Moving to Bristol? | Discover the Character of Bristol's Districts

Tuesday 1 June 2021 Bristol

About Bristol - Advice For Tenants Renting In Bristol

The city of Bristol is made up of an eclectic series of districts, each with their own unique character. At Abode, our team of letting agents help Bristol tenants including professionals, students and families find rental properties in areas that are best suited for them, wether they are looking for bustling nightlife or quiet areas.

Read about the many areas that make Bristol so great below, or take a look at our rental property list to see what we currently have available.

City Centre

Bristol's City Centre Shopping area includes the shiny new Cabot Circus and the older Broadmead and has over 500 stores, many cafes and restaurants plus a great cinema and entertainment such as crazy golf. If you love shopping, the city centre apartments here are for you.
 
Just a few minutes walk from here and you reach the Old City with its beautiful architecture. The cobbled streets and winding alleyways of St Nicholas Market contain many independent shops and stalls and are particularly good for food. Here you will find a variety of markets (including a farmers market every Wednesday and a slow food market monthly). The oldest pub in Bristol, The Llandoger Trow Inn is on King Street as is Bristol's famous Old Vic Theatre.

Harbourside and Hotwells

A few minutes away from St Nichs is the recently redeveloped Harbourside. Once a working harbour and busy dock, Bristol's harbourside is now an attractive, modern development filled with restaurants, bars, shops and hotels. Some of the main attractions are At-Bristol, Bristol Aquarium, Brunel's SS Great Britain, the Watershed Media Centre, Arnolfini and Spike Island art space. The Bristol Ferry is a great way to see the harbour with stops at key points along the way.  Along the harbourside are modern, city centre apartments for those who want to live in the thick of the city.
 
Overlooking the harbourside is Hotwells whose hilly and colourful Victorian Terraced streets are flanked by the Harbourside to the South and Clifton Village to the North.

Park Street, the Triangle and Whiteladies Road

From the Harbourside, you can walk up Park Street, popular for both shopping and nightlife, stopping off at many independent stores on your way. Just off Park Street you’ll find Brandon Hill Park and Cabot Tower where you get one of the best views across the city. Beyond Park Street are Clifton Triangle and Whiteladies Road, where Abode's offices are situated.

West Bristol: Clifton Village, Cotham, Redland and St Andrews

Just north of the Triangle is Clifton Village, thought by many to be the best address in the city, with a great selection of boutique clothing and lifestyle stores, cosy cafes and restaurants. Royal York Crescent is a wonderful example of Georgian architecture and Brunel's Clifton Suspension Bridge is an absolute must for a breathtaking view of the city. Bristol Zoo Gardens is also close by.  Here you can find Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian architecture and a variety of flats and houses. Nearby, you'll find leafy Cotham, Redland and St Andrews where the Victorian houses are extremely popular with young professionals.

South Bristol: Southville, Bedminster and Totterdown

In South Bristol you will find Southville, Bedminster and Totterdown. These are lively areas and have become very popular over the last decade or so. From Temple Meads station, you can see the famous multi-coloured houses across the hills of Totterdown. There are plenty of friendly pubs and cafes throughout the area. Southville is a very popular area, with the bustling North Street being the centre of most of the activity. You will find the Tobacco Factory here hosting many great plays and also offering a lively bar and cafe for visitors.

East Bristol: Stokes Croft, St Pauls, Montpelier, St Werburghs, and Easton

East Bristol offers one of the most diverse parts of the city. Well worth a visit are the neighbourhoods of Stokes Croft, St Pauls, Montpelier, St Werburghs and Easton. Here you will find a vibrant artist community, plenty of street art (including Bansky's work) and some of the most affordable housing in Bristol. The popular St Pauls Carnival takes place each summer – a world class event filled with music, colour, dance and of course food.

Leafy Residential Areas: Stoke Bishop, Sneyd Park, Westbury-on-Trym and Henleaze

For a quieter life, slightly further from the city centre, head for the leafy residential areas of Stoke Bishop, Sneyd Park, Westbury-On-Trym and Henleaze. These are especially popular with families and professionals looking for somewhere a little way away from the nightlife.  All are within easy walking distance of Bristol's wonderful green space, The Downs.

Friendy Family Areas

Also, slightly further from the city centre, but with a life of their own revolving around the funky Gloucester Road, are the family Victorian Terraces of Bishopston and Horfield.

North Bristol: Bradley Stoke and Stoke Gifford

Bradley Stoke, Stoke Gifford and surrounding areas in North Bristol are very popular for renting as they are close to several large businesses including Orange, RAC, Rolls-Royce, Airbus and AXA Sunlife and are extremely well located for the motorway network.