You can visit Bath, following the guide books or listening to your tour guide and have a fantastic trip. But, if you were to take a trip to Bath and visit a local then you'll most likely have a different experience. The reason that I'm writing this review is that when I visit another city I want to know what the locals do and I want to make sure I've seen what that city really has to offer. Hopefully this will provide that service to someone visiting Bath.
Now, lots of things to talk about, so I'll start with the basics.
If you're on a day trip to Bath the first thing you'll need to do is park your car! It's mostly on-street parking, with a few medium sized car parks dotted around. There are however, a couple hidden spots which I've listed below (along with a few directions). They tend to always have spaces - unlike others in Bath!
1) Broad Street. This street runs parallel with Milsom Street, which is one of the busiest in Bath. Starting on Milsom St (one-way), drive down and eventually following the bend, when you eventually reach the end of the road you can turn left or right at the traffic lights. Go left. This is now Broad St. Follow it up and about 10 meters before the traffic lights at the end is an archway on the left hand side. There's a car park through here. Fairly large, usually enough spaces. Average prices.
2)Walcot Street car park. Following the same instructions, only once on Broad street take the only right turning and follow road to the left. Car park on the right hand side. More than enough space. Never completely full. Cheaper than multi-storey nearby.
If you're not driving then you get to miss out on all the one-way system fun that Bath enjoys! So, the alternative for you is to wake up in you're hotel and get ready to go out. I've not stayed in any hotels in Bath since I was a baby, when my family moved here - so I wont review
these since I know very little about them.
Breakfast in Bath is varied. Personally I would chose Cafe Rouge on Milsom Street, because their scrambled eggs and salmon on brioche is my favourite. They also offer hot chocolate and pastries too. Or there's the Jazz Cafe, which is located just off of Kingsmead Square. They do a great big full english (which tastes nice!) at a low price. At other times of the day their menu is great - lots of different, tasty foods with simply but cosy surroundings. Or there's the Boston Tea Party, which will do the usual breakfast options. The prices are slightly higher, but the food is great. I'll talk about the lunches here later.
So after breakfast you'll be sightseeing. A trip to Bath must include the reason it became popular in the first place - the Roman Baths. Excellent place to visit. You will walk around the baths, the main bath being exactly how it was when it was used by the Romans. There are various other bath rooms which haven't survived as well, but are still containing items excavated from the site. Great information provided to show you how it would have looked. Also you'll be able to see the waters still flowing from the spring.
The Abbey is worth a look. Not an awful lot to see, but you can pop in and out in a few minutes and take most of it in. I think the outside is more interesting - the varios carvings showing various meanings. For example the stone angels climbing down ladders either side of the main doors. There'll be buskers/performers on the square outside. Usually too crowded - the baths are on the same square.
If you're facing the Abbey entrance. Walk to the left, follow the street until it ends, cross the road and walk left again. The park in front of you is beautiful and a great place to eat an icecream in the summer. Following that road you come to the weir - or at least you can see it if you peer over the edge! Following the road further and turning right will lead you onto Great Pultney Street. A few films have been recorded here, including parts of Vanity Fair. At the end of the street you'll see the Holbourn Museum, which houses a perminant exhibition of the collections of one of the art-loving owners of the building. The ground floor has a changing exhibit. Always worth checking out. Don't expect a large room - it's a very very small exhibit. About £4 at last check, for entrance.
From here, facing the museum, turn left, walk along until the crossing, cross and follow signs to Bath's Boating Station. Here you can punt, row or just sit on the banks and watch others have a go. It's a beautiful river, that's well worth rowing up!
Right, whilst you're in Bath you must visit the king of Good Old English Pubs (that don't smell their age and actually serve great food!) The Raven. From Milsom street take a right onto Quiet Street and follow the small road around the corner. Welcome to The Raven. Fantastic ales, PieMinister pies on the menu (gourmet pies, which are just unbelievably good), friendly staff and plenty of extra room upstairs. Just a great pub.
You're going to need lunch, so the best bread based choices: The Whole Bagel, Upper Borough Walls, brilliant bagels, fresh ingredients, made infront of you. Smoothies, brownies, salads and pizza bagels also. Average Bath prices, so from £2.95 - £3.10 for a bagel. Intermezzo, just up from the Theatre Royal. Probably the best place for baguettes. Varied choice of fillings. About the same price. For Pasties, visit The Corridor (just off of the high street) - the pastie shop there is the best in Bath. Please don't visit West Cornwall Pasties - it's just not good. Same goes for any place to eat that's near the Abbey or around Bog Island. It wont be pretty and it's just a tourist trap.
Cafes: Again, the Jazz Cafe do a nice selection. Cafe Shoon (at the top of Shoon) on Milsom street. Great little cafe, lovely food. Ok, now here's where I let myself down as Difinitive Guide to Bath, because I can't remember the name of this cafe, but it's opposite Sally Lunns (which you'll probably visit), down some steps and in the courtyard. Great prices, great jacket potatos, sandwiches etc.
More things to see: Prior Park, which is a little out of Bath, but if you can find a tour going there then take it because it's beautiful. The Royal Crescent, fantastic views over Victoria Park, which is also worth a wander around. Lots of hidden places of interest. The Cirus is just down from the Crescent, and that's worth walking to. Try to spot the carved symbols still left above some doors, which are thought to be masonic.
The Assembly Rooms and Costume Museum are only around the corner from here, as is the East Asian Art Musuem.
A bus tour is always a good way to get a look around the city centre without having to walk everywhere - although you'll soon realise just how small Bath is!
If you can visit the canal then definately do, as it makes for the best walk in Bath. Especially on a lovely warm day - there's a reward waiting at the end which goes by the name of The George. An excellent pub, where you can drink on the side of the canal, with the ducks, and stay until dinner time for the good food!
Dinner: Aqua on Walcot Street is just magnificent. Italian food the way you imagine it would be in a perfect world! Yak Yeti Yak on Manvers Street is great Nepalese food, run by a lovely family. Say Pasta, which is the other end of town, but worth going to for good tasting, suprisingly cheap Italian food. Lots of good spots for dinner, some awful ones including Garfunkels and Cafe Martini, where the food comes frozen and is usually served that way.
Nightlife in Bath is slightly restricted by the nature of the buildings. We're all living very close to each other, so most clubs tend to be below ground level. Moles is the most popular, as is The Porter pub above it where you can wait for Moles to open. It's medium sized, sometimes playing live (and popular) music, djs featuring upstairs also. Back To Mine is not as 'dancy' (as in atmosphere, not music style) but does have plenty more room and a great rum bar. The Common Rooms has a great atmosphere, but is pricey. The Raven is more laid back in the evenings. The Pig and Fiddle is a large, burger serving pub with a big outdoors area and sometimes live music. Sam Wellers is like the average friendly local. Most of these are located just off of Milsom Street. There are other places to go, further down town, but personally I'd stick to this half.
I think I've summed up the best bits of the amenities in Bath. I hope it's been of use. Enjoy your stay and remember if there's one thing you must do, it's taking a walk on a sunny evening as the buildings reflect the sun and give off a distinct glow, which is my favourite thing about this city.
Also, one final thing. Look up as the streets have hidden suprises, that after 20 years of looking ahead you can still miss. Amazing details on the top of the buildings. Just keep looking up!
Pictures of Bath in General
The Weir
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I will have to make time to visit Bath as soon as possible, sounds too good to be true
Bollinger28 09.08.2008 08:57
Super insight into the city. It's years since I've been to Bath, but I remember it very well as it's rather special and well worth a visit. Welcome to Ciao, Lexy
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Advantages: History, beautiful buildings, compact centre, individual shops,good places to eat! Disadvantages: On the pricey side, a bit hard to get to, hilly (but has Shopmobility).
kitchengoddess 05.03.2005 (06.03.2005)
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Review of Bath in General
Aug 8th, 2008
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