Every year, legions of Jane Austen fans descend on Bath, Somerset in South West England. The annual Jane Austen Fest runs ten days each September, giving cause for fancy dress balls, high teas, and endless selfie opportunities for delighted tourists.
Bath is also, among other things, one of the prime filming locations for inexplicably popular soap opera historical romance Bridgerton. We got a taste of the above, and so much more, on our recent Bath visit earlier this year.
Read on for our tips on why Bath is the day-trip destination for visitors to the United Kingdom.
Nearby Stonehenge may date from 3100 BCE, but Bath is still a respectable 2,000 or so years old, if we date from the earliest known construction of the Roman Baths there in 60 CE. On those terms, the town’s striking Gothic cathedral, Bath Abbey, is barely a teenager: founded in the 7th century, its current form dates from roughly the 16th century.
Bath Abbey is one of the major landmarks of this small but elegant city, which can be traversed in about a day’s walking (or 30,000 steps if you’re counting). From the Abbey, it’s a short walk to both of Bath’s other essential sites: the ancient Roman Baths and the spectacular 18th century Royal Crescent.
The Roman Baths are the must-see of a visit; even if you run out of time to see anything else, a tour through the grounds, including the still-bubbling pools, is essential. Impressively, the Roman Baths tour weaves you in and out of the original bath grounds and a modern museum which has been built in and around them. The museum houses artifacts too delicate to leave in situ, while also providing useful historical details about the baths and the pre-Roman cultures “absorbed” by the Roman conquerors. The multi-building baths themselves are an incredible sight, the highlight being the central Great Bath, pictured above.
Jostling for attention with the ancient baths is a decidedly more modern feature: the Thermae Bath Spa which relies on the same natural hot spring waters the Romans once used. Integrated seamlessly into the architecture of the city, the Spa allows visitors the chance to experience the only naturally hot, mineral-rich waters in the UK. The “New” Royal Bath is a multi-storey facility, ranging from underground pools to the glorious rooftop pool from which to watch the sunset. Steam rooms, an ice chamber, an infrared sauna, and other amenities round out the experience. Our six hours there wasn’t nearly enough.
Refreshed from a day at the spa, it’s a lovely opportunity for a stroll up to the Royal Crescent, one of several Bridgerton filming locations. Non-Bridgertonites (I’m one of them!) will be pleased to know Bath has also been the setting for the likes of the Benedict Cumberbatch Sherlock and the recent Pursuit of Love, starring Sherlock alumnus Andrew Scott. Other Bath productions include the first and second Harry Potters and the sublime Wolf Hall, perhaps the best British miniseries in recent memory.
Last but not least, the (admittedly unexpected) delight of our Bath visit was a Stand-Up Paddleboard tour along the River Avon, courtesy local tour operator Original Wild.
The two-hour Original Wild experience takes you from the near-west boundary of the city along the Avon, past boathouses, river cruises, and within viewing (and photo!) distance of the Abbey, the famous Pulteney Bridge, and other important sites. Dodging by sunken boats (there were three, yet to be fished out by the City Council) on our journey was worth the experience on its own. The SUP tour concludes at the spectacular fountains/artificial falls below the Pulteney Bridge, perfect for a photo op. And don’t worry – each trip is facilitated by a tour guide carrying their own camera, not to mention a better sense of balance than you.
Of all the places we’ve visited in Merrye Olde Englande, Bath is the one we keep returning to whenever we have time for a day trip or two away from London. Next time you’re headed UK way, try to make time for this remarkable place, combining history with the art of relaxation.
