‘The Cork of England’ – exploring beautiful Bristol with direct flight from Cork

Bristol is like the Cork of England. While it’s not unusual for Corkonians to want to compare every travel destination to the sights and sounds of home, Bristol, sitting harbourside on England’s southwest coast, is a particularly good one to compare with.

This charming English city is just about 400km from Cork, almost directly lateral across the Irish Sea. And while it boasts a larger population than us – over half a million – there is much about Bristol that would remind one of home.

Both Bristol and Cork are beautiful second(ish) cities, vying to make themselves known as the ‘it’ place to be against boisterous louder capitals (London and Dublin both seem to unfairly hog our deserved spotlight.)

Both have a rich maritime history, both are known for a fantastic cultural scene encompassing music, art and science, both are a foodie heaven, and residents of both are well known (and stereotyped) for their pride of place – for crying out loud, they both have a Spike Island!

It’s also easier than ever to visit. Cork and Bristol are now connected with a direct flight, thanks to the launch of Air Lingus’ Emerald Airlines regional route. Travellers from Cork can be in Bristol in less than an hour with a handy flight across the water.

Bristol is a perfect couples city break, hen-do or stag party weekend, or short break family getaway.

Here’s our guide for exploring bustling ‘Brizzle’:

Getting there and exploring the city:

Air Lingus operate flights directly from Cork Airport to Bristol Airport through their regional service Emerald Airlines. There’s one flight each way every evening bar Saturdays. Flights are cheap enough too, the round trip is usually under €100 when booked in advance.

The city has a fantastic bus network and taxis are in abundance, as well as an Uber service available online. Bristol city centre is also very, very walkable and it’s recommended to book accommodation near to where the attractions you want to visit are to save on transport costs.

There are loads of Airbnbs and chain hotels for a budget-friendly option, as well as traditional legacy hotels in the city. We recommend The Bristol, it’s part of The Doyle Collection and is a sister hotel to Cork’s River Lee.

The Bristol even shares staff with the River Lee Hotel for big local events including the Cork Jazz Fest and the Bristol Balloon Fiesta. A stay at this beautiful waterfront hotel brings all the comfort, class and service you would expect from a Doyle Collection hotel, and is an ideal location if looking for a luxury experience in the heart of the city.

Things to do:

Bristol visitors are spoiled for choice with things to do and see. From markets to music, art to architecture, there is something for everyone.

Bristol is known for a few very famous ‘Bs’ – including Banksy (the evocative anonymous artist is confirmed to be a Bristol native) and Balloons.

With planning, you can catch seasonal attractions including the world-famous Bristol Balloon Fiesta (August) and UpFest, Europe’s largest street art and graffiti festival (from May to June). Meanwhile, Bansky street art tours run all year round.

We recommend checking out attractions along the Harbourside, including engineering genius Brunel’s SS Great Britain – the world’s first luxury cruise liner. Visitors can walk around the impressive Victorian-era vessel which has been lovingly preserved as a museum and laid out exactly as it was when it sailed, complete with interactive exhibits telling the story of the thousands who travelled on it in search of a better life abroad.

M Shed Museum is an innovative space telling the story of the city. The museum is free to explore, with truly unique exhibits including a book made of human skin, some Banksy murals which have been preserved and displayed, and the graffitied statue of slave trader Edward Colston which was toppled by protesters during a Black Lives Matter march in 2020.

Spike Island is Bristol’s international centre for contemporary art and design, with galleries, studios, cafés and a venue for different events. The Arnolfini Contemporary is an art centre and gallery and the Bristol Aquarium is always a popular attraction.

A short distance from the city centre is the posh suburb of Clifton, where the Clifton Suspension Bridge – also built by brilliant Brunel – and the Observatory is. This is a must-see attraction and one of the city’s most famed areas.

Wake the Tiger, just west of the city centre, is a psychedelic playground for all ages and is highly recommended. Spend hours exploring this truly immersive art experience. It’s difficult to describe the wonder of this walk-through labyrinth of over 40 weird and wonderful themed exhibits – but trust us when we say it’s well worth a visit.

For music and nightlife in the city centre, King Street is lined with locally loved pubs and bars (including the legendary Old Duke jazz and blues pub in which Rebels will spot nostalgic Cork Jazz posters). Thekkla is one of the best venues for live music, while the College Green area is packed with clubs and music bars.

Where to eat:

Cargo at Whapping Warf is a vibrant foodie market made out of repurposed shipping containers (think Marina Market with Michelin-starred chefs.) There is everything here, from beautiful bento boxes at Seven Lucky Gods to ‘proper’ fish and chips at Salt and Malt. Cargo is a food lover’s heaven.

For intimate and personalised wine and cheese tasting, try KASK in Bedminster. This locally-owned wine bar praises itself as Bristol’s favourite. This popular bar serves only the best organic wines, runs themed tastings midweek, and is always packed with punters on the weekend.

And for a proper feed, get some plates at The Granary. This all-day restaurant is luxury comfort food made with love and imagination. The chefs here pride themselves on sustainability and local ingredients, a passion made obvious through their ever-changing menu and delicious dishes.

For a Michelin-starred experience, Bristol has 36 awarded restaurants to choose from – they really know how to do food.

Aer Lingus Regional operates flights between Cork and Bristol, 6 times weekly. With fares starting at €39.99*, passengers can book flights now.

See VisitBristol.co.uk for more inspiration.

*One-way, as part of a return trip.