Visit Bristol’s Harbourside to find everything from award-winning museums to varied dining, nightlife and festivals. The Harbourside is part of Bristol Floating Harbour, where merchants once traded goods and sailors set off on voyages to undiscovered lands. A regeneration program began in the 1970s and today the district is the beating heart of Bristol’s cultural identity and maritime heritage.

Millennium Square, a location for festivals and big screen sporting events, is a good place to begin. Admire the water features and herb gardens and take a photo next to a statue of Cary Grant. Enjoy educational fun for all ages at We The Curious science center and Bristol Aquarium. Shop for art, books, clothes and jewelry at the Harbourside Market and people watch from the many waterfront bars and restaurants.

Fans of independent cinema can attend screenings of international releases at the Watershed. Annual events, such as the Bristol Harbour Festival and Bristol Summer Series, take place at the Lloyds Amphitheatre. Cross the water to the Arnolfini Gallery, which puts on cinema, dance and visual arts events.

Walk across the Prince Street Swing Bridge or catch a passenger ferry to Wapping Wharf, on Spike Island. Travel through the ages of Bristol from prehistoric times to today at the M Shed. Watch old shipyard cranes in action and ride the Bristol Harbour Railway. Cruises on the Matthew, a replica of the ship that discovered Newfoundland, and the Mayflower, which is the oldest tugboat in the world, depart from here.

Don’t miss the chance to explore Brunel’s SS Great Britain, a pioneering 19th-century passenger liner. Witness the activity of a Victorian-era boatyard at Underfall Yard. Spike Island gallery provides a platform for avant-garde contemporary artists. Searching for Banksy’s The Girl With Pearl Earring is a must for art enthusiasts.

The Harbourside is a short walk from Bristol’s Old City and Bristol City Centre. Get between the different areas via pedestrian bridges and passenger ferries.