Totterdown is the hillside south of Temple Meads where entire terraces are painted in clashing pinks, blues, yellows and greens. There's no official scheme behind it: it's decades of individual homeowners choosing bold colours, and it has become one of Bristol's most photographed streets. You can walk the whole thing in twenty minutes, longer if you keep stopping for photos.
Where the colourful houses are
The best-known run is along Arnos Vale-facing streets like Wells Road, Cotswold Road, Cameron Road and Grosvenor Terrace, where the escarpment drops steeply toward the railway and the houses step down the hill in full colour. Because the terraces sit on a slope facing east, you get a wall of colour visible from way across the valley, including from trains pulling into Temple Meads.
The tradition is generally traced back to the 1960s and 70s, when a handful of residents (Bristol's former mayor George Ferguson among the names usually mentioned) painted their houses to brighten up plain grey render. It caught on street by street rather than being planned, and Bristol's wider reputation for colourful houses, from Totterdown to Cliftonwood, grew out of the same instinct.
How to see it properly
Start at Temple Meads station, which is a five to ten minute walk from the bottom of the hill. Head up Wells Road and turn into the side streets, Cotswold Road and Bruce Road are good ones, to get close to the houses rather than just viewing the escarpment from a distance. Windmill Hill City Farm sits just below the neighbourhood if you want to combine the walk with something else.
For the classic photo, the view from across the valley near Victoria Park in Windmill Hill, or from a train approaching Temple Meads, shows the whole hillside at once. It's a residential street, so keep to the pavement, keep noise down and don't photograph directly into people's windows.
Getting there and parking
Totterdown is a fifteen minute walk from the city centre, or a short ride on buses heading toward Knowle and Brislington. There's very little dedicated visitor parking; most streets are residents' permit zones, so if you're driving, it's easier to park near Temple Meads or use one of the city centre car parks and walk up.
Is there anything else to do nearby
Totterdown backs onto Victoria Park and Windmill Hill City Farm, both worth combining with a visit, and it's a short walk from the Bedminster and Southville scene, which has its own cluster of cafes and pubs. If you're coming from Temple Meads anyway, it's an easy add-on to a first afternoon in the city; see our guide to getting around Bristol for onward travel.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the houses in Totterdown painted different colours?
There's no council scheme behind it. It started with individual homeowners painting their terraces from the 1960s onward, spread street by street, and has stuck as a local tradition and now a tourist draw.
Is Totterdown the same as Cliftonwood?
No, they're two separate colourful neighbourhoods. Totterdown is south of Temple Meads on the Wells Road side; Cliftonwood is on the hill below Clifton, near the suspension bridge. Both have brightly painted terraces but they're a couple of miles apart.
How long does it take to walk around Totterdown?
Twenty to thirty minutes covers the main colourful streets at an easy pace, longer if you're stopping to take photos or continuing on to Victoria Park.
Can I park in Totterdown?
Most streets are residents' permit parking, so casual visitor parking is limited. It's easier to park near Temple Meads or in the city centre and walk up.
Is Totterdown safe to walk around?
Yes, it's a normal residential neighbourhood. The usual advice applies: keep to the pavement, be considerate of residents, and it's best visited in daylight if you're specifically going for photos.
What's the nearest station?
Bristol Temple Meads, about a five to ten minute walk from the bottom of the hill.