Don’t get me wrong I liked Bath but I didn’t love it. I thought I would love it. I know the history, I love Jane Austen, and everyone talks about how amazing it is so I just knew I would love it and was really excited to visit. Maybe too excited. Maybe I built it up too much in my head. Or maybe visiting on the weekend was a bad idea. Weekdays are probably less crowded. I just expected to be wowed and while we enjoyed our visit I didn’t love it. I will definitely give Bath another try in the future because sometimes first impressions are wrong and like grows into love (Just ask any Jane Austen fan).
A Brief History of Bath
Legend has it, in 863 BC, Prince Bladud bathed in the muddy waters of a spring and was cured of leprosy. He founded a city near that spring. Bath was born and he went on to become King. Almost 900 years later the Romans started the settlement of Aquae Sulis. Over time a reservoir was built around the spring, followed by a series of baths and temples dedicated to Sulis Minerva. The complex attracted visitors from throughout Britain and Europe beginning Bath’s reign as a top tourist destination.
Eventually the Roman Bath Complex silted up and was lost to rising water levels after the Romans left England but the spring remained and Bath flourished as a religious center with the building of the Abbey in the 7th century and was a hub for the wool industry during the Middle Ages. While the hot springs were still utilized, Bath did not become a popular destination again until after a string of royal visits led to a revitalization of the town turning it into a spa resort and playground for the aristocracy. Most of the Georgian architecture you see today is from the 18th century, when Bath was the height of fashion. The buried Roman Baths were discovered late in the 19th century and excavated. Bath’s popularity has continued to today, attracting six million visitors a year and the entire city was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987 and now has a second UNESCO designation including it as one of the Great Spa Towns of Europe in 2021.
How We Spent 24 Hours in Bath
We arrived on Saturday night, got settled into our apartment, then headed out to dinner. It was busy but the restaurant was able to fit us in even though we didn’t have reservations (I am terrible about making reservations, like the worst, seriously). Stopped for a drink at the Huntsman, a cute Georgian pub near our apartment.
Roman Baths
The next morning we made breakfast and headed out to the Roman Baths. We should have gotten there earlier. No wait to get in but as we were making our way through it got progressively busier and more crowded and more crowded. Despite the crowds it was very interesting and the excellent audio guide has different tours you can take-one for kids, one that focuses on the archaeological exploration, one featuring Bill Bryson, etc. My favorite part was sitting around the Great Bath, imagining what it must have been like 2000 years ago. It also gave me a break from the crowds inside and a chance to people watch. Don’t forget to “take the waters” before you leave, there is a little fountain where you can fill a glass and taste the mineral water.
Holburne Museum
Next stop was supposed to be Bath Abbey but it was Sunday so it wasn’t open for visits yet. We walked up Great Pulteney Street and across Pulteney Bridge, admiring all of the beautiful Georgian architecture along the way, to the Holburne Museum. It was originally a hotel and then became the city’s first public gallery. It is a huge collection of 17th and 18th century decorative arts, ceramics and silverware. If you love looking at knick knacks this is the place for you. If not, I would skip. I felt like I was at a thrift store in the 1700’s, there were so many spoons and figurines and snuff boxes and everything. I am pretty sure Sir William was a hoarder.
No. 1 Royal Crescent
Onward to No. 1 Royal Crescent, stopping along the way to marvel at the curved townhouses of the Circus. Number One Royal Crescent is a wonderfully restored townhouse. It gives you a feeling of what it was like to be wealthy and living in Bath in the Georgian era. Along the route through the house you follow the story of a family living there as well as quick peeks into the lives of servants who made this lifestyle possible. I am a sucker for restored houses- I like to see how people lived in different time periods so the careful staging and restoration of historic places is right up my alley.
Our intention was to have a Sunday Roast but I didn’t make reservations (of course!) and we were actually a little late in the day so the roasts were gone at all of the places we checked. We spent the next hour frantically trying to find a place and ended up back at the Huntsman. I got my Sunday Roast and fell in love with Yorkshire Pudding.
Bath Abbey
Then we were able to check out Bath Abbey. Touring artwork “Gaia” was on display which was an incredible 3-D Earth using NASA imaging and suspended in the center of the abbey. It was very cool and gave the abbey a more modern vibe, even though the building is hundreds of years old. It did make it harder to admire the fan vaulting and stained glass from the entrance as it really stole the show. It is always interesting to see these special installations. It is a unique view of something that millions of tourists have only seen in its normal state but by capturing it this way you are also missing out on that traditional view. On my last trip to Paris the Arc de Triomphe was wrapped. I had seen it before so it was interesting to see this rare display but my sister had not been to Paris before and was a little disappointed. I am sure when I return to Bath Abbey in the future it will seem like a completely different place without the giant planet floating in the middle. Maybe better, maybe worse. Who knows? I will let you know when it happens.
Sadly the Fashion Museum is no longer open and the Assembly Rooms required booking way in advance (have I mentioned that I suck at making reservations?) so needless to say we didn’t get to do that. With the closure of the Fashion Museum the Assembly Rooms are being reimagined. They are working on finalizing the plans for a new Georgian experience.
Bizarre Bath Walk
For nighttime entertainment we opted for the Bizarre Bath Walk. It met outside the Huntsman, our usual haunt, so why not? It was an excellent choice. No history, no real tour of Bath but absolutely hilarious. I can’t say too much without spoiling the fun but I highly recommend it. Then we ended with drinks at the Huntsman (of course!). We had a nice time chatting with other people from the walk.
It was one busy but well spent day exploring Bath. This visit could definitely be stretched out over a relaxing weekend getaway. Here’s a few things you could add in with extra time:
Free City Walking Tour
There are many walking tours available, often for just the cost of a tip but the Mayor of Bath’s Honorary Guides offer a free walking tour and do not accept tips. The tour is available Sunday through Friday at 10:30 am and 2 pm and Saturdays at 10:30 am only. During the summer there are additional evening tours. No reservations are necessary just meet outside the Roman Baths. The walk takes about two hour and was designed to help people understand how Bath was developed, its history and architecture.
Tea at the Pump Room
The Pump Room has been the center of Bath society for over 200 years. Enjoy a sample of the spa water, listen to music and savor a meal or even better afternoon tea. I am obsessed with afternoon tea. What an awesome place to indulge in this tradition. Make sure to book in advance.
Thermae Bath Spa
Continuing the spa tradition, Bath Thermae Spa offers a chance to soak in the naturally warm, mineral rich waters. Oh and did I mention a rooftop pool with an amazing view of Bath? In addition to steam rooms, an ice chamber and more, the spa offers massages, facials and other treatments. Book your package in advanced to avoid disappointment.
Or just relax and stroll around Bath enjoying the architecture and some of the great pubs and restaurants. Well after writing this and remembering all the fun I had in Bath maybe I do love it. I better go back and make sure.