Bath is a City built, like Rome, on 7 hills in the picturesque West of England. It is a Spa Town whose waters constantly flow out of the ground at approximately blood temperature. In prehistoric times it was probably a volcanic crater but after Prince Bladud discovered the healing properties of its mineral waters, the Romans built it into a Spa Town named after the waters, the Saxon god Sul and the Roman Goddess Minerva, Aquae Sulis. In Georgian times, Bath became the height of fashion thanks to impressario Beau Nash and high society came there to take the waters, see and be seen. The Roman and Georgian influences make this beautiful city with its sweeping crescents of golden sandstone what it is today.

As a Bathonian from the age of 3, I am a lifelong fan of the city and dedicate these pages to anyone who wishes to discover the beauty of Bath whilst avoiding the standard tourist traps.

Here is a whirlwind guide of where to go, what to do and where to eat & drink with links to other interesting Bath sites that will help you plan a visit.

What to do ?

A weekend can be enough to explore Bath - you'll need a minimum of 2 full days to really appreciate its beauty. First really useful thing to know is NEVER TAKE YOUR CAR ANYWHERE NEAR BATH CITY CENTRE. The new 'bus gate' system means that you can't drive through the centre anyway. Don’t let this put you off. My advice is leave the car, if you have one, on the edge of the city and proceed on foot. Bath is such a compact city you can pretty much walk anywhere comfortably.

First thing to do once you get into the city centre is get your bearings. Best and laziest way is on a trip on an open top bus. If you prefer a guided walk with knowledgeable local guides, there are FREE tours taking in all the principle attractions leaving at regular intervals from the Abbey Courtyard.

Whilst it’s early and there aren’t many queues, take an audio tour around the Roman Baths. Once you’ve done that take a walk down the street opposite the Baths and take a look at the smaller but beautiful Cross Baths (now part of the Thermae Bath Spa complex - if you want to know what it's like to swim in a washing machine check out the main inner bath!!) Take a walk across Pulteney Bridge (one of only 3 bridges in the world with shops on ; the others being the Ponte Vecchio in Florence and the Rialto Bridge in Venice) and take a look around the Abbey and the Abbey Heritage Vaults. Stroll through Victoria Park and the Royal Crescent then along Brock Street to The Circus. A couple of tips; try and clap your hands at the centre of the Circus and hear what happens (!!!!) and take a walk around the back of the Royal Crescent and note that toilet space has been added on as an afterthought to many of the buildings. The Fashion Museum at the Assembly Rooms is worth a visit if you are remotely interested in costume through the ages. Another museum well worth a visit is the Building of Bath museum at the Paragon. This provides a fascinating insight into the architecture of the place and features a scale model of the entire city centre.

The advantage of a city surrounded by hills is that, if you have the energy and inclination, you are rewarded by spectacular views. Make the effort to stagger up to Camden Crescent and Lansdown Crescent (itself a rival to the beauty of the Royal Crescent) for stunning vistas across Bath.

Another highly recommended activity off the conventional tourist track is to take a stroll along the Kennet & Avon canal. Join it at Widcombe Lock (one of the deepest in the UK) and follow the tow path along to Sydney Gardens where you can get back into the centre by walking down Great Pulteney Street. If you are very enthusiastic and have longer, walk all the way to Bathampton and have a canal-side meal at the George Inn. If you get too carried away, you’ll end up in Reading !!!

Best of all, and off the beaten track mainly because it is difficult to get to and you can't park there, is the sublime Prior Park with stunning views across Bath and the most wonderful Palladian Bridge which just takes your breath away. To get there either get a bus (2 or 4 from the Bus Station) or walk (again a steep hill so only if you are feeling fit).

In the evening (especially in Summer) take a guided walk. Being an ancient city, Bath is a hive of supernatural activity; it is the most haunted city in the UK after York. Highly recommended are the Ghost Walks which depart from the Garricks Head on Fridays during off-season and nightly in the Summer; you may, like me, have a strange experience. If you have a taste for something more theatrical try the Bizarre Bath walk departing from The Huntsman which features escapologist bunnies, decapitated carrots and magic tricks. You can also follow in the footsteps of Jane Austin. Organised Jane Austen walks take place from the Jane Austin Centre which describe the author’s experiences of Bath (she actually hated it) and the city’s appearances in her novels. Alternatively, go and see a play at the Theatre Royal in Sawclose (usually big, often starry pre-London productions).

For those with more time who like to walk, highly recommended is the Bath Skyline Walk; a half day’s ramble around the hilltops of Bath with stunning views. The walk takes in Sham Castle (you’ll discover why it’s called that when you get there), the modern University Campus, Bathwick Hill, Rainbow Woods and Prior Park. Maps can be picked up from the National Trust Shop, Tourist Information or Prior Park.

If you are still feeling energetic you can try climbing up on Solsbury Hill - much beloved of local lad, Peter Gabriel and, legend has it, the site of one of King Arthur's greatest battles. Solsbury Hill rewards climbers with an amazing view across the whole of Bath as well as a hill carving and the remains of a Stone Age fort. To get there you need to take a 13 bus out towards Bathford, get off at Lambridge and walk into Larkhall village. Proceed through Larkhall into Swainswick and cross the new dual carriageway via the underpass. Access to Solsbury Hill is via a footpath which runs adjacent to the carriageway.

Again if you have more time to linger, go up to the American Museum at Claverton Down (take the Orange Bendy Bus to the University) and explore the sumptuous gardens and colonial house. Don’t miss sampling their divine gingerbread (cooked on the premises in Conkey's Tavern).

Where to eat and drink ?

My advice is avoid the obvious places in the centre. The Pump Room is the biggest lure for tourists. It may be great to look at but it is not the best (or cheapest) place to eat in Bath. Go in there for a traditional Bath Bun and a sample of the Spa water (an acquired taste; me, I love it!!) However, if you want a wonderful snack go off the beaten track, explore the streets and you will find some wonderful eateries. For a mindboggling selection of milkshakes (everything from banoffee muffin to Weetabix!) try out Shakeaway (opposite the main Thermae Bath Spa complex in Beau Street). For soul food with live jazz accompaniment check out Green Park Brasserie in Green Park Station (by Sainsburys). Bath has a fine range of international cuisine as well; from Iguana in the Seven Dials Centre (South American food) to the homemade burgers and sublime cocktails of The Walrus and the Carpenter, the French cuisine of Le Beaujolais in Queens Square to the fine Chinese cuisine of The Peking House in Kingsmead Square (although you can also get excellent value eat as much as you like chinese buffets in the Ocean Pearl (in The Podium above Waitrose and next to the library) and The Real China (in the Odeon Complex, James Street West)).

Day trips

Bath is an ideal centre to seeing the West Country. I could go on at length about where to go but my personal favourite days out are to the beautiful city of Wells and the wonderful stone circles at Avebury. Cheddar is also worth a look but gets horribly clogged up with tourists (yes, do get some cheese, it’s great !); my advice is to get away from it all by walking up the steps of Jacob’s Ladder to the top of the gorge. Glastonbury with the majestic Tor (another good walk) is great but the town centre is strictly for those who like tacky, incense burning mystical shops.

If you are in the area in mid-November then don’t miss the Winter Guy Fawkes Carnivals which tour Bridgewater, Wells, Shepton Mallet, Weston-Super-Mare and Bristol. The floodlit floats are just as spectacular as anything you might see in New Orleans and Rio (it’s probably a bit colder though).

Other interesting Bath Pages.