Where to Enjoy Bristol’s Best Views
The hilly geography and relatively small scale of Bristol mean that you are never far away from a great view. Roads all over the city calmly bend round corners, revealing unexpected and magical sights. This does of course make for some anxious driving (Vale Street is actually the steepest in England) and some embarrassingly out of breath moments… but it’s great for grabbing an inspiring view. Bring your camera or forget technology altogether at some of Bristol’s most revered views.
Perrett's Park
2 Bayham Road, Bristol, BS4 2EA
Perrett's Park is the former location for the Bristol Balloon Festival which should tell you something about the excellent views. It’s a steeply sloping site which forms a natural amphitheatre or bowl. The result is a really impressive view of the nearby Perrett's Park Allotments and the Clifton Suspension Bridge in the distance.
At the top of this bowl a long terrace that has been created, running along two sides of the park. This terrace has been laid out with beautiful trees and plants, paved walkways and picnic benches.
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Bridge Road, Bristol, BS8 3PA
Clifton Suspension Bridge is the most photographed attraction in Bristol, and the seventh most photographed place in the UK! Google reviews say the most popular photo spot is at the base of the tower on the Clifton side. It is without doubt Bristol's most iconic site and a stunning place to view both the city lights and Somerset's endless rolling hills. Spanning the Avon Gorge, this undeniably magnificent bridge once noted by Brunel as 'My first love, my darling' is a true a celebration of mankind's engineering ambition.
If time allows, stop by the the Museum on the Leigh Woods (North Somerset) side of the bridge and find displays and artefacts inside explaining how Clifton Suspension Bridge was built and how it is maintained to this day.
The bridge is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Crossing is free of charge to pedestrians and cyclists, and motorists pay a £1 contactless toll – no booking is required.
Cabot Tower
Brandon Hill Park, Park St, Bristol, Avon BS1 5RR
Cabot Tower, set in the gorgeous and oldest park in Bristol, Brandon Hill, is a 105ft tower built in 1897 to commemorate John Cabot's famous voyage from Bristol and the continent of North America four hundred years earlier.
Designed by the Bristol architect William Venn Gough and paid for by public subscription, the tower is built from red sandstone covered with cream Bath stone. Located in the centre of the park. When open, it's free to climb up the 109 twisting steps of the tower to enjoy stunning views across Bristol, Brandon Hill and Harbourside area.
Located just off Park Street in the West End, Brandon Hill features a children's play area, beautiful paths and a nature conservation area, and of course the icon of Bristol's skyline, Cabot Tower.
M Shed
Princes Wharf, Wapping Rd, Bristol, BS1 4RN
This roundup wouldn't be complete without a view of the Harbourside and a great place to do this is from M Shed. Located on the harbour front, the 1950s transit shed, originally called M Shed, on Bristol’s historic wharf, has been transformed into a museum. Thought-provoking and fun, M Shed challenges the perceptions of what it has meant to live here over the centuries through the recollections of the people who shaped the city.
M Shed is place to discover the history of Bristol but it also provides a fantastic view the city's wonderful harborside, from the ruins of the old castle to the SS Great Britain.
M Shed is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5pm Entry is free – but donations are always welcome!
Ashton Court Estate
Ashton Court, Long Ashton Bristol, BS41 9JN
The Ashton Court Estate was once the gracious home of the Smyth family and is now a historic park just 10 minutes from the centre of Bristol. It covers 850 acres of woods and grasslands in total, designed by Humphry Repton. There's so much to see at Ashton Court with over 300 hectares of wildflower-rich grasslands, woodlands, ponds and ancient oak trees, some of them are over 700 years old! There has also been a deer park at Ashton Court for over 600 years (one of the oldest in the country), with around 200 red and fallow deer helping manage the land.
Best viewpoints
- Upper meadow above the mansion: widest city panorama.
- Deer park rise: gentle slope with long sightlines at sunset.
- Avenue line of trees: classic photo frame towards the skyline.
- Balloon Fiesta Hill (seasonal): vast sky and launch field vistas
The estate is open Monday to Sunday from 8am. Closing times are different throughout the year.