The City of Bath is located in the south-west of England. It is one of the greatest cities in the world and has been attracting visitors for over 2000 years. The Georgian City is a World Heritage City and its history goes back to the…Read More

The City of Bath is located in the south-west of England. It is one of the greatest cities in the world and has been attracting visitors for over 2000 years. The Georgian City is a World Heritage City and its history goes back to the Roman era. There are some unique places to see in Bath.

1. The Roman Baths

The Roman Baths are the heart of Bath's heritage and one of the finest near intact thermal spas of the ancient world that you can still see. It is an amazing place to learn about Roman history and their bath culture. It was built over 2000 years ago and has four main features: the Sacred Spring, the Roman Temple, the Roman bath house and finds from the Roman Bath. The temple was the house of the statue of the cult goddess Sulis Minerva. You can take a tour around the whole complex and at one spot even experience the touch and feel of the hot water.

2. Bath Abbey

Bath Abbey is situated in the centre of the City of Bath, close to the Roman Baths. It is not the original church. In 757 an Anglo-Saxon Abbey Church was built on the site. However in 1090 the Norman conquerors of England pulled down the church and began to build a massive Norman cathedral. Sadly by the end of the 15th century the cathedral was in ruins. The present Abbey church was founded in 1499 and completed in 1611.

Bath Abbey is a working Christian church. You can visit to worship and you can also visit to hear a concert, see an exhibition or simply have a look at the building.

3. The Royal Crescent

The Royal Crescent is a crescent shaped residential road of 30 houses built on top of a tall hill in Bath. John Wood the Younger, inspired by Stonehenge, designed this famous Georgian piece of architecture. The houses were built between 1767 and 1774 and have been home to various notable people like Thomas Brock, Francis Burdett and William Hargood. Because its facade remains much as it was when it was built the Royal Crescent has been used as a location for several films and television programmes including The Wrong Box, Persuasion and The Duchess.

4. The Fashion Museum

The Fashion Museum is a world-class collection of contemporary and historical dress. In 1963 Doris Langley Moore, who was a collector, costume designer and author gave her personal collection to the city of Bath. It became the first collection of the Museum of Costume. In 2007 the museum changed its name to the Fashion Museum. The collection at the Fashion Museum includes examples of menswear, womenswear, accessories, dresses, coats, jackets, and more.

The earliest pieces in the collection are embroidered shirts and gloves from about 1600, but the most famous are ‘The Diana Dresses’ special exhibition, which features ten selected dresses worn by Diana, The Princess of Wales, from her late teens through to her mid 30’s.
5. Pulteney Bridge
Pulteney Bridge is a bridge that crosses the River Avon in Bath. Like the Royal Crescent it is designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building.

Pulteney Bridge was designed by Robert Adam and is named after the heiress, Frances Pulteney. The bridge was completed in 1773 and is one of the few bridges in the world with shops across the full span on both sides. The bridge is now a pedestrian’s zone and best-known for its Georgian architecture.

6. Jane Austen Centre

Jane Austen was a great English writer and Bath’s most famous resident. In 1801 she moved to Bath with her retired father. Her novels Northanger Abbey and Persuasion are based on her experiences of living in Bath.

The Jane Austen Centre is located in Gay Street, Bath and is a part of a block of Grade II listed buildings. It is a permanent exhibition reflecting Jane Austen's experiences. In the centre you can explore how living in the city of Bath affected her life and her writing. You can also enjoy splendid rooftop views over the city in the centre’s Regency themed Tea Rooms.

7. The Kennet and Avon Canal

The Kennet and Avon Canal runs from the Severn Estuary near Bristol to the River Thames at Reading. It’s over 100 miles long with more than 100 locks. You can see some of the most beautiful countryside in southern England as you walk along the canal in the Avon valley near Bath.

There are two routes to explore the canal. One is a cycle path along a disused railway between Bath and Bristol. The other is the canal towpath running between Bath and Bradford on Avon. If you take the towpath you can see Hampton Row, one of the last semi-derelict terraces in Bath; you can also visit Bradford on Avon, a small, pretty town with a fascinating history. There are many other fascinating attractions both natural and historical.

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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…Read More

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 in here - is not far away from Jolly's. It is affectionately known as "the Liberty of the West". They sell some lovely unusual things, and I managed to find some wonderful early Christmas presents.

Milsom Street has been voted Britain's Best Fashion Street in the Google Street View Awards in 2010. Other shops I particularly liked in this area were Vinegar Hill and Cargo.

Walcot Street has some quite exciting shops, several trendy furniture shops and a large (excellent) toy shop. Needless to say we spent rather a lot of time here with our wide eyed 7 year old. There is also a flea market here every Saturday.

The "Top of Bath" - the Upper Town area is also filled with hidden gems and the architecture is also wonderful.

If you walk up Milsom Street you come to Bartlett Street. Further up towards the Royal Crescent is Margarets Buildings. It is a charming, pedestrianised lane tucked away between the Royal Crescent and the Circus. Here there are lovely boutiques, galleries and antique shops.

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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.…Read More

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 the entrance, they have a children's quiz trail you can pick up for free. It has clues and things of interest for children to find around the church. It keeps little ones interested and our son was really pleased with the pencil and ruler he got from the gift shop, as a prize for completing the trail.

The church tower is a great landmark. Outside in Abbey Yard there are lots of restaurants and cafes. It is a great place to have a drink or some lunch while watching some really top quality buskers. We especially enjoyed a unicyclist who juggled fire while cracking jokes!

Pulteney Bridge and Weir was designed by Robert Adam and completed in 1773. It is one of only 4 bridges in the world with shops across the full span on both sides. It overlooks Pulteney Weir. Great Pulteney Street is a lovely Georgian street and was the film location for the Reese Witherspoon version of Vanity Fair.

Pulteney Bridge and Weir is one of the most photographed views in Europe. When you see it, you will easily understand why. The River Avon, spilling over the curved terrace weir with Pulteney Bridge in the background is a wonderful sight.

If you glance from a window at the back of one of the shops on the bridge, a sudden glimpse of the river rushing underneath, almost makes you feel as if you are on board a ship.

The elegant road on the far side of the bridge is Great Pulteney Street - a very grand boulevard. There are lots of bars and restaurants in the area all around Pulteney.

The architecture throughout Bath is splendid, but nowhere more so than The Circus and above all the Royal Crescent. The two streets are not far apart, and are a must see in Bath.

The Royal Crescent is especially magnificient - a row of houses designed by John Wood and completed in 1774. The large semi-circular shaped lawn out the front is owned by the Royal Crescent residents - what a place to live! It is a residential road of 30 houses and is grade 1 listed. The Royal Crescent is one of the best examples of Georgian architecture in Great Britain.

Sally Lunn's Refreshment House and museum is a shrine to the Bath bun. It is also the oldest house in Bath, built around 1483. You can still try the bath bun here - a semi-sweet bread. The basement is the original kitchen Sally Lunn used 300 years ago and is now a little museum. Here you can see how the young immigrant Huguenot baker Sally baked the first bath bun. It is free to enter if you have had refreshments here, otherwise it costs 30 pence to enter.

There are 3 rooms serving a menu based on the Sally Lunn bun. We had lunch here and tried the sweet buns. My advice would be to go to the museum, but eat elsewhere. The bath buns are not that special and the food in Sally Lunns is extremely overpriced. It is a real tourist trap and you would get a much nicer lunch costing a lot less at one of the many other cafes in the area.

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* 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…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.Close

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…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.Close

DAYS SIX and SEVENAnother day of weak coffee (Martin Carwardine) and a train ride to Bath, a World Heritage city. In 860 B.C. Prince Bladud caught leprosy and was banned from the court, forced to look after swine, which also had leprosy, until the…Read More

DAYS SIX and SEVEN
Another day of weak coffee (Martin Carwardine) and a train ride to Bath, a World Heritage city.

In 860 B.C. Prince Bladud caught leprosy and was banned from the court, forced to look after swine, which also had leprosy, until the swine bathed in the mud near Bath. They were cured. The prince gave it a go, and was cured also. He later became king and founded a city on the miraculous site. Or that’s how the legend goes.

The legend seems to stem from a writer in the 12th century, Geoffrey of Monmouth, a native of South Wales. In 1135 he translated an ancient text of British language into Latin (History of the Kings of Britain) which includes "King" Arthur, along with a mix of legends and stories made up by the author himself. He mentions the founding of Bath, but, later, in 1150, he would write the Life of Merlin, including more detail; enter Bladud.

You’re probably wondering who Bladud was? The name itself means "wolf lord" in Celtic. And there are three candidates as to the real Bladud. The probable winner is Prince Bleiddudd, Lord of Dyfed, who is the focus of a 9th century Welsh poem, "In Praise of Tenby".

In reality, Bath was founded by the Romans around 60 A.C.E. And an easy way to see the city is through a hop on-hop off bus. (A 24-hour ticket is £11.50. Buses run every 12 minutes in the summer. It includes 17 stops on two tour routes. For more information: www.city-sightseeing.com). The Skyline Tour Route includes lovely views of the city and is missable if pressed for time. The City Centre Route runs through the heart of the historic district and hits the "must see" sights.

Bath Abbey
The Abbey is 219 feet long, 72 feet wide (including two aisles) and the tower is 160 feet tall. And all of this out of the vision of Bishop Oliver King in 1499. The west window contains 56 scenes out of the life of Jesus, and is one of the largest stained glass windows that I’ve ever encountered. (Donation requested. Open Monday - Saturday, 9:00-6:00 p.m. Sundays 1:00-2:30 and 4:30-5:30 p.m.)

Sidenote: Bath is an Abbey church, not a cathedral, as it is a parish church, and was once part of a monastery.

Roman Baths
Over a million visitors arrive every year in buses. Go early. And we mean it. The complex itself contains four buildings: the Sacred Spring, Roman Temple, Bath House and the Museum which has recovered multiple artifacts from the area. Pick up the audio guide and listen to the story of the baths and commentary from writer Bill Bryson. (Pricing and opening times vary by season).

You walk down into the museum and then across a bridge to get to the actual baths. The baths are now a story below current street-level. (The baths haven’t sunk, but the ground around them has risen due to waste from several centuries of people.) Surrounding the upper level is statues dedicated to Emperors, Governors and other important Roman figures, and below is a maze of rooms around one large pool. These rooms were changing areas and smaller pools of varying temperature, along with the sacred spring which feeds the entire complex.

Pulteney Bridge was built in 1773 and is one of the most photographed bridges in Europe. It spans the Avon river and is one of the few bridges which has shops lining both sides of the street.

Hint: For a great view of the river, boats, ducks and stairstep cascade below, pop into the tea shop on the end corner of the bridge. Grab the corner table, then enjoy cream tea and scone (with jam and clotted cream) for under £3.

Sidenote: You can blame the Romans for there being an Avon river throughout much of England. It’s actual several rivers. When the Romans asked the Celts what was the name of the river, the reply was "Avon", which was Celtic for river.

You’ll notice lovely gardens sprawled out along the river. And, yes, they cost a fortune to get into. They are used by the locals (for free) who have no garden of their own in the city center. Translation: escape from the tourists. So how do you get down to the river itself? Walk across Pulteney Bridge and you will see stairs at the end. These lead through a cafe and around the corner to a FREE, but tiny, park to plant yourself for the afternoon.

Later, we picked up a blue Ford Focus (tiny European version) from Hertz to enter England’s great big game of chicken, er, driving. Add in a round-about and it becomes chicken on roller skates. The first time I had to drive through a double round-about I was screaming, "Why couldn’t you be Canadian?" But, seriously, after about two hours I got the hang of driving on the other (= wrong) side of the road, except for round-abouts, when I never knew who had priority.

By early evening we were in Stow-on-the-Wold enjoying cream tea and clotted cream filled scones. Clotted cream really is just left of Heaven. After visiting the Cotswolds I now understand one scene in the 1987 film "Hope and Glory". Its a semi-autobiographical account of writer-director John Boorman’s youth spent in the suburbs of London during WWII. The scene of which I am referring to is when the father returns from Germany to present the family with stolen jam. The mother refuses to let the family eat the jam believing that it was a plot by the Germans to taint the fruity spread. She announces, "Tainted jam would take out half of England." The English do truly enjoy their jam.

For dinner we dined at the Cotwolds oldest inn, The Eagle and Child (on Digbeth Street and attached to the Royalist Hotel). I tried the local ale, Hook Norton, which was a cross between British ale and American lager, and had an average rump steak with chips.

On a foodie note: The British proved over and over again why no one goes to England to dine. They offer the greatest chips (fries), better than any American that I’ve tried, and wonderful teas, diary and breads, but to enjoy dining, try Indian or French instead.

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Most people wouldn’t go to Bath just to shop; the city has much more to offer than that. However, most of the shops here are centrally located and in a pedestrianised area. They also have a good range of independent stores if you browse…Read More

Most people wouldn’t go to Bath just to shop; the city has much more to offer than that. However, most of the shops here are centrally located and in a pedestrianised area. They also have a good range of independent stores if you browse around palces like Broad Street and Cheap St. Some real gems can be found of the main thoroughfare. From the top of the city at Milsom Street going south, if you keep straight you will walk on Union St, Stall Street and then Southgate Street. As a general rule of thumb the more exclusive and expensive shops are towards the north, at the Milsom Street end.

Key areas are:

Podium Shopping Centre, Northgate St
This is a two level covered over shopping centre containing top end High Street type shops such as Crabtree & Evelyn, Julian Graves (Health Food stores) and a Waitrose (this is the most centrally located supermarket apart from the M&S Food Hall) as well as a number of independent stores and a few coffee shops and restaurants.

Milsom Place Shopping Centre, between Milsom St/Broad St
This contains a lot of fashion and home ware boutiques such as Hobbs and Cath Kidston. Plus independent stores which sell a variety of (mainly) designer labels. The centre looks very classy, it has a modern feel but in keeping with the sandstone Georgian look of the city. There are places to eat in here such as Jamie’s Italian (Jamie Oliver restaurant).

Jolly’s of Bath, Milsom St
This is a now a House of Fraser Department Store and takes up one side of the top end of Milsom St. Although it keeps the traditional frontage it is very modern inside. There is a wide range of cosmetics and perfumery along the front windows and further back are accessories and a coffee shop. Fashion and Home are on the upper floors.

Rossiters of Bath, Broad Street
A top end furnishing department store, they also do gifts and fashion accessories. They stock mainly premier brands. A lovely shop to browse.

Union Street/Stall Street (Close to Bath Abbey)
These two streets run into each other. It is along here and the streets coming off of them that the main High Street chains will be found such as Next, WH Smiths and Marks & Spencer (expanding for spring 2010).

Southgate Centre, Southgate Street (on from Union Street)
Only part of this was open when I visited (early Spring 2010), more parts are due to open soon. This is a well laid out pedestrian area, with modern building built in a traditional Georgian style to fit in with the rest of the city. Featured shops include Bose, Apple and Game.
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I am a big fan of Jane Austen, so I was really excited when searching for guided walks around Bath when I saw that that a Jane Austen walk was offered by the Jane Austen Centre. The walk is only on Saturdays, Sundays and…Read More

I am a big fan of Jane Austen, so I was really excited when searching for guided walks around Bath when I saw that that a Jane Austen walk was offered by the Jane Austen Centre. The walk is only on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holiday (except Christmas) at 11am and meets outside the KC Exchange Visitor Centre in the Abbey churchyard. The cost for adults is £6.00 and the walk lasted about two hours. There is an extra 4pm tour on Friday and Saturdays in July and August. Your admission ticket allows you 20% discount off of admission to the Jane Austen Centre (where the walk finishes) and 10% off at the Regency Tea Room above it.

There were only six of us on our walk one windy March Sunday, and first of all our guide showed us the Pump Rooms across the Abbey courtyard. The tour was not just about Austen but our guide also told us about the history of the city, its origins rumoured to have been ‘discovered’ by a Pig Farmer), architecture, key residents and anecdotes about how certain streets got their names. For example, we learnt about the significance of the Pump Rooms during the Georgians period and the influential Richard ‘Beau’ Nash who dictated society rituals during this time which carried forth after his death. As the city is World Heritage City, much of it is as it was in Austen’s day, thus houses she lived and stayed in are still standing and you can also see many places featured in her Bath centred novels – Northanger Abbey and Persuasion - such as the character’s addresses and places she refers to.

Amongst these our guide also told us about places Jane would have visited and shopped in her time here (she visited Bath twice in the late eighteenth century and lived there for about five years in the early nineteenth century), her thoughts and opinions garnered from her letters. Our guide also shared little anecdotes about Jane and her family, such as the scandal of her Aunt being (falsely) accused of shoplifting.

Over our two hour tour we only covered a small area, as we stopped quite a bit, but it was enough for me to lose my bearings (mind you, that doesn’t take much!). Our guide also managed to persuade the lady on the front desk to let us have a quick peak at the Assembly Rooms for free (where various society dances and gatherings took place in Regency Bath) and was no doubt visited by Jane and her family as well as her characters - it is visited and described by the character Anne Elliot in Persuasion. She was also able to fill us in on where some TV series and films were made, not just Austen’s but other period films such as The Duchess and Vanity Fair.

Although the walk happens rain or shine, I think the weather makes a difference to your enjoyment. It was fairly windy on the day we went and our guide was sensitive to this, ensuring that we stood out of the wind wherever possible. However, true fans maybe prepared to brave the elements. For those not interested in Austen, there are free guided walks available from the churchyard most days.

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Jane isn’t working this morning so accompanied me to the train. I felt sick this morning but a bit better on the train after some water and Tylenol. In Bath, I booked the Edgar Hotel, which is located on the wide Georgian Great Pulteney Street…Read More

Jane isn’t working this morning so accompanied me to the train. I felt sick this morning but a bit better on the train after some water and Tylenol.

In Bath, I booked the Edgar Hotel, which is located on the wide Georgian Great Pulteney Street that leads straight to the famous Pulteney Bridge. I discovered, also, that Paddington train station in London will be shut down all weekend so I’m going to get a bus ticket for Friday morning instead of taking the train.

I head to the city centre to find a tourist information center and some lunch. Pulteney Bridge is one of only three left in the world that still has shops lining it. It crosses the Avon River, one of several with this name in the UK and along side the river below the bridge is the Parade Gardens, a private park that charges the public a nominal fee to use it.

I came into the Guildhall market, and there was a little caff. One cheese and tuna toastie later and I’m ready to tour Bath. All the different bus companies stop along the Grand Parade beside the towering Abbey. I chose the Heritage city tours because they had live guides. Cheap at 7 pounds and the ticket was good for 48 hours.

The first bus I got on I didn’t really care for the guide. I did one turn of the city center with him and then switched to the other bus and joined Dan’s tour for the full two route tour and that was better.

Most of the tour focused on the Georgian rejuvenation of the city. Architects John Wood Elder and Younger rebuilt the city with financing supplied by Richard "Beau" Nash and Ralph Allen. In order to get more value for money, they erected the fronts of the houses along the terraces and squares and that was all. The purchasers had to finish the interior and the rest of the building so that although the fronts all look identical, the backs are often very different from each other! Bath, which was a Roman center with temples and the roman baths over the hot mineral springs, became a society place to be in the 18th and into the mid 19th centuries.

Bath is full of lovely architecture and remember to look up! There are always interesting details around roofs and windows. After the tour, I decided to go into the Pump Rooms, a restaurant in the Roman Bath complex for tea but there was a fairly long queue. There was a spot you could look over one of the baths, the Sacred Spring but, at loose ends, I decided to pay the entrance fee and go see the Baths and museum.

I left there and had a cream tea in a pretty little tea room behind the Baths that I saw from the walls. I went into M&S to get a sandwich and some fruit to have for supper in the hotel room and I went to Boots to get more drugs. I came out the other end right at the bus station so I bought my ticket for Friday.

Along Manvers street at a trudge, I never realized it until Friday morning but the book museum I had wanted to see is right across the street from the bus station. I never did get there though I would have on Thursday had I not been feeling so poorly in the afternoon.

It’s a beautiful city but is definitely detracted by so much traffic. The streets are mostly narrow, cars park on both sides and there are loads of street signs and lights. And people. On a summery mid week April day, there were plenty of people, tourists and school kids. I don’t mind touristy places, I’m a tourist and proud of it, but if you don’t like crowds, I would avoid Bath in the summertime.

For all it’s lovely streets, there are only a few that really spark the imagination where you can really picture old society strolling the elevated sidewalks and pretty squares, or browsing in the shops along Milsom street and Abbey square. The shops are all modern and trendy now but thank heavens at least they weren’t decked out with neon signs. I really do have to come back again when I feel better. I had my sandwich in the hotel room, watched Corrie and went to bed early.

The next day, after a rough night, with fever and a lot of coughing. Feel wrung out this morning. I was out fairly early, before 9 o’clock and only a few tourists were stirring. I sat in the sun by the Abbey which was sheltered from a brisk morning breeze. The Abbey opened at 9 and I went in. Donations please. It’s lovely inside with soaring ceilings that are vaulted and decorated.

There has been a religious establishment on this site for about 1300 years. The present Abbey dates from 1499 replacing the old Norman cathedral which replaced an Abbey where Edgar I was crowned the first King of all England in 973.

After I had a browse around the Abbey I went to a café for a half hour until the bus tours started up at 10, i'm using the ticket from yesterday as transportation around today. I got off at the Assembly Rooms which were built by John Wood the Younger and opened in 1771. (review)

I left the museum around noon. I’m not hungry yet so I decided to walk the short distance to see the circular "square" where the Kings Circus was. These are 30 houses, in three sections, in a circle, three storeys fronted with a different type of classical column for each level, and ringed around the top of the roofs with acorns, a symbol of early Bath.

The crescent was meant to resemble the Colosseum inside out and sort of does. One famous resident of these houses was the court painter Gainsborough.

A block away is the Royal Crescent, a wide curved terrace of houses overlooking the Victoria Gardens and a grassy private lawn. There’s a Botannical Garden in the Victoria park as well. Houses in this crescent now sell for over a million pounds.

I walked down Gay Street where the Jane Austen center is and found Queen’s Square named for Queen Charlotte I think. I wandered my way this way and that and realize I’m now hungry. I thought about a pub but there seems to be a scarcity of them in this area. I found a café that didn’t look too crowded.

I sat in the sun in the courtyard behind the Abbey for awhile after lunch, listening to a young man singing and watching a couple of shirtless tattooed workers dismantle some scaffolding.

My energy is really flagging now so I went back to the hotel and to bed for awhile. The rest of the day was pretty much a write off. I picked up a few snacks from a newsagent at one point.

April 18, Another lousy night. We’ll see how I feel when I get to London.

The bus journey was fine. We got into Victoria station early. I found a bank machine and a taxi and got to the hotel and to my room. I set out to meet my sister and her friend for dinner and it was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other. I didn’t eat a whole lot but heard all about their trip to Paris and their visit to Canterbury. Sounds like she had a wonderful time!

I realized I was going to have to have a doctor the next day. I called the desk and they arranged the call. It did take all day for him to get to the hotel which was more or less expected. My sister went home this morning but her friend told me to call if I needed anything so I did. He offered to have me come to his house and recover once the doctor had been and I gratefully accepted. Being sick in a hotel room is probably the worst thing in the world. The doctor diagnosed a bronchial infection and prescribed some antibiotics and a puffer. The rest of the week was spent recovering. I knew I couldn’t fly on the Tuesday after Easter and Air Canada’s staff on their Medical desk were great. They rearranged the flight and ended up getting me on a direct to Halifax flight on Saturday the 26th.

So the Magical History Tour ended up a bit of Magical Misery tour but the first half was wonderful. The worst I felt was in Bath and London. Next time I’ll get to a doctor before I get to that point again! Close

Bartlett Street Antiques Center Bartlett StThis is a very upscale antiques shop with more than forty dealers. Almost everything is in a glass case. This is not the shop to go to if you are looking for a good selection of furniture. However, if you…Read More

Bartlett Street Antiques Center
Bartlett St

This is a very upscale antiques shop with more than forty dealers. Almost everything is in a glass case. This is not the shop to go to if you are looking for a good selection of furniture. However, if you are interested in finding a 200 year old silver tea pot or a tea caddy then this could just be the place for you.

One thing that Joe found that was very interesting were 800 year old arrow tips. Though I found these interesting I was not inclined to part with my pounds to own them. There was a lot of jewelry here, plenty of art deco and Edwardian rings, earring and broaches. These were a much greater temptation but I remained strong.

There also were some very interesting pieces of Chinese import porcelain. One of the dealers had some things from Nepal which I found unusual. Some of the other dealers had the usual Royal Dalton and Wedgewood items that you would expect. There was one dealer who did have some old linen and lace pieces and another had a vast selection of buttons. Overall this was an interesting shop to spend a half hour perusing and who knows you may find a real treasure but expect to pay full pop, they know what they have and they price accordingly, besides, this is Bath.





OxFam Shop
12 a George Street

We always love the Oxfam shop in whatever town we go to. They are a charity that helps to fight poverty in the world. Their shops have lots of different things, designer clothes, books, china, pottery and lots of other interesting things. You never know what you will find so when you see a shop you just need to go right in and start looking around.

This particular time we didn’t find anything that we wanted to carry home but you can be sure that the variety will be excellent and the prices will be fair. You can also walk away feeling as if you have helped in at least a small way to make the world a better place.



National Trust Shop

Located across from the side of the Abbey this shop is located on two levels. Since it was the second week of January there were some deals to be had on items related to Christmas. Expect to find the usual National Trust items, logo items, books, some lavender bath and body lotions, floral tray, calendars and the like. This wasn’t a particularly large shop considering the location and frankly we found it to be nothing out of the ordinary. The only thing I was remotely tempted to buy was some joint pain lotion and then I thought should I pay $10 for some joint lotion from the National Trust, what do they know about joint pain? We have seen better National Trust Shops.

Bath Abbey Shop

They had a few religious items. Olive wood crosses from the holy land, prayer cards and one statue that I saw. What kept our attention here was the best selection of humorous magnets that we have seen in a long time. I am sure we created quite a scene standing there laughing for five minutes over all these ridiculously funny squares of plastic. It really takes so little to amuse us and in the end we didn’t buy any but we certainly enjoyed reading them.


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