Bath was always on my list of places to visit in England. I love the architecture, the history and the surrounding landscapes. When touring Bath, we took a look around the Roman Baths, walked along the River Avon and stopped by a couple of other historic locations.
If you’re planning on visiting, here are some suggestions:
Roman Baths
With more than one million visitors each year, the Roman Baths are a popular stop for those visiting the area. We really enjoyed our visit and saw all of the highlights – the Great Bath, Sacred Spring, saunas, plunge rooms and more.
The Great Bath is impressive, and you learn a lot as you walk through the complex. One of the sights I found most interesting was the hot room; this room was heated using a hypocaust system. While viewing the room, you can see the pillars that would hold up the flooring to allow hot air to circulate underneath. This is one of the most ancient forms of “central heating,” and it was amazing to see how well thought out each of the rooms were.
While crowded, the Roman Baths are a must-see. There is plenty of space to move about from room to room at your own pace. You’re equipped with an audio guide, so you can certainly spend as much time as you’d like listening to the history and taking in the scenes.
No. 1 Royal Crescent
On our second trip to Bath, we stopped by No. 1 Royal Crescent. This Georgian apartment takes you back in time to the period 1776-1796, and the rooms are decorated and furnished to look as they would have in the late 18th century.
I had never heard of No. 1 Royal Crescent but was so glad we stopped by because the experience feels more intimate than a museum, and we learned a lot along the way. They have people in each room available to answer any questions you may have about the art, furniture or daily habits that would have taken place in that room. We learned everything from how food was prepared in the kitchen to how ladies used makeup made of lead. Things have certainly come a long way!
I wasn’t able to get photos inside; however, you can take a virtual tour here. Below are pictures of the lawn outside of the apartment and nearby landscaping.
Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House & Museum
To round out our Bath experience, we had to stop by Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House & Museum. We sat on the ground level of the historic eating house and enjoyed tea and the famous Sally Lunn bun. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s not to be confused with the London Bath bun. The Sally Lunn bun is described as “part bun, part bread, part cake” and similar to brioche. The buns are very large and available with sweet or savory toppings. We decided to go with jam, but the coffee and walnut butter was tempting!
The building itself is one of the oldest houses in Bath and is believed to have been a bakery where the first Bath bunn was created by, you guessed it, a baker named Sally Lunn. There is a small museum and gift shop downstairs where you can see the original oven. The building’s history; however, goes back way before Sally Lunn. Excavations reveal artifacts from Roman times. It was fascinating to see how the floor level of the home has risen over the years. You can read a bit more about the history here.
Strolling through the streets
Simply walking around, there are a lot of sights to see – from the River Avon to the Georgian architecture to bookshops and cafes. When you walk along the river, you get a wonderful view of Pulteney Bridge, which is apparently one of only four bridges in the world with shops on both sides along the entire span.
Whether you are making a day trip or having a weekend getaway, there are plenty of activities to enjoy in Bath. On our first day trip, we dedicated our time to the Roman Baths. On our second trip, we had an entire weekend to take in some more historical sites and to take our time walking around at our own pace. Even so, we’ve only touched the surface of all of the history and sights Bath has to offer, and I look forward to future visits!
