Amazing food, a view to die for, natural hot springs, astounding 18th century Georgian architecture and history aplenty, Bath is where you should be going to when visiting the UK. There is something different on every street and being only a few hours away from London and Bristol, it’s easily reachable, and definitely worth your time if you’ve got a few days to spare. Here’s a pocket-sized guide.
THINGS TO DO
To really appreciate the beauty of this city, you’ll want to hop on to one of the many tour buses dotting the city. They’re hop-on and hop-off, so you can stop your journey anytime, do your exploring, and then get back on the bus. Tickets are extremely reasonable as well — you’ll never pay more than 20 bucks for your trip.
The architecture across this city is what you really need to appreciate. Most buildings are made with 18th century Georgian Bath stone, a form of oolitic limestone that gives every building a warm honey-like colouring. It is so beautiful that the entire city has been classed a world heritage site.
The city is placed in a deep valley, surrounded by gargantuan hills, and yet, the houses remain. They are built so steep that you feel like you are conquering a mountain when you climb the winding streets.
Our recommendation: A visit to Alexandra Park atop the hill on the furthest side of Bath. There, for as far as the eye can see, is the city in its entirety — a figurative slice of beauty delicately placed in a bowl of rolling green hills.
The city is also famous for Jane Austen — the writer of classics like Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Mansfield Park and Sense and Sensibility — who lived in Bath for a number of years and on whose literary works the place left a lasting impression.
You can find the Jane Austin Centre on Gay Street with many walks and tours taken by period costume-themed characters.
But it is luxurious spas that Bath is most famous for. The city has warm spas that date back to Roman times, where the conquerors would bathe in the beautifully soothing waters.
To get a full experience, take a tour around the well-preserved pump rooms and see where the Romans bathed. Follow that with a trip to Thermae, Bath’s most luxurious spa. The building is a combination of typical Bath architecture and modern design. Here, you can bathe in Britain’s naturally warm, mineral-rich water. The pool is located atop the building, overlooking the city. You can relax here all day, or even all night (the night-time is way cooler). The complex also has provisions for you to soothe your body and mind with a range of spa treatments.
THINGS TO SEE
There are some places that you have to see to believe. To begin the list, take a look at the Royal Crescent — arguably the most iconic location in the city. A collection of 30 terrace houses that are set up in a sweeping pattern just atop Victoria Park, this has been home to many famous faces, from Nicolas Cage to Britain’s youngest Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger and David Livingstone. Former US president George W. Bush was here, too, on a state visit.
Pulteney Bridge isn’t as famous as the Crescent but it’s certainly up there. Located just off the centre of town, the bridge hosts many designer shops. The main reason for its attraction, however, is the beautiful view of the bridge itself. It overlooks a series of rapids that overflow from the river.
Tiny alleyways and staircases peel out from the bottom of the bridge, offering a real Georgian feel to anyone who climbs their steep steps. The road beside it is engulfed in gorgeous flowerpots, teeming with colours aplenty and distant humdrum of voices can be heard from the Bath rugby stadium on the other side of the river. This is the postcard image you want to show your friends.
Just a few metres away from Pulteney Bridge, and right at the very heart of Bath, is the Abbey, the tallest building in the whole city. This looming Gothic giant is an Anglican Parish church that looks down at the whole city with a menacing stare. The best way to describe it is revival Gothic, with a scary feel to a building encrusted with gargoyles and elaborate spires, similar to Hogwarts. The unique ladder of the angels on the western side is something you have to see here.
EAT & DRINK
Acorn Vegetarian Kitchen offers delicious morsels. Located on the North Parade passage, under the shadow of the Abbey and encrusted in beautiful Georgian Bath Stone, this restaurant encapsulates the unusualness of this great city.
The restaurant is a cosy, modern-style bistro with plenty to offer in terms of home-cooked food and drink. All the ingredients are locally sourced, with everything prepared in-house. At lunch you’ve got a choice between slow-cooked celeriac with Smoked Field Mushrooms and Beetroot Barley Risotto. Pair those with either a Bristol gin and Fever-Tree tonic or a glass of Vouvray Brut.
Dinnertime brings a Nut Roast, Butternut Squash Terrine and an absolute favourite dessert — the Tonka Bean poached Pear, served with Macadamia Nut Brulee and lavish helpings of Pernod sorbet. Add a Mango Daiquiri to that and that’s the closest you can get to heaven.
You’re going to want to have afternoon tea — you are in England after all. The only place in town you can go to is Sally Lunn’s. It’s one of the world’s oldest and famous eating houses. Imagine a scone, but enormous. That’s right, this eatery offers some of the largest buns you’ve ever seen. Lusciously smother them with cream and/or jam, and relax with a pot of tea. The whole complex has a historic feel, complete with pure white cutlery fronting the Georgian decor. Make sure when you have lunch, you leave room for one of Sally’s buns — and book a table as it gets busy here… and I mean really busy.
If the height of sophistication is what you’re after, look no further than Sotto Sotto. An underground Italian restaurant located in what is essentially a cellar. Sotto Sotto offers simple Italian cuisine, like their famous Prawns and Tuscan Bean Salad, created with high-quality, locally-sourced ingredients, and superb preparation. Your meal will not only taste astounding but also look like a work of art.
Every dish has a contemporary twist, so you never know what you are getting when it comes to your table.
Our recommendation: Go for the Confit Gressingham Duck Legs with caramelised Granny Smith apple and red wine sauce. Pair that with a bottle of Morellino di Scansano, Il Grillesino 2014/15 from Toscana. A beautiful red made up of generous helpings of blackberries and blackcurrants that effortlessly satisfy with a palate-smoothing aroma. Oh, and did we mention that this place has a Certificate of Excellence on TripAdvisor as well as being the second-best reviewed restaurant in the city?!
Once you’ve grown tired of the Abbey and all the musical street acts it has to offer, take a walk to the front of the Abbey and look towards the high street. If you can see Fudge Kitchen, then you are obligated to go there.
Serving handmade fudge from locally-sourced ingredients, this sweet provider creates their product right in the window for all to see, and charges a fair price for such a sugary delight. Queues often stretch around the corner. Bon appetit!
— Benjamin Wodecki
(A journalism graduate from University of Gloucestershire, currently interning with t2)
Picture courtesy: visitbath.co.uk
