Bristol Hotels

The dynamic culture hub of the country's southwest.

And Bristol's music, media and nightlife scenes are really showing the rest of the country how things should be done. It's real, raw, and just a little rough around the edges. If you really want to know where Britain's at right now, then you should probably add Bristol to your itinerary.

The city centre, north of the river, is compact but hilly. The central area revolves around St Nicholas Market, the Corn Exchange and Broadmeads shopping centre. Park St is lined with shops and cafes up to the university, while Whiteladies Rd is the hub of bar and restaurant life. The hilltop suburb of Clifton, with its Georgian terraces,cafes and boutique shops, is west of the centre. The Clifton Suspension Bridge spans the Avon from Clifton to Leigh Woods in North Somerset.

To experience Bristol at its festive best, summer (June to August) is the time to go. Summer highlights include St Paul's Carnival, a giant street party, and the Bristol Harbour Festival, which brings bands, theatre and DJs to the dockside. Both are held in July. Weatherwise, July and August usually receive the most prolonged spells of sunshine but both months can also be prone to sudden heavy downpours or more prolonged periods of rain. In general the most reliable periods are in late spring (April to May) or early autumn (September to October), when the weather is generally at its most settled. Peak tourist season is, of course, summer. Other busy periods - when prices are at a premium and traffic trying - include the main bank holidays, especially Easter, May Day and New Year.