Cabot Tower & Brandon Hill
About
A red sandstone Victorian tower on top of Brandon Hill, Bristol's oldest public park, built in 1897-98 to mark the 400th anniversary of John Cabot's voyage from Bristol to Newfoundland. A narrow spiral stair climbs to two viewing platforms with panoramic views over the city centre, the Harbourside and, on a clear day, the Clifton Suspension Bridge and the gorge. The park around it is a genuine local green space rather than a tourist garden, popular with dog walkers and picnickers, and it sits within easy walking distance of the Museum & Art Gallery and Clifton.
Photos
Highlights
- ✓Panoramic city views from the tower's viewing platforms
- ✓Brandon Hill park, Bristol's oldest public green space
- ✓Views towards the Clifton Suspension Bridge and gorge on a clear day
- ✓A quiet, mostly local rather than touristy spot
Tips
- →The internal stair is narrow, steep and not suitable for limited mobility or very young children.
- →Go on a clear day; the views are the whole point.
- →Combine with the Museum & Art Gallery or Clifton, both a short walk away.
Best Season
More Attraction Activities
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Brunel's 1864 suspension bridge across the Avon Gorge. Free to cross on foot or by bike; only cars pay the £1 toll.
Brunel's ss Great Britain
Brunel's restored 1843 ocean liner, afloat in the dry dock where she was built, with a glass sea letting you walk beneath the hull.
M Shed
Bristol's free social history museum on the Harbourside, in a real dockside transit shed, now home to Banksy's Grim Reaper.