Summer Day Trip to Bath

- Invest the £6 (less for students) to take the City Tour bus around town. You can take two: one takes you around the city center, the other takes you further east past the University and Prior Park.

- Prior Park at this time of the year was a dream. Had wonderful weather to experience the solitude of the park. It was actually like I was alone. Try following one of the off-shoot paths. I did this and found a meadow overlooking the hillsides, covered in summer blooms. A nice bench to rest on.

- Sally Lunn's restaurant. Apparently the oldest building in the city. Not much to see, but great things to eat! Nice slow pace to help you fall into the area's ambience.

- Public Park along the river. Only 90pence (or so) to go down and hang out on a lounge chair. The day I was there they had a live band in the gazebo playing everything from the James Bond soundtrack to classical pieces from Beethoven and more.

- Catch a cricket game.

Quick Tips:

- The City Tour Bus offers student discounted rates. The city tour has an audio tour that helps you learn about the areas.

- I went on a Sunday, fearing things would be closed. However, everything was open. If you're shopping, however, be sure to do it by about 4pm as the places start to shut down.

Best Way To Get Around:

Walking, the City Bus tour

Although slower than I had hoped for, I quickly learned that is the norm for many European restaurants. Service was good - better if you were not alone, as I was (seemed harder to get staff's attention). The food was terrific. I ordered one of the sandwich and tea combinations, getting the brie and cranberry sandwich on a Sally Lunn Bun. Mouthwatering! The tea was delectable, just the thing for a Sunday afternoon.

I accidentally came upon this idyllic landscape garden and park when I hopped on the country-side bus instead of the city tour one. The result was a relaxing stroll around the most amazing park I have ever visited.

To arrive here, I had purchased a City Sightseeing pass for just 6 GBP. The pass allows free hop on/off service on the two buses: one for the city central area and one for the country side. It was a beautiful ride on the open topped bus up the steep hillsides. Upon hearing the tour guide describe the park as we arrived at the stop, I quickly decided to hop off and spend the hour exploring it. (It was an hour until the next bus arrived.)

To describe the park in the best of words will be difficult. However, I will attempt to do it justice.

It was like discovering an old world seen only in elaborate English films or in your minds eye as you read a Jane Austen novel. I never expected to find such a location in my life. The day was perfect - a late June Sunday, with the sun high and temperatures just shy of too warm.

The park is run by the National Trust so it's well taken care of. There's a path immediately past the gate which you may take left or right, circling back eventually to where you begin. To the left will start you down the hill and to the right will start you up (as well as towards the facilities). I chose the right after realizing the left would be a long walk to the bathroom, however, I was not disappointed.

A short stroll up (not too steep) the hill brings you past a small garden of artworks by children (at least at that time) and then to a castle at the summit of the hill. You cannot go in, but it is a pretty sight.

Also atop the hill you can find the beginning of the old serpentine river and lake that snakes underground and down the hill. Very interesting!

Continuing around the park back to the left you can find a couple of small off-shoot trails, which, if taken, will give you a view to die by. Take one far enough, to a fence, through the gate, you'll find the path brings you to a stone bench perched perfectly atop the hill in the middle of a meadow. The view of the city is remarkable. As it seemed no one else existed at this point, I found a peace of mind I had yet to experience. If you like to meditate, go here!

Back on the trail and to your right (downhill) you'll pass the lake with picnickers and sunbathers laid out on the lawn. Working your way around the lake and back up the hill you'll get great views of the Palladian Bridge, a beautiful Roman structure that seems almost out of place.