Car Hire: Take advantage of the special easyJet inflight rates. Visit the Europcar desk on arrival or call +44 (0)120 229 3357. Open from 7am-midnight seven days a week.

Airport Transfer: Pre-book your door-to-door transfer with easyJet’s transfer partner, Holiday Taxis—from home to the airport, then city or resort (easyjet.holidaytaxis.com).

Taxi: Checker Cars operate directly from Bristol International Airport. A journey to the city centre costs £20 for four people (Tel. 01275 475 000. www.checkercars.com).

Airport Bus: The Bristol International Flyer connects the airport to Temple Meads train station, Bristol Bus Station and Clifton, with stops around the city. Tickets: £6 single; £8 return (www.bristolairport.co.uk).

Undercroft Café
( St Mary Redcliffe Church, Redcliffe Street. Tel. 0117 925 5989 )
Warm up with an organic hot drink, freshly made sandwiches, cakes and home-cooked lunches in tranquil and intimate surroundings.

La Tasca
( Clifton Heights, Triangle West, West End. Tel. 0117 925 9933 )
Indulge in authentic Spanish cuisine with a wide selection of tapas dishes, paella and sangria.

Riverstation
( The Grove, Harbourside. Tel. 0117 914 4434 )
Award-winning conversion of a former police station on the waterfront, with stunning views of the old docks. Simple menus are available in the deli bar and restaurant.

Quarter Jacks Restaurant, Bar & Lounge
( Aztec Hotel and Spa, Aztec West, Almondsbury. Tel. 01454 201090 )
Excellent food and service. Enjoy some of the region's finest offerings from the Taste of the West hors d'oeuvres table, including smoked and marinated fish, cured meats and terrines, cheeses and a wide selection of salads.

Bordeaux Quay
( V-Shed, Canons Road. Tel. 0117 943 1200 )
This sophisticated bar within a converted quayside warehouse serves a fantastic range of local ales, ciders, speciality beers and lagers.

The Old Duke
( 45 King Street, Old City. Tel. 0117 9277137 )
A traditional Bristol pub that boasts friendly service and locally sourced ales, playing host to world-class blues and jazz acts every night of the week, and Sunday lunchtimes, too.

The Woods
( 1 Park Street Avenue. Tel. 0117 925 0890 )
A popular and eclectic-looking bar within an elegant Victorian building. The Woods has a fine whisky collection and guitar-driven music policy.

St Nicholas Market, established in 1743, is a covered venue in the Old City with the largest collection of independent retailers in Bristol. It offers a mix of unusual gifts, second-hand stalls and retro clothes, alongside quality local produce.

After nearly two decades, Clifton Lido reopens in November. Developers have taken into account its architectural and cultural history, but given it a 21st-century twist.

The leafy Georgian crescents of fashionable Clifton Village offer delightful galleries, boutiques and antiques shops. This is one of the city's best addresses.

The Encounters International Film festival celebrates short film-making (18-23 November).

Somerset – It’s carnival season in nearby Somerset, so head to Bridgwater (7 November), Glastonbury (15), Shepton Mallet (12), Wells (14) orWeston-Super-Mare (17). Among the largest illuminated processions in the world, the colourful floats with their thousands of light bulbs draw big crowds.

Hollywood legend Cary Grant—real name Archibald Leach—was born in Horfield, Bristol. The actor, who made more than 70 films, played his first role in theatre at the Bristol Hippodrome.

Compiled by Destination Bristol/www.visitbristol.co.uk