Day trip to Bath.
Bath is just 1 hour and 40 minutes by train from London and one of the most elegant cities in England. The entire city is a World Heritage site since 1987, and it’s well known for its Roman Baths.
These were the only things I knew about the city of Bath and made me want to visit it so much!
The weather was cloudy and a bit windy with a chance to rain that Sunday morning but couldn’t change my decision and my excitement to visit Bath this time!
We took the train from Paddington at 10:00 in the morning and arrived precisely at 11:41 (as per schedule).
I got very excited about the architecture of the city. The architectural style of the city is Gregorian which has been evolved from the Palladian revival style. This means symmetry, proportions and many characteristics based on the classical Architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. The facades of the buildings are covered with honey-coloured limestone. The result of this well-maintained city is absolutely stunning!
For the main sightseeing, which is Roman Baths, I had bought tickets in advance some days before our arrival. This saved us a lot of time -not spending it in a long queue-. We were also given audio guides when we arrived and we spent about an hour and a half at the Roman Baths. Even though the water is not treated to make it safe for swimming and it is actually prohibited to bath there, it was an amazing experience and truly atmospheric that travels you 2,000 years back in time. Roman Baths are the best-preserved ancient baths in Northern Europe and if I had the chance to visit again, I would go just before the last entry which is at 9 pm during summertime, where you walk by the light of flickering torches. The torches are lit at dusk which is around 4 pm during winter and at 9 pm during summer. How romantic could that be? For more info click here.
We also walked through Pulteney Bridge. The bridge features two ranges of shops that form a street in the middle, similar to Ponte Vecchio in Florence and Ponte di Rialto in Venice.
We ate sweet and savory buns at Sally Lunn’s Historic Eating House and Museum, a medieval building that dates back to 1482. The Sally Lunn bun is one of the most famous delicacies of Bath that is being served in this house for over 300 years. Even though the recipe is being kept secret, this large bun is served warm and it is made with yeast dough and it includes eggs and flour.
Legend has it that this recipe was brought to Bath in the 1680s by a Huguenot baker who later became known as Sally Lunn. If you visit the basement, you will see the fireplace where Sally Lunn is said to be baking. Also you can buy the famous Bath Buns in a beautifully wrapped package!
Last but not least we visited the Circus. A square with large townhouses that forms a circle. The Architect John Wood created this Circus having almost the same diameter as the Stonehenge. His vision was to recreate classical Palladian architectural landscape for the city of Bath and this is also considered his masterpiece.
Bath will remain in my mind for its great history and its architecture that make the city truly elegant and magical.
Until next time ♥
