Jobs in Bristol | Pictures of Bristol

The post-war rush for reconstruction in the wake of the German bombing raids which virtually levelled the city saw Bristol 's physical landscape dominated by a monstrous collection of concrete carbuncles that served only to sustain the city's short-term need for practical accommodation and business premises, whilst severely compromising their aesthetical appeal.

But over the last decade, Bristol has undergone an extensive programme of regeneration and rejuvenation that has transformed the city into a modern, vivacious, cosmopolitan and forward-thinking location that is attracting professionals, students and investors in their droves.

Getting around Bristol
Commuting into the centre of Bristol during the morning rush-hour used to be a daunting experience, with the roads heavily congested and compounded by a frustrating one-way system. But a number of road improvements along the M32 – the main spur that brings traffic directly into that city centre – have gone some way to alleviate the problem. That said, despite the slightly reduced levels of congestion, you may be better off avoiding driving altogether and take advantage of the Park & Ride schemes which operates from Portway, Bath Road and Long Ashton.

Alternatively, you could take the train. Bristol is served by two main stations – Temple Meads and Parkway, neither of which are particularly central. Both stations have frequent services to many of the same locations, but Parkway is principally aimed at suburban routes and is located approximately 3 miles from the city, linked via a regular bus service to Marlborough Street bus station in the city centre.

And this is where all local and regional bus services terminate – a place that may become very familiar if you are planning to make a night of it, with the NightFlyer running and all-night services along eight routes every Friday and Saturday.

For the health conscious, Bristol is one of the prominent cycling cities in the UK with a number of urban cycling routes throughout the city and beyond.

Eating, drinking and shopping in Bristol
Bristol has a lot to offer and a huge choice of bars, restaurants and shops. And regardless of which part of the city your office is based, you are always within walking distance of a good choice of somewhere to grab a quick lunch or enjoy a swift half.

Eating out is an agony of choice for gastronomes - the city is awash with places to eat, from traditional greasy spoons to fine dining emporiums. And where the restaurants are located, the city's nightlife inevitably follows.

Bristol offers quality night life, the main reason being it's 30,000 strong student population. However, it's relatively expensive with entertainment prices similar to those in London . Mainstream nightlife centers on King and Corn Streets in the ‘old city', whilst the Harbourside and Whiteladies Road areas are dominated by chain bars and get extremely busy at weekends.

The eastern end of King Street provides a slightly more relaxed, but popular, outdoor drinking area on sunny summer evenings surrounded by the old mercantile historic pubs such as the 17 th century Llandoger Trow.

And as for shopping, there are few places that can oust Bristol as one of the best shopping cities in the UK .

The city's central shopping district consists of two major areas, Broadmead and Cabot Circus.

Cabot Circus is the new kid on the block and is an architecturally impressive, large and mostly under-cover shopping centre, containing over 120 shops including House of Fraser, Harvey Nichols, Apple, and Cinema Du Lux. And a few hundred yards ahead of it is the Broadmead area containing the Galleries shopping centre which was - up until Cabot Circus opened in 2008 - Bristol's main city centre mall housing the staple high street stores including Lush, BHS, M&S and Waterstones.

If you are looking for a bargain there are also a number of markets around the city, most notably St Nicholas Market. Aside from the usual jewelry, books and CD stalls that typify these types of markets, St Nicholas' real appeal is the excellent choice of international cuisine that is freshly cooked and served whilst you wait.

And about a mile away lies Clifton village – the slightly trendier area of Bristol - on the hilltop to the west of the centre, with its collection of expensive boutique style shops, cafes and restaurants.

Outside the city itself is the larger Cribbs Causeway, off junction 17 of the M5. This has a large John Lewis and Marks and Spencer as well as lots of other fashionable shops and a cinema complex.

When it's time to take a breather and ran some well-earned me-time, Bristol has a number of places worth taking a look at, including the Clifton Suspension Bridge which spans the spectacular Avon Gorge at a height of 75m, British Empire & Commonwealth Museum, City Museum & Art Gallery and the Theatre Royal – the oldest working theatre in the country dating back to 1766.

Not forgetting the SS Great Britain - the world's first iron hulled, screw propeller-driven, steam-powered passenger liner, built by Brunel in 1843 and now preserved in a dry-dock alongside the floating harbor. Winner of the Gulbenkian Prize for Museum of the Year 2006 - the Biggest Arts Prize in the U.K.

Main residential areas
The development of Bristol 's Harbourside has been a major success story in the city's history. The Harbourside is a popular residential area, offering new housing, waterfront apartments, luxury developments and attractive townhouses. This is a particularly desirable place to live in Bristol , being close to the city centre and offering pleasant views overlooking Bristol 's floating harbour.

Another sought after area to live in Bristol is the village of Clifton , to the north-west of the city. Within walking distance of Bristol University and close to good shops and restaurants, it is a popular district for both student accommodation and family living. It lies two miles from the city centre and a quarter of a mile from The Downs. Both detached houses and semi-detached houses can be found here, as well as flat conversions in traditional buildings. The area also contains some modern apartment blocks, maisonettes and luxury apartments.

Neighbouring Cliftonwood and Redland are areas with both traditional housing and modern townhouse developments. The residential areas of Westbury Park and Stoke Bishop offer a range of styles of houses and flats, and large family houses can also be found in the suburb of Westbury-on-Trym.

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in Bristol.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around Bristol below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in Bristol or find out more information on the local area.