Travel With Me to: Bath UK
Bath is the only city in the UK to hold dual Unesco site status
Travel With Me for:
Bath Spa
Feelings felt: charmed, relaxed
Bath is the only city in the UK to hold dual Unesco site status, with historians highlighting its value in maintaining Roman and Georgian features of architectural significance. During Roman times, the city was referred to as Aquae Sulis and featured the Temple of Sulis Minerva alongside a massive public baths complex. Later, Georgian architects designed Palladial buildings on a grand scale throughout the city. (Over 5000 buildings are Grade II listed.)
One of the Unesco inscriptions refers to Bath’s spa status, as people have sought its healing waters for thousands of years. Bath holds the largest and most intact example of Roman baths north of the Alps. Visiting the Roman site feels more like taking an architectural and archeological tour than reading signs in a stuffy museum! It is set up so preserved ruins have been augmented by reconstructions and interactive digital features, which enable guests to sense how spa life must’ve looked 2000 years ago..
Besides wandering through ancient halls and temple ruins, you’ll see evidence of how even in the distant past, people loved to toss charms into wishing wells and fountains. Be sure to take a look at the uncovered curses carved on lead slips and tossed to the goddess Minerva, a hoard of over 15,000 Roman coins, and even shells & bones from leftover snacks.
I skip the free audio guides in most museums but recommend using one here. I actually switched to the children’s mode for much of the audio tour, where voices represent characters from Roman past and tell stories in a first-person way.
After strolling through the museum side and above the bathhouse, meet a guide (SO worth an extra 8£) to walk through the baths themselves and learn about an ancient day at the baths. This ritual was about much more than just cleanliness. It also differed from the quiet, tranquil “spa” atmosphere that we tend to seek today – a day at the baths was very much a social activity. There was gambling, performance, eating, drinking, requesting favors (and curses against trespassers) from the gods… The wealthy paid for elite services, but the baths were enjoyed by all.
So, let’s talk more about how you, too, can take the waters! Before leaving the ruins site, be sure to stop by the tasting fountain. The baths are full of minerals, originally sought-after for their internal (and external) health benefits. Does it work? Probably! My mindset, is “When in Rome - or the Roman Bath!”
Once you’ve had a taste, move down the road to Thermae Bath Spa to take advantage of the external health benefits as well. Immerse your body in comfortable warmth, powered by the naturally-heated thermal waters, in a series of treatment zones. See more about taking the waters in my thermal spas post here.
I recommend spending at least one night in town, to give yourself time to explore more than *just* the baths., The abbey is spectacular, and the rare Puleteny bridge is one of only four bridges in the world to have shops across its full span on both sides.
Be sure to wander the streets in the footsteps of Jane Austen, Mary Shelley, abbey monks, and kings. Visit the Royal Crescent and the Circus for lovely examples of grand crescents. Free, guided city tours leave from the abbey square each day. If you prefer to explore on your own, the world heritage center offers interactive maps and apps, and each time I’ve popped in, staff are gracious and willing to offer advice.
My favorite accommodation is the historic Abbey Hotel (now part of Tribute Collection by Marriott) – don’t miss the opportunity to take a stroll through the adjacent alleyways and shady courtyard square.
Bath is situated near the Cotswolds and not far from Stonehenge and Avebury, if you’d like to stretch your stay and venture into the lovely countryside.
Practical Information:
https://www.bathworldheritage.org.uk/
https://www.abbeyhotelbath.co.uk