The beautiful city of Bath is one of our favourite places to visit. The stunning architecture, picturesque streets and cool attractions make it the perfect place for a short or long stay. Spend the day exploring the ancient Roman ruins and enjoying a picnic in the Parade Gardens before sinking into a great night's sleep at our Apex City of Bath Hotel.
We've rounded up our favourite places that we think you should visit whilst in Bath.
The Bath Abbey is one of Bath’s most recognisable buildings and is situated in the centre of the city. Despite the abbey only being open for private prayer at the moment, the grade 1 listed building itself is still a must-see. Founded in the 7th century and after many restorations, the architecture and stained glass windows are worth checking out, especially for those interested in history. Today it is now one of the largest examples of Perpendicular Gothic architecture in the West Country. If you are visiting Bath later in the year, you should be able to view the many war memorials or partake in a tour of the tower.
The Circus is easily one of the city’s most famous and well-known streets. The picturesque Georgian townhouses and the unique architecture consists of identical, large townhouses which were designed by prominent architect at the time, John Wood. The outstanding architectural masterpiece is not to be missed, and if you look a little closer you will discover the detail on the stonework and the many emblems that are featured. It is also said that there is a spot right in the middle that if you can find it, anything you say will echo!
If you think you would enjoy taking in The Circus then your next stop should be The Royal Crescent. Designed by John Wood the Younger, more decadent townhouses stand where many a famous face has lived whilst in Bath. The Georgian features remain with many of the townhouses still intact, with many now split into apartments. If you'd like to continue to immerse yourself in the history Bath has to offer following a trip to The Royal Crescent, there's a museum about the history of the buildings as well as The Royal Crescent Hotel and Spa.
Bath is a green city, so whilst you are there take advantage of the many parks and open spaces that it has to offer. One of our favourite parks is the Parade Gardens, where you can sit back and relax in a deck chair whilst the children run off some steam. The gardens stretch across two and a half acres with views of Pulteney Bridge and the weir, not to mention beautiful floral bedding displays. In the centre of the grounds is a traditional bandstand which would normally hold concerts. For a casual day in the park with a picnic, this is the place to go.
Bath is well-known for its beautiful Georgian architecture with Pulteney Bridge always coming top on our list of places to visit thanks to its exceptional style, which houses many shops across the full span of the bridge on both sides. The bridge, designed by Robert Adam has been enhanced and preserved to its original appearance. Take in the sights and visit the local shops across the bridge to get a real feel for Bath and its Georgian history.
Another of Bath’s delightful open spaces is Alexandra Park, this one, in particular, is the place to go for superb views of Bath and its surrounding countryside. Perched on a summit overlooking the city, if you fancy a challenge walking up the zig-zag path or the many steps to get to the top, you are rewarded with the outlook once you reach the peak. It consists of acres of green grass and a children's playground for those who haven’t used all of their energy up just yet.