Banksy to the Blitz

Welcome to Banksy to the Blitz, a walking tour that uncovers how Bristol’s most iconic street art owes its canvas to one of the darkest chapters in the city’s history.

We’ll explore how the bombs that fell during the Second World War didn’t just scar Bristol—they reshaped it, leaving behind unexpected spaces that would one day become playgrounds for artists.

During the Blitz, entire rows of buildings were destroyed, leaving gaps in the streetscape that lingered long after the war ended. Some were filled with rushed post‑war construction or left neglected by local authorities. Others simply remained as empty, forgotten pockets of the city.

Decades later, these overlooked spaces—tucked between shops, behind car parks, or clinging to the sides of half‑rebuilt streets—became the perfect canvases for a new generation of creatives. It’s no coincidence that so much of Bristol’s Street Art appears in these bomb‑born voids.

The city’s most striking murals exist precisely where destruction once tore the urban fabric apart.

As we walk, you’ll see how history, loss, and creativity collide. You’ll discover why the walls that survived the Blitz now carry the colours, characters, and political punch of Bristol’s world‑famous street art scene. And you’ll understand how the journey from wartime rubble to modern‑day murals tells a story far bigger than any single painting.

And this journey doesn’t just stay above ground.

The tour finishes inside a genuine WW2 air‑raid shelter, a complete time capsule hidden beneath the streets. During your subterranean adventure you’ll see artwork created during the raids themselves — pieces every bit as impressive, expressive, and human as the murals painted on the streets above.

Your tour then finishes back in the 21st century amongst the wonderful independent traders of St. Nicholas Market. There’s no better place in Bristol to grab some lunch!