Best Time to Travel
Bath in the summertime is a slice of paradise, with the natural light illuminating the limestone buildings - but on sunny days expect the centre to be busy. The city’s lush parks and gardens make for perfect picnic spots, while the river walks and hill hikes that surround the centre are ideal for a sun-speckled adventure. Visit the city during winter, and discover the vast Christmas Market. Running for over 2 weeks, the endless wooden chalets sell an array of taste-bud tingling food and handmade crafts.
Not to Miss
When you visit Bath, you have to see the city’s namesake - the Roman Baths. This is the site of an ancient spring, now surrounded by palatial Georgian buildings and introduced via an educational museum. Right beside the Roman Baths, you’ll find the city’s immense Cathedral, Bath Abbey. After walking up Milsom Street - the bustling shopping area - amble along to the Crescent, a half-moon shaped terrace of sweeping 18th century houses. This borders Victoria Park, the city’s 57-acre public green space.
Getting around
Bath is a perfect walking city, having a relatively small centre and shopping district, where most of the key sights are clustered together. If you want to reach somewhere on the city outskirts, there’s often a pleasant tree-lined footpath through a park or beside the river. There are also inexpensive rental bicycles dotted throughout the city, if you’d prefer speedier transport. Bath has a central railway station, with direct trains to and from London Paddington. The nearest airport is Bristol Airport which serves plenty of international European flights.
Cuisine
Bath boasts a strong foodie culture, which varies from fine European dining to tempting takeaways. If you’re in the mood for melt-in-the-mouth dishes, you’ll find plenty of suave restaurants serving signature steaks or sumptuous seafood. For something more hearty, check out the Indian eateries, American-style burger bars, or the inns that serve classic pub lunches. When you’re out in the pubs, expect to see local ales and ciders on tap - such as the infamous, deep-gold Black Rat cider.
Customs and etiquette
Bath is a very friendly and welcoming city and has little problem with crime or theft, but, as with all popular tourist hotspots, keep an extra-close eye on your valuables around the main landmarks. It's best to tip around 10% at restaurants, and anything above that for particularly good service. Bath does have a strong and thriving nightlife, but it rarely spills out onto the streets - so if you’re out on the town, make sure to keep collected on the walk back to your hotel.Fast Facts
• Population: 88860
• Spoken languages: English
• Electrical: The UK runs on 230V, 50Hz current
• Phone Calling Code: +44 1225999
