With its Roman history and sweeping Georgian crescents, Bath is a true English gem. Few can resist her Palladian architecture and buttermilk limestone: even UNESCO World Heritage gave into her classical charm (the only British city to warrant this stamp). Bath’s Roman history endures in the remarkably preserved baths and temples which were built around the hot springs of Aquae Sulis back in 70AD. Layered onto its ancient therapeutic legacy is the history of Bath's 18th-century society, catalysed by visionaries such as Beau Nash (a famous dandy), Ralph Allen (of Prior Park) and John Wood the Elder (whose designs spawned the Circus and Queen Square). The quintessentially English city – perfectly proportioned and tastefully weathered – is a perennial location for bonnets and horse drawn carriages, most recently for the Netflix hit, Bridgerton as well as their 2022 Persuasion adaptation, starring Dakota Johnson.
But amid Bath’s Jane Austen good looks, its cobbled streets and snaking river lies its wonderfully creative, and slightly dishevelled soul and the people who live and study here, who curate pocket-sized galleries, fashion boutiques, antique emporiums, wine bars and cafés, which are wowing visitors from London. The city happily lacks the Cotswolds’ polished, chichi demeanour, and instead, oscillates from the independent and homespun to the traditional, with bells-and-whistles restaurants with white tablecloths and old-school hotels.
From its welcoming, thought-provoking museums to its stylish, storied guesthouses luring London creatives, here’s our essential guide to Bath.
Eating & Drinking
As the name suggests, this is oenophile territory, a slightly scruffy sort of place where the menu precedes the decor. That’s not to say Corkage lacks charm, or indeed subtly choreographed interiors, but there is an unpretentious tone beneath the upcycled timber and gingham table cloths as the food and wine sit front and centre. Marty Grant covers the wine side of things (decoding an enigmatic subject for us humble folk), while Richard Knighting focuses on the food – the cooking as well as the curating of local ingredients. Come here for tasty seasonal plates such as crab toast, pork belly with orzo pasta and caponata, all paired beautifully with the right wine, courtesy of Marty’s wisdom.
This former bakery shifts effortlessly from being a laid back lunch spot (handy for those having just visited the Museum of Bath Architecture) and a coffee shop favoured by locals to a restaurant offering a three-course supper with live music and even dancing. The Walcot's Vibrant plates of tender steak, butternut squash quiches, crab ravioli and wood fired pizza contrast with the subdued sage green walls and exposed industrial ceiling. The menu showcases the West Country’s rich bounty of produce and coastal plunder, while the basement dive bar Bread + Jam loosens up clientele with cocktails before the final stage of The Walcot assault course: the nightclub next door.
Another of Bath’s flexi-dining rooms – both a café for casual salads and three-course restaurant –Clayton’s Kitchen perfectly embodies Bath’s farm-to-fork culture. Chef Robert Clayton puts his Michelin pedigree to good use in this buttoned-down, seared scallops and Ploughman’s kind of establishment. Earthy, unfussy interiors indicate the ethos behind the menu, which is full of freshly caught fish and local Somerset produce. Make a turn off noisy George Street and sit downfor a Penrhos Apple and Elderflower gin cocktail under the blue awning. Or settle in for the long haul, and order mushroom risotto with Wyfe of Bath cheese and truffle or honey roasted duck with dauphinoise potatoes, washed down with Woodchester Valley white wine and La Fleur d’Or Sauternes port.
Accommodation
The Royal Crescent is unapologetically traditional with all the chintz, pomp and plump pillows you’d expect from a hotel that proudly promotes its Georgian heritage. Yes, there are the busts, the cantilevered staircases, the orchids and plush, cushioned headboards, but the main event here are the afternoon teas: a theatrical affair of ritualised precision and conversation-stopping cakes. After a day out in the town, guests can wrap themselves in robes and make for the Spa & Bath House, where massages are followed by a dip in the indoor relaxation pool or a pootle around the pretty walled garden. The hotel is set along Bath’s most famous crescent, with hotel rooms peering over the manicured Victoria Park and the city centre a picturesque 10-minute stroll away.
This small-but-chic hotel is typical of the tastefully refurbished guesthouses and B&Bs that are springing up across the city. Aside from their carefully choreographed interiors and lo-fi aesthetic approach, these hotels all share a strong sense of character, with the owners sitting front and centre. The owners of The Yard’s brought an 18th-century Coaching Inn back to life, though in the form of a pared down oasis with rattan rugs and botanical wallpaper. Bath’s big hitters such as the Roman Baths, the Circus and the Royal Crescent are only a short walk away, and so are many cafes, boutiques and galleries. But guests would be forgiven for flunking a day of museums to read a book with a coffee in The Yard’s courtyard, where green chairs immediately recall those strewn across the Tuileries in Paris.
The Guest House Group have worked their lauded magic on this listed townhouse, preserving its Georgian soul while adorning it with kooky murals, playful chandeliers and restrained, understated tones that are a far cry from 18th century opulence. No.15 Great Pulteney's blend of new and old is clever – emphasising the building’s grand bones while thrusting it into the 21st century. Guests pootle around in expensive trainers and velvet loafers, listening to vinyls and relaxing over the surprisingly good coffee and just-baked brownies from the pantry. Filled to the brim with antiquity from a day perusing Bath’s treasures, a more modern, menu of sage gnocchi, Wyfe of Bath cheese soufflé and Somerset steak is a welcome antidote. Afternoon tea swings back to the Georgian side of things, with polished silver tea pots and scones lathered in West Country cream laid out in the cosy bar area.
Shopping & Things To Do
Shoppers will relish Bath’s warren of independent boutiques, delis and antique stores, where one-of-a-kind presents are easily procured and where the act of shoppings itself feels like a cultural, rather than just consumerist, activity. Head to wine shop and bistro, the Beckford Bottle Shop (which is set to open its offshoot restaurant, The Beckford Canteen, in December with ex-River Cottage and Kitty Fisher's chef, George Barson) on Savile Row for a well picked bottle of red or a platter of cured meats. Grace & Ted is a much-loved designer consignment boutique, whose treasures can include anything from pre-owned Chanel earrings to a vintage Saint Laurent dress. Just as beautifully-curated is Found, a light-filled treasure trove dedicated to good taste, showcasing homeware pieces, fashion and trinkets, while Topping & Company is a bookworm's paradise, with a dizzying collection of books on an encyclopediac array of topics and authors ready to be mined. Right by the Jane Austen Centre, Milsom Place is a swishy spot for fashion or interiors shopping, but those with more bohemian aspirations should head to Walcot or The London Road (Bath's official Artisan Quarter and the epicentre of the city’s fabled antique and independent scene). Much like Notting Hill’s Portobello Road, the Saturday flea market unfurls amid swanky interiors shops and high-end antique shops that want a piece of the action, but Walcot's sensationally scruffy charm endures, with Diagon Alley-esque cobbled stretches and eccentric characters.
Those with a penchant for dashing white sergeants and petticoats, or just a jolly good period drama should take a turn about the Jane Austen Centre. This Milsom Street institution celebrates Jane Austen’s literary impact and deft social observations, a generous helping of Regency era Bath which can be debriefed and dissected over drawn out cups of tea and scones in the museum’s quaint tearoom.
Relax as the Romans did by indulging the healing powers of the thermal baths. First, visit the Roman Baths Museum, whose audio guide will teach you how structures were built around the hot springs. Then, with the UK’s only natural warm and mineral-rich water, Thermae Bath Spa is a steamy, photogenic spot to spend an afternoon of decompressing – its open air rooftop pool can be booked at night for romantic views across the city. The Gainsborough is a city institution, where a handsome, pillared spa serves up exclusive access to Bath’s natural thermal waters – along with Asian-influenced massages and an (undemanding) steam-and-sauna assault course.
The two go hand-in-hand in this perfectly proportioned city, where splendid stucco walls and pillared rooms are adorned with works from Thomas Gainsborough through to Grayson Perry. Bath’s public art museum, Victoria Art Gallery, hosts a free permanent collection (expect original Tudor portraits of Henry VIII and Paul Klees), while its hard not to be distracted by the Holburne Museum’s landscaped gardens and striking Regency architecture while perusing its Renaissance works and bronze sculptures. No. 1 Royal Crescent offers a glimpse into Bath’s Palladian era flamboyancy of piano recitals, silk wallpaper and chandeliers, while Centre Space is a decidedly more modern proposition – a gallery and studio set up to support local emerging artists and creatives. The beauty of Bath is the spontaneous encounter - stumbling upon The Lotus Gallery on Chapel Row (a collection of works by young artists), 44AD ArtSpace with a similar local-focus or David Simon Contemporary, which feels more like stepping into an art lover’s home than a gallery.
