Bath and the Cotswolds
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1. Fashion Museum and Assembly Rooms
In its role as the Assembly Rooms, this neoclassical building was one of the leading centers for social life in 18th-century Bath. Jane Austen came here often, and it's in the Ballroom that Catherine Morland has her first, disappointing encounter with Bath's beau monde in Northanger Abbey; the Octagon Room is the setting for an important encounter between Anne Elliot and Captain Wentworth in Persuasion. Built by John Wood the Younger in 1771, the building was badly damaged by wartime bombing in 1942 but was faithfully restored. Its stunning chandeliers are 18th-century originals. Throughout the year, classical concerts are given here, just as they were in bygone days. The Assembly Rooms are also known today for its Fashion Museum, displaying apparel from Jacobean times up to the present. You can see examples of what would have been worn in the heydays here, as well as glamorous frocks from the 20th century—a dress of the year is an annual addition. Besides admiring the changing exhibits, you can have fun trying on corsets and crinolines. An audio guide is included in the admission price.
Bennett St., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 2QH, England01225-477789Sight Details
Rate Includes: £10, Closed Mon. -
2. Holburne Museum
One of Bath's gems, this elegant 18th-century building and its modern extension house a superb collection of 17th- and 18th-century decorative arts, ceramics, and silverware. Highlights include paintings by Gainsborough (The Byam Family, on indefinite loan) and George Stubbs (Reverend Carter Thelwall and Family), and a hilarious collection of caricatures of the Georgian city's fashionable elite. In its original incarnation as the Sydney Hotel, the house was one of the pivots of Bath's high society, which came to perambulate in the pleasure gardens (Sydney Gardens) that still lie behind it. One visitor was Jane Austen, whose main Bath residence was No. 4 Sydney Place, a brief stroll from the museum. There's also an excellent café and tea garden on site.
Great Pulteney St., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA2 4DB, England01225-388569Sight Details
Rate Includes: £11 -
3. Number 1 Royal Crescent
The majestic arc of the Royal Crescent, much used as a film location, is the crowning glory of Palladian architecture in Bath. The work of John Wood the Younger, these 30 houses fronted by 114 columns were laid out between 1767 and 1774. The first house to be built, on the corner of Brock Street and the Royal Crescent, was Number 1 Royal Crescent. The museum now crystallizes a view of the English class system in the 18th century—the status, wealth, and elegance of the upstairs in contrast with the extensive servants' quarters and kitchen downstairs. You can witness the predilections of the first resident, Henry Sandford, in the cabinet of curiosities and the electrical machine, as well as a Georgian love of display in the sumptuous dessert table arrangement in the dining room. Several varieties of historic mousetraps make their appearance downstairs. Everything is presented with elegant attention to authenticity and detail.
1 Royal Crescent, Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 2LR, England01225-428126Sight Details
Rate Includes: £13 July–Sept., Nov., and Dec.; £11 Feb.–June and Oct., Closed Jan. and Mon. -
4. Roman Baths and the Pump Room
The hot springs have drawn people here since prehistoric times, so it's quite appropriate to begin an exploration of Bath at this excellent museum on the site of the ancient city's primary "watering hole." Roman patricians would gather to immerse themselves, drink the mineral waters, and socialize. With the departure of the Romans, the baths fell into disuse. When bathing again became fashionable at the end of the 18th century, this magnificent Georgian building was erected. Almost the entire Roman bath complex was excavated in the 19th century, and the museum displays relics that include a memorable mustachioed, Celtic-influenced Gorgon's head, fragments of colorful curses invoked by the Romans against their neighbors, and information about Roman bathing practices. The Great Bath is now roofless, and the statuary and pillars belong to the 19th century, but much remains from the original complex (the Roman characters strutting around, however, are 21st century) and the steaming, somewhat murky waters are undeniably evocative. Tours take place hourly for no additional charge, and you can visit after 6:30 pm in July and August to experience the baths lighted by torches. Wear sensible shoes as the ancient stones are uneven and can be slippery. A state-of-the-art Learning Centre helps students learn about the town's history and heritage. Adjacent to the Roman bath complex is the famed Pump Room, built in 1792–96, a rendezvous for members of 18th- and 19th-century Bath society. Here Catherine Morland and Mrs. Allen "paraded up and down for an hour, looking at everybody and speaking to no one," to quote from Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey. Today you can take in the elegant space—or you can simply, for a small fee, taste the fairly vile mineral water. Charles Dickens described it as tasting like warm flatirons.
Abbey Churchyard, Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 1LZ, England01225-477785Sight Details
Rate Includes: £25.50 weekdays, £27.50 weekends -
5. Thermae Bath Spa
One of the few places in Britain where you can bathe in natural hot-spring water, and in an open-air rooftop location as well, this striking complex designed by Nicholas Grimshaw consists of a Bath-stone building surrounded by a glass curtain wall. The only difficulty is in deciding where to spend more time—in the sleekly luxurious, light-filled Minerva Bath, with its curves and gentle currents, or in the smaller, open-air rooftop pool for the unique sensation of bathing with views of Bath's operatic skyline (twilight is particularly atmospheric here). Two 18th-century thermal baths, the Cross Bath and the Hot Bath, are back in use, too (the latter for treatments only). End your session in the crisp third-floor café and restaurant. It's essential to book spa treatments ahead of time. Towels, robes, and slippers are available for rent. Note that changing rooms are co-ed. Weekdays are the quietest time to visit. You must be 16 to bathe here and 18 to book a spa treatment.
Hot Bath St., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 1SJ, England01225-331234Sight Details
Rate Includes: £38 weekdays, £43 weekends -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. American Museum & Gardens
A 19th-century Greek Revival mansion in a majestic setting on a hill 2½ miles southeast of the city holds the only museum of American decorative arts outside the United States. Rooms are furnished in historical styles, such as the 17th-century Conkey's Tavern, the beautifully elegant Greek Revival room, and the lavish, richly red New Orleans bedroom from the 1860s. Other galleries explore historical themes (the settlement of the West, the Civil War) or contain a large collection of quilts, as well as porcelain and Shaker objects; a separate building is devoted to folk art, including a fine collection of decoy wildfowl. The parkland includes a reproduction of George Washington's garden at Mount Vernon, and the New American Garden Project features many plants native to the United States. Take a bus headed to the University of Bath and get off at the Avenue, where signs point to the museum, half a mile away. The City Sightseeing bus also drops off here.
Off A36, Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA2 7BD, England01225-460503Sight Details
Rate Includes: £13; gardens only £7.50, Last entry at 3 pm -
7. Bath Abbey
Dominating Bath's center, this 15th-century edifice of golden, glowing stone has a splendid west front, with carved figures of angels ascending ladders on either side. Notice, too, the miter, olive tree, and crown motif, a play on the name of the building's founder, Bishop Oliver King. More than 50 stained-glass windows fill about 80% of the building's wall space, giving the interior an impression of lightness. The abbey was built in the Perpendicular (English late-Gothic) style on the site of a Saxon abbey, and the nave and side aisles contain superb fan-vaulted ceilings. Look for the 21st-century expressively carved angels on the choir screens. The building's heating comes from the adjacent Roman baths. There are four services on Sunday, including choral evensong at 3 pm. Tower tours (45 minutes; Monday through Saturday; £10) allow close-up views of the massive bells and panoramic cityscapes from the roof; the 212 dizzying steps demand a level of fitness.
View Tours and ActivitiesAbbey Churchyard, Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 1LT, England01225-422462Sight Details
Rate Includes: Abbey £5 suggested donation, tower tours £10, No tower tours Sun. -
8. Bath Skyline Walk
An excellent way to appreciate the beauty and uniqueness of Bath is through the Bath Skyline Walk. One of England's most popular walks, it is 6 miles of greenery that encircles the city and includes woodlands, valleys, meadows, and trails with captivating views of the city's architecture. Grab a picnic and some strong shoes and head out on the waymarked path. The starting point is on Bathwick Hill near the entrance to the National Trust Bathwick Fields; you can download a free walking guide from the National Trust website. If you don't have the time (or energy) for the full walk, take the 3-mile "Walk to the View" waymarked from Bath Abbey.
Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA2 6EN, EnglandSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
9. Bath World Heritage Centre
This enlightening spot hosts interactive exhibits and displays to educate and inspire visitors about the history and heritage of Bath. It covers all the aspects that earned Bath its UNESCO World Heritage Site status, including the hot springs, Roman ruins, Georgian architecture, and surrounding landscapes. The center also provides free walking trails and guides.
10 York St., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 1NH, EnglandSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
10. Circus
John Wood designed the masterful Circus, a circle of curving, perfectly proportioned Georgian houses interrupted just three times for intersecting streets. Wood died shortly after work began; his son, the younger John Wood, completed the project. Notice the carved acorns atop the houses: Wood nurtured the myth that Prince Bladud founded Bath, ostensibly with the help of an errant pig rooting for acorns (this is one of a number of variations of Bladud's story). A garden with large plane trees fills the center of the Circus. The painter Thomas Gainsborough (1727–88) lived at No. 17 from 1760 to 1774.
Intersection of Bennett, Brock, and Gay Sts., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 2EU, EnglandSight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
11. Herschel Museum of Astronomy
In the garden of this modest Bath town house, which he shared with his sister Caroline (an astronomer in her own right), William Herschel (1738–1822) identified the planet Uranus. He used a handmade telescope of his own devising, and this small museum, devoted to his studies and discoveries, shows his telescopes, the workshop abutting the kitchen where he cast his speculum metal mirrors, as well as orreries, caricatures, and musical instruments of his time (Herschel was the organist at Bath's Octagon Chapel). Note that they do not accept cash for the admission price.
19 New King St., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 2BL, England01225-446865Sight Details
Rate Includes: £9.50 Feb.–Jun. and Sept.–Dec.; £11.50 Jul. and Aug., Closed Jan. and Mon. in Feb.–Jun. and Sept.–Dec. -
12. Jane Austen Centre
The one place in Bath that gives Austen any space provides a briefly diverting exhibition about the influence of Bath on her writings; Northanger Abbey and Persuasion are both set primarily in the city. The center is brought to life by characters in costume, and displays and a short film give a pictorial overview of life in Bath around 1800. Immerse yourself further by dressing up in costume; assistants are on hand to take your photo. The cozy Georgian house, a few doors up from where the writer lived in 1805 (one of several addresses she had in Bath), also includes the Austen-themed Regency Tea Rooms, open to the public.
40 Gay St., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 2NT, England01225-443000Sight Details
Rate Includes: £12.50 -
13. Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein
Acclaimed writer Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein, the world's first science fiction novel, while living in Bath, and this spot (although not the original house she lived in) has become one of Bath's spookiest attractions, combining a museum and an immersive experience in a historic house. Inside you'll find a Frankenstein-themed escape room (from £25), a gruesome mystery to solve, and plenty of unusual artifacts and vintage items. It's not suitable for younger children.
37 Gay St., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 2NT, England1225-551542Sight Details
Rate Includes: £12.50 -
14. Museum of Bath at Work
The core of this industrial-history collection, which gives a novel perspective on the city, is an engineering works and fizzy drinks factory. This building once belonged to Bath entrepreneur Jonathan Bowler, who started his many businesses in 1872. The collection includes the original clanking machinery and offers glimpses into Bath's stone industry and cabinetmaking. Look out for the temporary exhibitions, which often showcase the lives and experiences of local people.
Julian Rd., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 2RH, England01225-318348Sight Details
Rate Includes: £10, Closed Dec. and weekdays in Jan.–Mar. -
15. Museum of East Asian Art
Intimate galleries on three floors display ancient and modern pieces, mostly from China but with other exhibits from Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. Highlights are the Chinese jade figures, especially the animals, both mythical and real, Buddhist objects, and Japanese lacquerware and prints. Don't miss the charming netsuke (toggles) and inro (seal cases) on the staircase to the lower ground floor.
12 Bennett St., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 2QJ, England01225-464640Sight Details
Rate Includes: £5, Closed Sun.–Tues. -
16. Prior Park Landscape Garden
A vision to warm Jane Austen's heart, Bath's grandest house lies a mile or so southeast of the center, with splendid views over the Georgian townscape. Built around 1738 by John Wood the Elder, the Palladian mansion was the home of quarry owner and philanthropist Ralph Allen (1693–1764), whose guests included such luminaries as poet Alexander Pope and novelists Henry Fielding and Samuel Richardson. Today it's a school, and the interior is not open to the public, but you may wander through the beautiful grounds, designed by Capability Brown and embellished with a Palladian bridge and lake. A leisurely circuit of the park should take around an hour. The parking here is reserved for people with disabilities, so take a taxi or bus from the center. The City Sightseeing bus also calls here.
Ralph Allen Dr., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA2 5AH, England01225-833977Sight Details
Rate Includes: £8, Closed weekdays Nov.–Jan. -
17. Pulteney Bridge
Florence's Ponte Vecchio inspired this 18th-century span, one of the most famous landmarks in the city and the only work of Robert Adam in Bath. It's unique in Great Britain because shops line both sides of the bridge.
View Tours and ActivitiesBetween Bridge St. and Argyle St., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA2 4AT, England -
18. Queen Square
Palatial houses and the Francis Hotel surround the garden in the center of this square designed by the older John Wood. An obelisk financed by Beau Nash celebrates the 1738 visit of Frederick, Prince of Wales.
South end of Gay St., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 2HH, England -
19. Royal Victoria Park
Originally designed as an arboretum, this tidy expanse of lawns and shady walks just west of the Royal Crescent provides the perfect setting for pleasant strolls and leisurely picnics. The park has a pond, a Botanic Garden, and an adventure playground with plenty for kids. The Great Dell Aerial Walkway has also been restored at the northern end of the park. Hot-air balloon launches and open-air shows at festival time enliven the atmosphere.
Marlborough Ln., Bath, Bath and North East Somerset, BA1 2NQ, EnglandSight Details
Rate Includes: Free
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