Bristol Shopping

With the biggest and best choice of shopping in the South West, Bristol offers a great environment in which to shop with nearly 500 stores, two covered shopping centres and more than 50 cafes and restaurants where you can watch the world go by.

Central attractions

The city centre shopping area – known as Bristol Broadmead – offers the kind of diversity that is hard to beat.

It is well served with national fashion retailers such as Miss Selfridge, H&M, Primark, Peacocks and Laura Ashley; as well as big name gift shops such as H Samuel for jewellery, HMV for music, Thorntons for chocolate selections, and WH Smith and Waterstone’s for book lovers. However, it is its range of independent stores that will really turn heads including Parsons, in the Galleries; and Silver Scene, in the Arcade; both of which provide jewellery for that special occasion; and Colonel Mustard with its high-end fashion.

Bristol’s Cabot Circus however, is arguably the ultimate shopping experience. It brings together a host of high street and designer brands all underneath a striking glass roof. It’s here that you’ll find the likes of Urban Outfitters, Hollister, Cult Clothing and American Apparel; as well as high street retailers such as Oasis, Zara, Next and Top Shop. You could even stop by the Sanctuary Spa with its luxurious treatments and products; or stop for a meal in one of its many restaurants including Raymond Blanc’s Brasserie Blanc and Italian eateries Carluccio’s and Piccolino.

Next to Cabot Circus you’ll also find The Galleries, which is an attractive three-storey shopping centre. It allows you to take your pick from a fascinating variety of specialist shops and boasts a safe, modern car park with more than 1,000 spaces.

Something different

If you’re in search of something unique and special then shopping in Bristol will surely oblige. Some of the best areas for alternative shopping include Old Market, with its chest of shopping treasures including traders who deal with everything from windsurfing to wigs and from karaoke kits to ironmongery.

Stokes Croft is considered Bristol’s cultural quarter with the whole area resembling an outdoor gallery with colourful graffiti (pictured) that transforms its walls and buildings. It’s also the place to keep your eyes open for some of Banksy’s most famous works and there is often live music to enjoy on the streets.

Don’t forget to check out Park Street too, which was recently nominated as the UK’s hippest street and boasts a great selection of trendy clothes boutiques, music and records stores; while the Christmas Steps Art Quarter boasts fascinating independent traders and artisans.

Tomorrow: Bristol Food And Drink.

Filed under: Travel News

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