Today

A shopper's paradise is no exaggeration. From top high street names to independent local labels, from markets and antique stalls to art and craft gift shops, there is something for everyone - and for pockets of all depths!

Clifton
The leafy Georgian crescents of fashionable Clifton and Whiteladies Road play host to delightful independent shops, galleries, boutiques and antique dealers. Clifton Village is the jewel of the area. There are plenty of boutiques, galleries, antique shops, cafes and wine bars. While in Clifton take a look at the Clifton Suspension Bridge, and Clifton Arcade on Boyces Avenue.

Clifton Arcade, originally a Victorian shopping mall, houses antique jewellery and furniture shops and arts & crafts shops.

Funktion Room, Clifton Arcade
Funky second-hand women's clothing, flared jeans and sparkly tops. New fashion accessories, handbags, funky giftware, wide range of silver and costume jewellery to suit all tastes and budgets. Many locally made goods.

Bristol's West End
Bristol's West End is a thriving and diverse shopping area with a host of quality independent traders in large, elegant buildings, funky bars and top notch restaurants. The main pull here is Park Street, one of the steepest streets in Bristol and a favourite haunt for a spot of retail therapy or a sophisticated evening with friends.

The Guild, Park Street
The Bristol Guild is one of the country's greatest independent retailers. A host of quality independent traders share a large elegant building on Park Street. Originally set up during the early 20th century as a showcase for locally produced high quality craft goods the ethos remains the same today. Expect to find the best in modern furnishings, gifts, food, crafts, jewellery, toys, china & glass from all over the world.

Christmas Steps
This was once a steep, muddy and narrow street which led up from the Frome Bridge, outside the city walls. The steps were constructed in September 1669 and were paid for solely by a wealthy wine merchant, Jonathan Blackwell. Set just off of Colston Avenue and the Centre, today this ancient and beautiful stepped hill is flanked by independent shops, galleries and cafes.

Boston Tea Party, Park Street - Stop for a coffee and fresh cafe style homecooked dishes and indulgent cakes at this very popular cafe.

Bristol Blue Glass, Brislington
This is the must buy product on a visit to Bristol. The factory is based in the heart of Bristol and is open to the general public all year round with free entry. Visitors can watch Bristol blue glass being made by our skilled team of glassmakers and purchase directly form the factory shop. Authentic Bristol Blue Glass can also be purchased from outlets around the city - including The Guild.

Potters, Clifton Down Shopping Centre, Whiteladies Road
Potters is a unique shop, providing an enormous range of hand crafted ceramics, decorative and functional, made by local and regional craftspeople.

Bristol China Company, 7 Vyvyan Road, Clifton
Thus is a small but well stocked factory shop selling mostly best quality china - all decorated on the premises. Some seconds and special offers are usually available.

Markets in Bristol

The markets are a great feature of shopping in Bristol with a whole range of products on sale. Saint Nicholas Market is open six days a week and encompasses the indoor market on St Nicholas Street and the regular outdoor markets on Corn Street.

Established in 1743, the market has since grown to take over the old Corn Exchange buildings. Stalls sell a range of food and deli produce, much organic, fruit & veg, cafes, second hand books, old clothes, records, pictures, fossils, candles, a huge range of unusual goods.

Bristol Farmers' Market takes place every Wednesday between 9.30am and 2.30pm and is held outside in Corn Street adjacent to Saint Nicholas Market and was the first weekly Farmers Market in the country.

On Friday and Saturday's Corn Street is filled with the Bristol Gift Market selling clothes, jewellery, food, pictures and plenty of great ideas for gifts.

The UK's first Slow Food Market is held on Corn Street on the first Sunday of every month, and is a treat for real food lovers.

Bristol's East Side is full of specialist stores selling food, fabrics and crafts of Asian and Caribbean influence, such as Sweet Mart, a family run business specialising in spices and ingrediants that are hard to come by. In this diverse inner city area there are restaurants serving food from around the world such as a Moroccan café, many small independent shops and a busy creative and cultural life.

The Mall at Cribbs Causeway offers all that is best about high street shopping in the comfort of an exciting two level centre. Around 130 top name stores, 15 cafes and restaurants and a range of excellent facilities are all under one roof, giving you the finest shopping choice in the South West.

Broadmead and The Mall Galleries combined offer the largest range of shops in the South West. All big name stores can be found here and the Mall Galleries shopping centre provides three levels of shops and restaurants in a stylish setting.

To be completed in 2008, The Broadmead Expansion represents a £500m city centre renaissance of Bristol. The scheme will see a new four-level House of Fraser department store as a landmark at the heart of new Broadmead and will also include another 16 major stores, a further 104 smaller retail units, 240 city centre apartments as well as a continental-style square, a 2,616 space car park built at the east end of existing Broadmead and a Cinema Lux with 13 screens and 12 casual dining restaurants. The shopping area will also be covered with a huge glass roof, protecting the streets below from the worst of the weather.

For more information about Bristol and what it has to offer, visit www.visitbristol.co.uk.