Round The World and other travels
A frequent flyer's collection of trip diaries
June 2014: Bath
Just 13 miles south-west of Bristol with a journey time of 11 minutes by express train, and nestling on the southern edge of the Cotswolds, lies one of England's greatest glories: the city of Bath, historic spa town and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Bath as a spa town dates at least from Roman times, but the standout feature that makes the city what it is today is its beautifully preserved Georgian architecture, which reaches its zenith in Royal Crescent. Although Bath is no longer a cathedral city, it is home to an ecclesiastical treasure: the former Benedictine monastery known as Bath Abbey. Now a far-from-ordinary Anglican parish church, this magnificent building attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Besides the Abbey, the baths and the Georgian terraces, the attractive offering to visitors looking for a culture fix also includes five theatres and numerous museums and galleries.
Bath has been a major tourist centre for centuries and its attraction remains undiminished. I had made only one previous visit, as a day trip from London in the 1980s, and was keen to rekindle the fading memories.
Pulteney Bridge
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Bath Abbey
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Georgian Terraces and Crescents
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Other impressions
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