3 Days in Bath

Overview and Highlights

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

Ask anybody for their ideal image of any English city and chances are they'll come up with something close to Bath - a fashionable haunt for the cream of British society for the last 300 years. It has grand Georgian terraces, Palladian parades and townhouses of honey coloured stone. It is one of Britain's most attractive cities and still exudes an air of gentility and sophistication.Bath is grand and elegant and is ideal for a weekend visit. Visitors throng here and it is not hard to see why. For more than 2,000 years, the city's fortune has revolved around its hot springs and the tourism the water has attracted. When the Romans invaded Britain 2,000 years ago they called Bath "Aquae ...Read More

Ask anybody for their ideal image of any English city and chances are they'll come up with something close to Bath - a fashionable haunt for the cream of British society for the last 300 years. It has grand Georgian terraces, Palladian parades and townhouses of honey coloured stone. It is one of Britain's most attractive cities and still exudes an air of gentility and sophistication.

Bath is grand and elegant and is ideal for a weekend visit. Visitors throng here and it is not hard to see why. For more than 2,000 years, the city's fortune has revolved around its hot springs and the tourism the water has attracted. When the Romans invaded Britain 2,000 years ago they called Bath "Aquae Sulis" and founded the baths here in the mineral springs (which you can still visit).

Throughout the 18th century, Bath was the fashionable haunt of English society. In 1702 Queen Anne made the trek here from London to the mineral springs of Bath, and this made the city the most celebrated spa in England.

Bath rightly boasts of being the best planned town in England. Its fashionable period in the 17th and 18th centuries coincided with one of Britain's most creative architectural eras, producing virtually an entire town of stylish buildings. 18th century architect John Wood the Elder and his son designed a city of stone from the nearby hills, so substantial and lasting, a feat that means Bath today is the most harmoniously laid out city in England.

During Georgian and Victorian times it attracted leading political and literary figures such as Dickens, Thackeray, Nelson and Pitt. Jane Austen set Persuasion and Northanger Abbey here and Gainsborough established himself as a landscape painter.

It is full of museums, but the greatest enjoyment comes from wandering the streets. Admire the two most famous crescents - Royal Crescent and The Circus. The city is compact and leisurely and ideal for a short break. It really is a unique place - hot springs, Roman period baths, medieval heritage and stately Georgian architecture, as well as a thriving spa scene and great shopping. There is truely something for everyone.

Our highlights were:

- Wandering the streets, enjoying the beautiful buildings - especially the Royal Crescent, which is absolutely stunning.

- Spending a morning in the lovely shops - Bath is full of quaint and unusual shops that are different from most high streets in other towns and cities in England. It is a great place to do some early Christmas shopping.

- Visiting the amazing Roman Baths - there is so much to see, learn and find out about here. To think you are actually walking in the footsteps of the Romans and seeing where they bathed and worshipped the goddess Sulis Minerva is a fantastic experience. The self guided tour is great for adults and children and this is a must see if you are in Bath.

- Visiting Longleat House and Safari Park - just half an hour drive from Bath, this is a fun and different day out amid beautiful countryside. Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

Tips and Hints

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Bath bun with chocolate spread Photo - Bath, England

Quote:

* Bath has a serious traffic problem - especially during rush hour. There is also a tricky one way system to navigate and it is very easy to get lost. Park and ride services exist, but the best thing to do is leave your car and walk as much as possible. The city centre is very compact and all attractions are walkable - it is also the best way to explore. Parking is also a nightmare, with 2 hour limits applying on most streets. Many parking bays are resident only - definitely be careful and check before leaving your car. The traffic wardens are apparently also extremely efficient - so do not even think of leaving your car, even for a minute, on a double yellow line.* Some of the shopp...Read More

* Bath has a serious traffic problem - especially during rush hour. There is also a tricky one way system to navigate and it is very easy to get lost. Park and ride services exist, but the best thing to do is leave your car and walk as much as possible. The city centre is very compact and all attractions are walkable - it is also the best way to explore. Parking is also a nightmare, with 2 hour limits applying on most streets. Many parking bays are resident only - definitely be careful and check before leaving your car. The traffic wardens are apparently also extremely efficient - so do not even think of leaving your car, even for a minute, on a double yellow line.

* Some of the shopping areas feel like pedestrian only, but actually are not. Have a quick look around before you follow everyone else onto the road, and if you are a driver, expect pedestrians to walk in front of you!

* Use the Hop on / Hop Off bus tour. It is a great way to get a feel for the city. There are 15 stops, including the Roman Baths, Sally Lunns etc.. We paid £23.00 for 2 adults and 1 child - this included a small discount which applies if you are a member of the National Trust. The tickets are valid for the day of purchase and all of the next day and you can get off and on as much as you like. There are 2 tours - the city tour and the skyline tour (this takes you into the hills above Bath for a view over the city). The same ticket is valid for both tours. We thought this was particularly good value. We actually did the city tour twice - the first time we had to listen to an audio guide, but the next day, they had a guide on board, so it was nice to experience it again with a bit of a different perspective. I would highly recommend this tour.

* If you stroll across the River Avon at Pulteney Bridge you will come to Sydney Gardens, a good place for children to relax and run around. You can watch the boats on the Kennet and Avon Canal, rent canoes and punts or take a cruise on the river. Also Royal Victoria Park is a good place to bring children to let off some steam. It is a lovely park to stroll through, but at one end there is a hugh (free) children's adventure playground which is great fun.

* Most guides to Bath recommend a visit to Sally Lunns to try the famous Bath Bun. It was invented 300 years ago at this location, and the buns are still baked by hand here from the original recipe. We went here, but were a little underwhelmed by the experience. The teahouse is quite quaint, but service was a bit hit and miss and I thought it was extremely overpriced. The Bath bun was like half a bread roll - it comes with an assortment of fillings - we chose jams. We each had a bath bun, our son had a sandwich (which was very nice) and for this and 2 glasses of lemonade and a cup of coffee, the price was £23.00. I would have preferred to visit the small museum (entrance is 30p) and have had lunch elsewhere - it would have been cheaper and tastier. This is just my personal opinion - the place is full of tourists, so others might not agree. Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

Brooks Guesthouse

Best Of IgoUgo

Hotel | "Brookes Guesthouse, Bath"

Our bedroom at Brookes Guesthouse Photo - Brooks Guesthouse, Bath, England

Quote:

Brookes is a boutique style bed and breakfast close to the centre of Bath. We found it on the website www.visitbath.co.uk. Hotels in Bath seemed to be extremely expensive, even for more modest places, this guesthouse was not cheap (£380 for 3 nights for a triple room), but it was much better value than a lot of the accommodation we looked at. We booked directly through the visitbath website, and all went very smoothly.We struggled to find the guesthouse - our sat nav kept bringing us to the wrong location, but after some helpful directions from the chap on reception, we eventually found it.Brookes is situated in a row of elegant houses, about 10 minutes walk to the centre of...Read More

Brookes is a boutique style bed and breakfast close to the centre of Bath. We found it on the website www.visitbath.co.uk. Hotels in Bath seemed to be extremely expensive, even for more modest places, this guesthouse was not cheap (£380 for 3 nights for a triple room), but it was much better value than a lot of the accommodation we looked at. We booked directly through the visitbath website, and all went very smoothly.

We struggled to find the guesthouse - our sat nav kept bringing us to the wrong location, but after some helpful directions from the chap on reception, we eventually found it.

Brookes is situated in a row of elegant houses, about 10 minutes walk to the centre of Bath. The location, was, for us ideal.

There are 21 bedrooms in total, all ensuite and styled differently, with a mix of antique and modern furnishings.

Our room was on the 2nd floor - at the top of a lot of narrow and winding stairs (there is no lift). It was a large, wide room with a huge double bed and a fold up single bed for our son. There was tea/coffee making facilities and a flatscreen television.

The bathroom was very small, but was modern and had a reasonable shower. The extractor fan in the bathroom had broken and was repaired, but not properly. Without us mentioning anything, they apologised for this in advance, offered us a complimentary drink that evening from the bar, and at the end of our 3 days, gave us free parking. We thought this was excellent service, especially since it was fully repaired by the second day.

There is an honesty bar in the basement - you help yourself to drinks and write down what you have had, and pay on checkout. There is quite a nice guests' lounge too with an open fire. Here they have free access to the internet on a laptop in the lounge, and there is WiFi throughout the guesthouse.

Parking permits are available on a first come, first served basis and cost £6.00 for 24 hours. We got one and always found a parking space fairly close to the guesthouse. On our last day, they allowed us to keep the permit even though we had checked out. We returned it later in the afternoon before we left Bath.

There is a fantastic bar called the Marlborough Tavern just 5 minutes walk from Brookes. We ate here on our first evening in Bath and had the most delicious food.

Royal Victoria Park is also next door to the guesthouse, and the Royal Crescent is less than 5 minutes walk away. There are plenty of nice bars and restaurants in the locality, but if you wish to venture into the centre of Bath, it is only a 10 minute walk.

Breakfast was included in the price and was good. There was a small selection of cereals and fruit juices where you could help yourself, waitresses brought you your choice of cooked breakfast - anything from a full English fry-up to cinammon toast to smoked salmon and scrambled eggs.

Brookes is a good place to stay in Bath. The location is convenient, but the staff are wonderful. Our bedroom was a little bit dated and could have done with a lick of paint. The first night, we did not get a great night's sleep - a combination of road noise and people coming and going. This improved on subsequent nights however. We did though, enjoy our stay here and would recommend it. We would also consider staying here again, should we ever return to Bath. Read Less

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on November 19, 2010

Brooks Guesthouse
1, 1A Crescent Gardens, Upper Bristol Road
Bath, England BA1 2NA
44 (0) 1225 425543

Cheer!
Flag

The Roman Baths

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Roman Baths"

Roman Baths Photo - The Roman Baths, Bath, England

Quote:

Built by the Romans 2,000 years ago and rediscovered by the Victorians, the Roman Baths are an absolute must-see attraction when you are in Bath. They are fuelled by England's only mineral hot springs, outputting over a million litres of hot water each day.We arrived at the baths when they opened. It is a good idea to do this, as although it was still busy, at least you can avoid the crowds arriving later in the day, which transform one of the world's most interesting historical tours into a frustrating scrum.Included in the entrance price is a hand-held audio guide. There is a commentary available in 8 languages, as well as a special one for children. Our son found the who...Read More

Built by the Romans 2,000 years ago and rediscovered by the Victorians, the Roman Baths are an absolute must-see attraction when you are in Bath. They are fuelled by England's only mineral hot springs, outputting over a million litres of hot water each day.

We arrived at the baths when they opened. It is a good idea to do this, as although it was still busy, at least you can avoid the crowds arriving later in the day, which transform one of the world's most interesting historical tours into a frustrating scrum.

Included in the entrance price is a hand-held audio guide. There is a commentary available in 8 languages, as well as a special one for children. Our son found the whole tour fascinating. The children's commentary has different characters describing life in Roman times and what their job was at the baths.

We then started wandering around the rooms that make up the baths. They are superbly maintained and the exhibits are filled with eye popping archaelogy.

The first section gives information about the natural springs and how they were formed. Then you learn about the baths and life in Roman times which is fascinating and very well done. They have an interactive room for children, where they can make a herb sachet and handle Roman pottery. A wonderful, patient and knowledgable guide explained to our 7 year old what the pieces of pottery were and talked about feasting and eating habits in Roman times. He really brought the history to life.

A real highlight of the tour is the Sacred Spring - part of the temple of the goddess Sulis Minerva, where water bubbles out at a constant 45 degrees centigrade. The open-air (but originally covered) Great Bath is stunning - its vaporous green waters are surrounded by the 19th century pillars, terraces and statues of famous Romans. You can also see the Circular Bath where bathers cooled off and the Norman Kings Bath.

There are lots of coins, jewellery, sculptures and grafitti (mainly curses) all salvaged from the Roman era.

Along the tour were people dressed in Roman costume, answering questions and chatting about life in Roman times and the different people who worked in the baths.

We stayed about 2.5 hours - the time flew by and it was a real highlight of our time in Bath.

After the Roman Baths, be sure to go into the Pump Room. It is attached to the Roman Baths gift shop and is beautiful. An elegant, 18th century place to eat, with glorious chandeliers and a very grand and opulent atmosphere. Since Georgian times, diners here have been serenaded by a Palm Court trio, a tradition that continues today. Supposedly they do the best cream teas in town. We had a look at the menu, but decided that to pay £17.00 per person for tea and sandwiches was somewhat pricey and had lunch elsewhere.

In the Pump Rooms they also serve the "bath water." A glass of this unusual drink costs £1.50, or is free if you have been to the Roman Baths and show them your ticket. Be sure to try it - you probably will not particularly enjoy it, but it is part of the experience. It is warm and has a weird taste - but the minerals it contains are apparently great for your all round health. Read Less

The Roman Baths
Abbey Church Yard
Bath, England BA1 1LZ
+44 1225 477785

Cheer!
Flag

Bath Sightseeing

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

We started our day of sightseeing in Bath at the Abbey. It was started in 1499 and built on the ruins of the former Norman Cathedral. You can go up the tower for a view of Bath. It costs £5.00. I cannot comment on the view however, as we did not do this, due to very overcast weather.Edgar, the first king of united England was crowned in a church in Abbey Courtyard in 973. The present abbey was built in 1499 and 1616, making it the last great medieval church in England. The most striking feature of the exterior is the west facade, where angels climb up and down stone ladders. This commemorates a dream of the founder of the abbey, Bishop Oliver King.Inside the abbey, at t...Read More

Cheer!
Flag

Bath Shopping

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

Bath is truely a shopper's paradise. There are hundreds of independently owned shops selling unusual things. There are also a lot of specialist shops, including craft shops, jewellers, toy shops and antique shops. It is so different from most of the other high streets in towns and cities across England and that is what makes it so special.Jolly's (a House of Fraser store) is in the middle of Milsom Street and is one of the largest department stores in Bath. It is supposedly the world's oldest department store, opening in 1831. The shop front is very imposing with granite, mahogany and bronze.Rossiters of Bath - this was one of my favourite shops and I spent ages browsing i...Read More

Cheer!
Flag

Longleat House and Safari Park

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction

Longleat House Photo - Longleat House and Safari Park, Bath, England

Quote:

Longleat House and Safari Park is half an hour's drive from the centre of Bath, through the most beautiful, leafy English countryside.Longleat is a magnificient Elizabethan house built in early Renaissance style. It is owned by the 7th Marquis of Bath. The house is very grand and there are various attractions around it, which make it a good family day out.We bought our tickets in advance of our visit direct from their website. You save about £3.00 per person this way. We bought the Passport tickets which give you entry to everything. We paid £21.50 for our tickets and £14.00 for our son.From the Elizabethan Great Hall and the library to the State Rooms and the ...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on November 21, 2010

Longleat House and Safari Park
Just Off The A362 Longleat
Bath, England

Cheer!
Flag

IgoUgo

Bath Journals

Upload Photos