ESSENTIALS

Getting there & around

Bristol’s Temple Meads railway station, connected to the Great Western Railway network, is accessible from most of the UK including direct services to London Paddington (journey time: 1h35m), and Cardiff Central (50m).

Bristol Airport has both domestic and international services. It’s accessed by the A1 bus and the journey time into central Bristol is 35m.

Central Bristol is fairly compact and easy to navigate on foot, albeit hilly in places. Alternatively, visitors can hire bikes from numerous places including Bristol Electric Bike Hire. For journeys further afield, the bus is your best bet. Number 8 connects Temple Meads and Clifton. Consider a day pass (£6) if making multiple journeys across a 24-hour period. bristolbikehire.co.uk firstbus.co.uk

When to go

With its westerly Atlantic-facing location, any time of year can be rainy, but spring and autumn are likely to offer good weather. Several festivals, including the Bristol International Balloon Fiesta, can make a summer visit appealing. In November and December, the Broadmead section of the city is taken over by a huge Christmas market. Be sure to wrap up warmly as temperatures can drop to freezing.

More info

Visit Bristol. visitbristol.co.uk.

Pocket Guide to Bath, Bristol & The Southwest, Lonely Planet, £7.99 Banksy’s Bristol: Home Sweet Home by Richard Jones, Tangent Books, £15

How to do it

GRAFT offer graffiti-themed walking tours and art workshops, focusing on Banksy’s legacy. graftworkshop.co.uk

Rooms at ARTIST RESIDENCE range from Broom Cupboard doubles from

£95 to the Artist Suite from £275. artistresidence.co.uk