list you'll find all the deets on Bristol's new festival Forwards, its newly-expanded immersive art experience Wake the Tiger, plus all the classics for a cracking Bristol weekend. For nightlife, good food and the great outdoors, here are the best things to do in Bristol.  RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in Bristol🏠 The best Airbnbs in Bristol🍷 The best bars in Bristol🛍️ The best vintage shops in Bristol🏨 The best hotels in Bristol This guide was last updated by Bristol-based writer Kavita Ashton. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. 

Tucked into the Somerset hills but easily accessible from London, Bristol and Bath by train, Bruton is a great little place for a cheeky day trip. The teeny town is one of our top hidden foodie destinations in the UK, and has long attracted attention for its arty vibe and luxe places to stay.  As well as the cultural delights of the town, the opportunity to get into nature is always calling at this Somerset hideaway. Look above to see the Bruton Dovecote, a National Trust-enshrined tower, which you can tramp up to via allotments and charming stonework. So without further ado, here are the best things to do in Bruton.  RECOMMENDED:🏉 The best things to do in Bath🏙️ The best things to do in Bristol🌤️ The best day trips from London🎭 The best places to visit in the UK Natalie Paris is a writer based in Bath, Somerset who often visits Bruton. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines. 

Cornwall is known for many things – quaint seaside towns, excellent countryside walks, pasties, but perhaps most importantly of all, beaches. With a staggering 1,086km of coastline, which is easily the largest share of the shore in the UK, no wonder it’s packed with so many marvellous spots.  There’s plenty of variety across its two major coasts, from tranquil little coves to thrill-factor surfing havens. But no matter where you’re headed, you can expect to be blessed with water so clear and views so stunning that you might even question whether you’re actually in the Caribbean (though the temperature will be a bit of a giveaway). So, without further ado, here’s a roundup of the very best beaches in Cornwall. RECOMMENDED:🏖️ The best beaches in the UK🥧 The best things to do in Cornwall🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Cornwall🏨 The best hotels in Cornwall This guide was updated by Time Out writer India Lawrence, who is originally from Cornwall. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Fun fact: no new houses have been built in Castle Combe since the 1600s – pretty mad, right? But that’s just one of the things that make this little Cotswold village such a picture-perfect spot, where you can live out all of your Downton Abbey fantasies (because parts of the show were actually filmed here).  You’ll find historic monuments, cute village houses and traditional tearooms, all with that incredibly cute, honey hue across strings of Cotswolds-esque stone cottages, lined with rich greenery. You’ll only need a couple of nights here, as you can see the town by foot, but if you nab a nice hotel, why not stay longer? From famous pubs to fine dining, here are the best things to do in Castle Combe. RECOMMENDED: ⛲The best things to do in Bath🏙️The best things to do in Bristol🚵The best things to do in the Costwolds🌤️The most beautiful places in the UK

No matter your preferred choice of bar, you’ll find plenty to enjoy in Bristol. That should come as no surprise, such is the scope of Brizzle’s boozing reputation, and bars of all shapes and sizes await across the city to suit all budgets. Whether you’re jumping from bar to bar in search of your new favourite craft beer or pub-hopping along the cobbles of King Street (good luck with that), sipping cider by the harbour or trying to remember the password to a hyper-exclusive speakeasy, Bristol has the bar for you. Feeling thirsty? It’s time to hit the town. RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in Bristol🏠 The best Airbnbs in Bristol🍷 The best bars in Bristol🛍️ The best vintage shops in Bristol This guide was last updated by Bristol-based writer Shonette Laffy and Sammy Jones, a former editor of Bristol 24/7. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.  

Bristol’s nightlife scene is legendary. Brizzle has been a habitual presence in the ‘Best Night Out in Britain’ debate, and you don’t need to be a clubbing guru to understand why. The city’s roster of clubs touches all bases, from internationally renowned super-clubs to heart-and-soul DIY joints.  That isn’t to say that Bristol has been immune to the seemingly unstoppable force of gentrification. Many popular DIY venues (Clockwork, Brunswick Club, and others) have closed under pressure from encroaching developers. Despite the pain, Bristol only goes forward, and the best clubs in town are a homage to the multi-faceted magic of the city itself. RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in Bristol🏠 The best Airbnbs in Bristol🍷 The best bars in Bristol🛍️ The best vintage shops in Bristol At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

There’s nowhere quite like Bristol. This famous forward-thinking city is beloved for many reasons, and its preference for a pint is right up there. People have been convening and conversing in pubs here for centuries, and the proof is in the pudding, although in this case, the “pudding” is a collection of pubs that rival any found elsewhere in the country.  From the so-called Beermuda Triangle on King Street to the sophisticated boozers around Cotham and Clifton, Bristol is packed with fantastic pubs for boozers of all shapes and sizes. The city is famous for its fabulous ciders and has also proudly stood at the forefront of the craft beer revolution. You’ll find all this and more in Bristol’s best pubs. RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in Bristol📍 The best things to do in Bristol🍷 The best bars in Bristol🛍️ The best vintage shops in Bristol At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Breakfast is, as they say, the most important meal of the day. But if you ask us, brunch is every bit as vital. There are few things better than luxuriating in a long, relaxed start to the morning, whether you’re perched over a full-english in a dinky little greasy spoon or a hearty vegan feast in a colourful café.  And when it comes to brunch, Bristol’s offerings are unmatched. The city has a sumptuous array of spots guaranteed to fuel your day of gallery hopping, vintage shopping, coffee guzzling or pub-crawling. Have a look at our roundup of the best breakfast and brunch spots in Bristol right now. RECOMMENDED:🥐The best coffee shops and cafés in Bristol🍖The best restaurants in Bristol🍹The best bars in Bristol🎨The best things to do in Bristol At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Lulworth Cove is a sheltered, shell-shaped bay edged with bright white pebbles. Its striking views attract hundreds of thousands of visitors throughout the summer – so we’d recommend a day trip during the early evening, or when the temperature dips. While you’re there you’ll become an amateur geographer, spotting and navigating towering rock formations that were shaped 25 million years ago when continental tectonic plates collided (also forming the Alps in the process). Though the smattering of pubs, restaurants and other great attractions in these parts might not have been around quite that long, plenty are still old enough to feel like a trip back in time. Ready? Here’s our pick of the very best things to do in Lulworth Cove. RECOMMENDED: Find the best things to do in nearby Weymouth, Bournemouth and the New Forest

Nowhere sums up Cornwall’s contradictions quite like Britain’s most south-westerly town, Penzance. Jump off at the final stop of the railway line and you’ll find a seaside town that’s full of Cornish pride and eccentric charm. While it’s not as polished or packed out with visitors as its little sister St Ives, there are just as many galleries, cafés and restaurants to explore, all set alongside some of Britain’s most romantic and beautiful beaches. As it’s so exposed to the elements on a windy shoreline, this town is prone to moody, atmospheric weather. When the wind blows and rain falls, it brings its pirate-filled past to life, but when the sun comes out and the palm trees bob in the breeze, this working fishing port feels almost tropical. Pull up a deckchair – here’s our pick of the best things to do in Penzance right now. RECOMMENDED: The 12 best things to do in Cornwall

What’s the deal with Easton? Thanks to the fast-paced rent economy and our even faster-paced, hyper-connected smartphones, half of UK residents don’t speak to our neighbours any more. Not so in Easton. Here, as well as lending a cup of sugar or two, locals consistently go out their way to help each other out. This is where residents protested for seven hours against the forced immigration of their neighbour, a local man has opened a shop simply to improve the lives of others in Easton, and thousands gather for the annual Grand Iftar, a celebration of breaking Ramadan’s fast where locals and visitors share food and eat for free. And there are few better places to go out than here: Bristolians frequent all manner of brilliant independent bars, restaurants and shops in Easton’s graffiti-daubed streets, and there’s no shortage of exhilarating DIY events and pop-up venues either. It may not look polished on the surface, but for those who benefit from its community ethos, this neighbourhood’s scuffed streets shine. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the 50 coolest neighbourhoods in the world If you only do one thing... Photograph: Paul Box Shake down Sweet Mart for its first-rate selection of global delicacies. This much-loved independent shop is stacked wall-to-wall with exotic fruit and veg you can’t find anywhere else, an insane array of spices, and if hunger beckons, a deli filled with excellent ready-to-eat goods.  Go off the beaten track A neighbourhood’s finest wellness options are

I’m perched on a majestic rock formation in the middle of Dartmoor National Park, and… I’m thinking about Rihanna’s greatest hits. I’m thinking about what my cats are up to at home. I’m thinking about the many, many TikToks I watched on the train here before I was scooped up in a minivan at Totnes station and whisked out to the moors. I know I shouldn’t be thinking about all this stuff. After all, I’m wild camping for three days with Wandering Wild, part walking tour, part mindfulness retreat. This should be the perfect opportunity for me to say farewell to my ingrained thought loops and let myself dissolve into nature. I should be ‘finding my quiet’. But letting go of my usual thought patterns doesn’t feel that easy. This concern eases a little after our first stop. Henriette Lofstrom, our walk leader, encourages our eight-person group to ‘meet’ our environment. I find this peculiar at first. Nature doesn’t have eyes or a mouth like we do, and it’s not likely to return a friendly handshake. But as we sit on the mossy floor of an ancient oak forest and turn our attention to our surroundings, peace starts to seep in. The soft, living ground supports us and our heavy backpacks, and we listen to the stream babbling, drips from the trees and passing birds. By the time we reach a stone circle perched on a granite-studded hill on the last leg of the first day, there’s a definite change in my outlook. I certainly don’t want to crack open TikTok. The Wandering Wild approach means we

Still gutted about two years without Glasto? Well, luckily, the people behind the coolest corner of the festival, Shangri-La, have just opened a new independent arts centre and bar in central Bristol – Lost Horizon HQ. In its festival format, Shangri-La stuns Glastonbury punters with larger-than-life art installations and secret stages that play host to every kind of hedonism right through till the early hours. The organisers promise to translate this energy into the new space – bringing art, music and cocktails to St Jude’s, just beyond the city centre. Photograph: Ramona Carraro Photography Shangri-La’s signature has to be its dizzying handcrafted structures, and Lost Horizon HQ will place just as much focus eye-popping artwork. They’ll be inviting artists from all over the world to display their pieces. There’s also an events programme planned – spanning live music, DJs, drag acts and more. The number of people who can get in right now is severely capped due to Covid, but the venue will be able to let in 350 merry-makers at a time when restrictions are lifted (fingers crossed that’ll be July 19). After a summer of glumly watching past Glastonbury highlights on the TV – and seeing venues closing basically everywhere you look – it’s enough to bring an optimistic tear to the eye.  Planning a trip to Bristol? Here’s our pick of the very best things to do right now.