I've wanted to visit Bath for as long as I can remember. It didn't disappoint. The contrast between Sheffield and Bath is immense - 2 cities with totally different purposes and architecture. Jane Austen loved Bath and there is a Jane Austen museum here - but sadly no Mr Darcy.
The town was (and still is )very affluent. Many of the Georgian buildings remain, and they are stunning. We were glad that we had used the City's Park & Ride (very easy to use) as the streets were very narrow. We did feel that the amount of traffic spoiled the atmosphere of the place a little.
The Royal Crescent is lovely, but I preferred the "Circus" . I couldn't photograph either very well as they were vast.
I also loved the many plaques on the buildings dotted round and about.
We noticed lots of these shell like canopy's over windows and doors. Gorgeous.
The whole city looks like this - so old and as if it should be a film set. Not much new building is taking place, but lots and lots of maintenance work. When I thought about it, it must be a real headache trying to make a Georgian City fit for modern lives. The housing situation is very different to where we live. In Bath, people seem to live in either huge £million plus houses or apartments made from huge houses. Being a bit of an "over thinker" I also wondered about how they adapted Georgian drains etc for modern times!
It was very stunning down by the riverside.
I loved the Pulteney Bridge, designed by Robert Adam in 1770.
It has a street down the middle with shops either side, and it leads to a much quieter area of Bath, which was favoured by Jane Austen.
The museum here had a fabulous cafe - highly recommended.
We wandered around exploring as much of the city as we could fit in. The city is very hilly and the Georgian architects built the houses into the hillsides, meaning that some of the houses are very very tall and the passage ways between the levels are very very steep.
I walked my little legs off!
Hubby did comment on how many Farrow & Ball shops we saw - at least 3!! The whole place is
painted in it! Heaven!!
19 comments:
One of my favourite cities. I used to take my mum here on holiday, going to the theatre, Sally Lunn's for a teacake, Assemby rooms for coffee and string quartet.....
I need to go again!
Wow, that city looks like something out of a Jane Austen novel, not that I would know, lol. Never have read her books. I'm more of a J.K. Rowling person myself, lol. But, real quick, why do they call that city Bath? I'm just curious as to how it got its name.
Thank you for the mini tour of all those beautiful places in Bath.
Glad the city lived up to it's expectations and that you can tick it off your visiting list and that you managed to see so much.
Lisa x
do you know, I didn'tknow Jane Austen lived there and I've been loads as my cousin used to live there......and I lovea bit of Austin!!
I adore Bath. When I win the lottery........
You should see my attempts to take panoramic photos of Bath. Pretty laughable!
x
It's been a long time since I was last there. Not so sure I could manage it nowadays. glad you liked it though.
Pretty but I prefer steel city x
I enjoyed this post as it reminded me of our trip to bath a few years ago. I'd love to go back there and explore some more. We were there when they had a display of painted pigs all over the place, it was August 2008 so pre-blog.
I haven't visited Bath for about 20 years - time I took myself there again!
June
It's such a wonderful city I sent a few day there years ago now, your photos remind me of some of the places I saw.
It's such a wonderful city I sent a few day there years ago now, your photos remind me of some of the places I saw.
Lovely! I've so many happy memories of stays in Bath over the years including an OU summer school at the University and our 25th wedding anniversary. It's strange but like you I preferred the Circus to the Crescent and also the area beyond Pultney Bridge with the quieter streets where Jane Austen's family lived for a while and the Museum in the gardens at the end of them. I've really ebjoyed visiting again with you:)
I've only ever driven through the outskirts of Bath, never visited. I've always wanted to though. You're photos are great. I've always fancied myself living in a Georgian house - I love that style of architecture. Perhaps I can talk my other half in to going for weekend break.
Jill x
PS - I had a few people contact me about receiving SPAM mail from me on Saturday. I'm so sorry, I hope it didn't cause you any problems.
Beautifully historic place, but a nightmare to actually live, drive etc. in!
And of course there are those pesky tourists all over the place! ;)
Hey Diane, thanks 4 the cool comment. I never knew exactly why Bath, England was called that. Never really learned about that sort of thing in history. I never really at all learned about the famous "London Bliz", only that London got bombed, and so did other cities, including Liverpool, Manchester, and possibly Bristol. I always learn something new on your posts and I get the biggest excitement out of it and I love it!! And that's actually going to be my first major trip I'm saving for. Every time you do a post about the local sights, I write them down to make sure I see them. When you did the post including a picture about the Emergency Services Museum, I wrote it down. Sounds very interesting.
Bath is beautiful - couldn't afford to live there though! I haven't visited for many years, it's made me think we could take the family for a weekend.
Gorgeous photos, as always, Diane. Hope the little legs have recovered from all those steep hills and steps! xxxx
I love the Georgian architecture in Bath. I visited last year and took one of those walking tours (like you did round the graveyard the other day) which was informative and funny.
I think Bath is the most featured town on English blogs ever!LOL!
And you're for sure my favourite tour guide!
xxxxx
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