Introducing Bristol

With a population nudging half a million, Bristol is England’s sixth largest city. In the 19th century, Bristol built its wealth on the shoulders of its strategic trading port. While the port may have lost its economic preeminence, the city remains an outward looking, free-thinking city that has become one of England’s most influential cultural centers. Bristol is second only to London when it comes to creative zeal and manufacturing prowess. From publishing houses to silicon design studies, high-tech corporations to aerospace industries, Bristol is a prosperous city with a GDP that is 40 per cent higher than the national average. Bristol University is one of the country’s top academic institutions and the city embraces and nurtures a diverse student population who add to a rich cultural fabric and fosters a robust arts scene.

Despite World War II’s infamous ‘Bristol Blitz,’ the city showcases a staggering 51 Grade I listed buildings and close to 4,000 Grade II listed buildings. It seems as though every architectural period is represented, from medieval to Renaissance, Tudor to Georgian, Bristol Byzantine (an architectural style unique to the city), and 21st-century modernism. Bristol also boasts terrific art galleries and museums: Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery; Watershed Media Centre; Arnolfini gallery; and the Royal West of England Academy, located in the high brow enclave of Clifton.

Bristol’s theatre and music scenes are legendary. Budding thespians migrate from London to perform at the city’s venerable theatre companies. The Bristol Old Vic, founded in 1946, is the younger sibling of London’s Old Vic company. Innumerable Bristol bands have triumphed throughout Europe and the US, including Portishead, Massive Attack, Tricky, and Glaxo Babies.

Airports within a 27-mile radius of Bristol:

  • Bristol Filton Airport (FZO)
    • Bristol Airport (BRS)
    • Lyneham Airport (LYE)
    • Kemble Airport (EGBP)

Popular aircraft charters* in the Bristol area include:

  • Citation Excel (super light)
  • Learjet 45 XR (super light)
  • Citation CJ3 (light)
  • Learjet 31ER 400A (light)
  • Learjet 60 XR (midsize)
  • Citation III (midsize)
  • Gulfstream G200 (super midsize)
  • Citation Sovereign (super midsize)

*This is just a sample. Zephyr provides access to aircraft at every end of the spectrum, from luxurious VIP airliners, to ultra long range business jet, helicopters, and economical turboprops.