There is no longer a need for people in the south west to travel to London for a few days of intense shopping, Bristol is good competition whether your taste is eclectic or high street fashion. Due to millions of pounds being spent on developing the city in the past 5 years there are now just as much shopping opportunities to be found here.

The main shopping centers are Broadmead, The Mall Bristol, and The Mall at Cribbs Causeway offering familiar high street names and specialist independent stores. The newest shopping centre is Cabot Circus which can be found close to Broadmead area, it has more than 120 stores including popular high street brand names, unique items and boutiques. Harvey Nichols and House of Fraser have stores here with other famous chain stores and popular high street names providing plenty of choice and suiting all budgets. Also an entertainment venue you can spend the day shopping or relax at one of the 25 eateries before visiting the state of the art cinema complex. Broadmead itself has around 300 shops and is a busy central part of the city.

A trendy section of the city is Park Street where record shops sit comfortably next to vintage clothes shops and individual boutiques, it’s a great place to pick up a bargain. When you have had enough head to Brandon Hill and Cabot Tower nearby for a quick escape from the hustle and bustle of shopping.

Clifton Village is an appealing district just minutes from the city centre and close to Brunel’s famous Clifton Suspension Bridge. It has a range of boutique clothes shops, jewellery stores and cafes, restaurants and pubs.
For a unique shopping opportunity, explore the Christmas Steps. Just follow the old, twisting alleys and you’ll discover a hidden jewel of art galleries and potteries amongst the old shops and buildings. Browse through the shops selling a variety of items, clothes and jewellery, musical instruments and furniture or hang out at a one of the pavement cafes.

Open every Friday and Saturday, the Nails Market is another place to shop that’s full of character. There are cheap clothes, curiosity items, original jewellery, unusual artwork and photography, music, and handmade cards all supplied by local independent traders and many designed by them too.

If you are looking for something traditional and unique to Bristol then the Bristol Blue Crystal Glass Factory has beautiful items created by skilled glassmakers who still use the same techniques as they did300 years ago, indeed the tools and techniques have hardly changed since Roman Times. Bristol Blue Glass is highly collectible and sought after. At the factory workshop in Whitby Road, they give glassblowing demonstrations and have a gallery shop selling the full product range including blue glass, ruby glass, cranberry glass, jewellery and engraved glass.

There has been a lot of development in the city over the past 10 years and this has provided it with the capability to offer a wide range of accommodation to meet the needs of leisure travelers and those visiting on business. Luxury hotels, elegant restaurants, designer names and high-class bars are very easy to find if it is quality and top of the range you are looking for. Whether you are staying in the city for a few days or intend to hang around for longer there are plenty of places to choose from. In the heart of the city itself are budget hostels comfortably situated next to luxury first-class hotels. Luxury apartments are an alternative to hotel accommodation as they can offer you more privacy and space and, if you are bringing the whole family along or a group of friends, then they can make more economic sense too.

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