Advertisement
Bristol Cathedral

Bristol Cathedral

Bristol Cathedral
4.5
Historic SitesChurches & Cathedrals
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
11:30 AM - 3:00 PM
About
Bristol Cathedral has been at the heart of the city since it was founded as an Augustinian Abbey in 1140. This spectacular building reflects over 800 years of the history and heritage of Bristol. Today the Cathedral is a place of worship and community for all. From daily services, an astounding programme of live music, the monk's garden, through to one night only events, Bristol Cathedral has something extraordinary for everyone. Head to our website for opening times, services, and upcoming events.
Duration: 1-2 hours
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listing
Tours & experiences
Explore different ways to experience this place.
What is Travellers’ Choice?
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
Top ways to experience Bristol Cathedral
The area
Address
Reach out directly
See what travellers are saying
  • Marley Elliot
    London, United Kingdom23 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Should visit
    I highly recommend a visit to Bristol Cathedral. It is a beautiful and historic building with much to see and explore. The cathedral is also a place of worship, and there are regular services and events held throughout the year.
    Visited August 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 1 November 2023
  • GroovyTraveller01
    Dubai, United Arab Emirates138 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Breathtaking Luxmuralis: Force of Nature Light Show projected inside stunning cathedral
    Luxmuralis: Force of Nature Light Show at Bristol Cathedral. I hope it comes back again soon! Absolutely extraordinary images projected on to the historic, awe inspiring interior architecture complemented by an immersive soundtrack. Fantastic for all ages including teens. At the end of it you could sit or lie down to watch the show next to a bar! Hot chocolate was very welcome. A really memorable 45 minutes. And then on to dinner and ice cream just opposite! A great evening out. A great way to get people into the cathedral and think about what else it offers especially close to Christmas.
    Visited November 2023
    Travelled with family
    Written 4 November 2023
  • Blovesfood
    Bensalem, Pennsylvania658 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great way to spend an hour
    While exploring Bristol on my own in May 2023, I stopped into the Cathedral. It's near a wonderful tea shop and obviously caught my eye when I finished at the tea shop. The volunteer who greeted me was very helpful and I spent at least an hour walking around, reading inscriptions, and admiring the architecture. The area near the cathedral has a lot going on, so it's easy to make a day of being in the neighborhood. For those with mobility issues, prepare for long walks. There is some seating available depending on when you are there.
    Thank you for sharing your experience at Bristol Cathedral. We are delighted to hear that our cathedral caught your eye and that you decided to visit. Our volunteers take great pride in providing a warm greeting, we are glad to know you found their assistance valuable and that you enjoyed your visit. We agree that the area around the cathedral has much to offer, making it a great part of a day out in Bristol. We appreciate your note about mobility issues and the availability of seating, and we will continue to strive to make our space as accessible as possible for all visitors. We hope to welcome you back again in the future
    Written 30 May 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited June 2023
    Travelled solo
    Written 27 May 2024
  • ViaBen
    Greater London, United Kingdom902 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Big and beautiful cathedral
    Beautiful and imposing building, most of it Gothic Revival, with an airy and sparsely decorated interior, impressive vaults, and stunning stained-glass windows. There was a piano/violin recital when we visited, which added a lot to the atmosphere but prevented us from visiting some parts of the cathedral. It is still a place of active worship, so be respectful when visiting.
    Thank you for your thoughtful review of Bristol Cathedral. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed exploring the building. We are glad that you were able to experience the added ambiance of a recital during your visit but sorry that you weren't able to see the rest of the building. Your respect and consideration mean a lot to us. We hope you will visit us again in the future and have the opportunity to explore more of our beautiful spaces.
    Written 30 May 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with friends
    Written 28 May 2024
  • Manfred B
    Telford, United Kingdom336 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Cathedral with Interesting Features
    During our holiday in Bristol we went to see Bristol Cathedral. There were many interesting features to admire walking around the inside. Unfortunately some were not accessible due to repair work taking place when we visited. Despite this we very much enjoyed the beautiful stained glass windows, the altar, the Chapter House, etc. Well worth a visit!
    Hi Manfred, Thank you for your kind words and for taking the time to share your experience at Bristol Cathedral. We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed exploring our beautiful stained glass windows, the altar, and the Chapter House, among other features. We appreciate that the works being carried out impact visitor experience. We are currently working on several projects around the building that will greatly improve accessibility and visitor experience. Your feedback is very important to us, we hope that you will visit Bristol again in the future and visit us to see the completed renovations and explore more of what our cathedral has to offer.
    Written 30 May 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 29 May 2024
  • Sue B
    Nailsea, United Kingdom438 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful Cathedral, free entry, just leave a donation please
    This is one of Bristol’s great icons, a beautiful tourist attraction & for the locals which is highly recommended to visit..There is no entrance fee but the opportunity to easily leave a valued donation of your choice is greatly appreciated in support of this ancient old beauty of a building. The atmosphere is incredible as you walk around, read the history & soak up the spiritual feeling & beauty of the place. There are other great places to visit & eat, local transport & in easy walking distance. Helpful staff & volunteers willing to give you as much information you require to fulfill your visit.
    Visited August 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 10 September 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
4.5
4.5 of 5 bubbles1,334 reviews
Excellent
757
Very good
463
Average
96
Poor
8
Terrible
10

BigFatBudgie
Port Talbot1,037 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020 • Couples
We both were really looking forward to visiting Bristol Cathedral.
Imagine our disappointment to find it was closed the entire day as some sort of comedy-drama was being filmed inside.
Security stopped us from entering the building.
I felt this quite shocking and wholly inappropriate. The Cathedral is first and foremost a place of worship / solace and not part of Pinewood Studios. Apparently this had gone on the day before as well.
I do not appreciate being lectured to by a scruffy and patronising security guard that it was my fault, as “ I had not checked the website”. Well pardon me. I expect a House of God to be open at all times, expect in exceptional circumstances.
The Cathedral should be ashamed of its’ money grabbing attitudes , as the aforementioned security guard also said “The Cathedral was paid well & needs all the money it can”. The moneylenders in the Temple springs to mind. Disgraceful.
Written 27 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Desmond C
Cardiff, UK364 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2020
My only reason for visiting is that I am researching family genealogy. I always make a point of visiting the war memorial in any place that I am visiting in order to inspect the names of the dead. In this case it was the cathedral. There are a number of plaques inside but happily none of my family are recorded there even though they did come from the area. As usual it is always the great, good and rich who were noted centuries ago. Labourers were two a penny.
Written 5 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Alan W
Redditch, UK433 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020 • Friends
I will be perfectly honest and truthful, but these of buildings dont really appeal to me. However, the rest of the family wanted to go inside, so go inside we all did.
Wow.....i simply dont have enough words within my vocabulary to describe it, its stunning. In fact i had to seat down a few times in order to try and absorb it all.
The craftsmanship really does have to be seen to be believed.
As for that monster of an organ, good grief i bet when that gets fired up it sure rocks da house....lol.
If you are going to Bristol, then please make sure you pay this cathedral a visit, and dont be like l am normally and walk straight past it!
Written 1 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Maria K
87 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2020
A fascinating cathedral to visit but the tour we did with Edmund gave us a whole new appreciation. He was entertaining and knowledgeable and pointed out plenty of things we would never have spotted by ourselves. The stained glass windows alone are unmissable.
Written 9 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mike E
Leeds, UK49 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2021 • Family
Wow.
Cathedral is magnificent from the outside. Very imposing and surrounded by a beautiful green space.
Inside it’s typical cathedral - high vaulted ceilings, tombs, stained glass, massive organ.
The highlight was a 1:500,000 scale model of the moon suspended from the ceiling.
Written 14 August 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Mike, I'm really glad to hear you enjoyed your visit. We have a varied programme of events all year round so do keep an eye on our website and social media to find out what's on next. We look forward to welcoming you again soon.
Written 20 August 2021
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

JaynieK
Tipton, UK176 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2021
Located a short( 25 minute) walk from main Broadmead shopping area and towards harbour side, free to enter and well worth a visit. Medieval cathedral originating as an Augustinian Abbey c1140 originally. Visited in December,alongside Christmas markets. Allow 1-2 hours for visit, small garden outside, toilets and small cafe housed around cloister area. Would recommend a visit if in area.
Written 31 January 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Colhunt
Cramlington, UK165 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2023 • Couples
Unusually this Cathedral is free to visit but you can donate if you wish. The Cathedral is beautiful and a lovely place to sit quietly and contemplate about whatever is bothering you. There were beautiful stained glass windows and various fantastic altars. There is a garden and cafe but this was closed for renovations when we visited. Along with other Cathedrals in the UK Bristol Cathedral is a lovely place to visit
Written 15 April 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

JB1939
Leeds, UK11 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Couples
Had an unexpected visit to this cathedral and we were amazed by the architecture.

Did not go for religious reasons, but was happy we called there on the off chance.

The building is amazing and really takes your breath away inside, definitely worth walking around for 15 mins.
Written 18 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thankyou so much for your review of Bristol Cathedral, the architecture is truly a hidden gem. We're so glad you enjoyed your impromptu visit and we look forward to welcoming you back again soon!
Written 9 June 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Sue B
Nailsea, UK438 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
This is one of Bristol’s great icons, a beautiful tourist attraction & for the locals which is highly recommended to visit..There is no entrance fee but the opportunity to easily leave a valued donation of your choice is greatly appreciated in support of this ancient old beauty of a building. The atmosphere is incredible as you walk around, read the history & soak up the spiritual feeling & beauty of the place. There are other great places to visit & eat, local transport & in easy walking distance. Helpful staff & volunteers willing to give you as much information you require to fulfill your visit.
Written 10 September 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

DBInTheHouse
Birmingham England134 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Couples
Beautiful Cathedral, an amazing example that you should see while in the city, volunteers are very good at explaining the history and details of the architecture.
The cafe is currently closed for renovation but if weather is permitting the well cared for gardens are an added attraction and well worth a visit.
To have the opportunity to visit the Cathedral and see its wonders, some dating back 1000 years is a privilege.
Written 13 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Showing results 1-10 of 1,101
Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page, learn more.
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listing

BRISTOL CATHEDRAL (2024) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

All Bristol HotelsBristol Hotel DealsLast Minute Hotels in Bristol
All things to do in Bristol
RestaurantsFlightsHoliday RentalsTravel StoriesCruisesCar Hire