Scenes From Bath, England

Bath has been in my bucket list for as long as I can remember. There’s something about the quaint Britishness of this place which draws me to it. Its remarkable beauty is quite incomparable as what most people who’ve been to Bath would say and I couldn’t agree more. Its beautiful Georgian architecture and breathtaking natural sceneries will trigger an obsession to anyone who sees it. A place so special that it’s been named as one of England’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In this post, I’ll show bits and pieces of what made me fall in love with Bath.

Above photo is the Abbey Green, it’s a cobblestone square with a grassed oval in the middle which boasts a large tree (because it’s winter, the grass isn’t there :p). The tree is believed to be used for hanging felons hence its name, The Hanging Tree. Rumor has it that the patch exactly beneath where the executions used to take place never seem to grow grass because of the bodies which used to hang there. Of course ghost sightings are popular in this area, I’m not willing to find out if that bit is true.

The architect who built the Bath Abbey fully intended for this church to not have a back side which means that it will impress you no matter which side you approach it from. I wasn’t able to go inside the church but I’ve heard that it’s absolutely stunning, you can also go up the top of the church to get a bird’s eye view of the whole of Bath. I do intend to go back to Bath just so I’d be able to do this.

The Bath Guildhall is one of the most prominent buildings in the city of Bath. It was originally built as a town hall but it now houses the Council Chamber and Register Office. With its beautiful banqueting hall, this building is also popular as a wedding venue or a filming location for period movies.

The Pulteney Bridge is regarded as one of the most romantic and historic bridges in the world which crosses the River Avon. If you think this looks familiar, you probably have seen the Hollywood version of Les Miserables. It’s where Javert committed suicide.

The best way to explore Bath is of course by getting lost in one of its many alleyways. Just off Abbey Green is the charming Lilliput Court which caught my attention because of this independent cafe with a great and cozy outdoor seating. Bath is home to a lot of independent shops which makes it a great destination to shop for unique things.

The Royal Crescent is considered as the finest example of Georgian architecture anywhere in the UK. It’s a semicircle of townhouses with a view of a wide, green field. If I’m lucky enough to be able to live in Bath, I’d definitely look for an apartment here. That is, if I can afford it.

Sally Lunn’s House (if you can see the signage) is the oldest house in Bath and up until now, continues to serve affordable meals including the original Bath bun. It also houses a museum which showcases a Georgian kitchen.

Where are we headed next?
To the Circus
Oh! So you can see your family of monkeys?

That’s the Greek Mister trying to be funny. The Circus in Bath however is not the circus where monkeys are climbing bars or doing tricks. The Circus is one of the most affluent areas in Bath and is called as such because of the roundabout in the middle of it. It’s popular for the beautiful architecture of the townhouses built in a circular shape.

There are a lot of great traditional pubs in Bath but I’m certain that my favorite would be The Huntsman which is just beside the Abbey Hotel. The exterior is unassuming but the interior decor is so cozy and warm which made a welcoming atmosphere specially after walking around in a very cold, Christmas weather of Bath. We just had a drink here though but if I ever do return to Bath, I’ll make sure that I’d go back there to have a meal and enjoy it more.

Aaaaaaand of course the Roman Baths which is probably the main reason why anyone would want to visit Bath. It’s the best preserved and the biggest Roman Bath in the country so you can’t really blame anyone for having this site as their sole reason to visit the city. However as you can see, there is more to Bath than the Roman Baths and I do hope I was able to help you somehow to plan your trip with this post.

Note: We went to Bath during the Christmas holiday and everything was closed during these days. So I wasn’t really able to explore the museums and other tourist attractions of Bath. It’s a great place though to walk around as it’s so charming and exudes a very English vibe. I’m definitely going back there and hopefully then, I’d be able to write a better guide than this.