4 min readIf Valentine’s Day has got you plotting where best to get down on bended knee and pop the question to your beloved, then consider Bristol your amorous wing-lady. The city’s unique, jaw-dropping backdrops are bound to capture the mood and help you put a ring on it!
Here are some of the most romantic places to propose in the city...
Image - RAF Red Arrows over Bristol, photo credit Angharad Paull
5. Iconic Bristol Attractions
Bristol’s top attractions make great backdrops for a proposal.
Drop hints to your partner at Bristol Aquarium and spot the clownfish and seahorses who mate for life, or declare your love up on the deck of Brunel’s SS Great Britain (also a popular wedding venue).
Wind through the beautiful ancient walkways in Bear Wood at Bristol Zoo Project and watch the magnificent bears, wolves and lynx as they roam below. Or if you're into adrenaline rushes, propose after taking a jump at Leap of Faith.
Image - Brunel's SS Great Britain
If your partner is into planes, or you want some real Bristol heritage to be part of your proposal story, pop the question under Concorde at Aerospace Bristol.
For something different, delight in the history, geology and legends at the Wookey Hole, then emerge from the caves to the hidden valley where the views are spectacular.
Image - Aerospace Bristol
4. Clevedon Pier
Clevedon, near Bristol, is a charming seaside town with a pebbled shoreline and restored Grade I* listed Victorian pier – one of the finest in all of England. Boyband One Direction thought it had the love factor and shot the video to their song, You and I here (perhaps you could serenade the object of your affections in similar style? Just an idea...). Stroll through the ornamental gardens or take to the water at the re-vamped Marine Lake, before a promenade and proposal on the pier.
Image - Clevedon pier
3. A restaurant
If food is the way to your partner’s heart, dazzle them with some delicious nosh in one of Bristol’s romantic eateries. Whether you opt for a table at one of Bristol's Michelin-starred restaurants, or twinkly poolside tapas at the Lido, gaze into your partner’s eyes over a long lingering dinner before summoning up the courage to ask them to be yours forever.
2. Clifton Suspension Bridge
Views like this are hard to top. From any angle – above, below, the Leigh Woods side or looking down from the Clifton Observatory, Brunel’s mighty suspension bridge is hypnotic in its splendour. Drink in the view of the dramatic Avon Gorge together, before putting the icing on the cake and asking your partner that question.
Alternatively, just outside the city you'll find the jaw-dropping Cheddar Gorge, where you can climb Jacob's Ladder to enjoy stunning views across Somerset.
Image - Clifton Suspension Bridge
1. In a hot air balloon
Provided your partner isn’t scared of heights, this is the ultimate romantic gesture. Soar over Bristol’s photogenic landscape, for an incredible once-in-a-lifetime experience, then in the quiet, still air that comes with floating this high above the Earth, you’ll have to give up those views for a moment as you get down on one knee. Celebrate with a glass of Champers as you touch down after your flight. Fly Away Ballooning or Wonderdays offer Champagne packages. Love truly is in the air.
- Browse romantic local experiences, from wine tasting to pottery making, on Yuup
Image - Hot air balloon over Bristol, photo credit Paul Box
For even more starry-eyed declarations of love you could hire a tandem bicycle, ask for your partner's hand while gazing over beautiful panoramic views from the top of Cabot Tower, declare your love at Lovers Leap in Blaise Castle Estate, or head east to lovely Troopers Hill Nature Reserve.
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