Shops, goats and steamy dips
Head back through history at the Roman Baths, a steamy and stunningly preserved piece of Ancient Rome. Take a rooftop dip at Thermae Bath Spa. Meet goats and ducks at Bath City Farm, hop on and off the tour bus, shop the quirky independents of Milsom Street, or book a home manicure, pedicure or massage.
Country kids
Take a free trip to Bath City Farm to meet sheep, goats, chickens, ducks, pigs, and a pony you can groom. Get to grips with birds of prey at the West of England Falconry Centre in the Midford Valley. Or see the sites of Bath while cracking the case of the ballistic buns on a Spy Mission Trail.
Hop on and hop off the open-top bus with its 36 ports of call that drop you off at the Jane Austen Trail, the Roman Baths, the Royal Crescent or Terence Walk, with its Victorian statues. Take a tour of Anglo-Saxon Bath Abbey, or ride the Strawberry Line Miniature Railway, the longest ground-level 5” gauge railway in the West Country.
Meet plenty of friendly fur, or ride jeeps and quad bikes, at Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park in Keynsham. Play 18 holes of fun golf, involving waterfalls and waterways, at Victoria Falls Adventure Golf, with the Royal Crescent as a backdrop. Or punt, canoe or row your way along the Thames at Bath Boating Station.
Head out of town to walk in the footsteps of your Neolithic ancestors at Stonehenge, to see the Wookey Hole Caves, to Go Ape in the Forest of Dean, or meet 130 different species of birds, large mammals and reptiles at the Cotswold Wildlife Park. Or ace the nursery slopes at Gloucester Ski and Snowboard Centre.
For the grown ups
Go back through 2000 years of history to the Roman Baths, a beautifully preserved piece of Ancient Rome. See the Roman Temple, taste the mineral-rich spa water from the fountain, but don’t jump in. If you want to immerse yourself in thermal waters, it’s the Thermae Bath Spa rooftop you want. Choose a cold day and watch the steam rise.
Also worth a stroll is the Beau Street Hoard, housing the 17,500 Roman coins discovered under a Bath hotel in 2007. For serene atmospheric beauty, the Pulteney Bridge can’t be beaten. Go by day for the shops, cafes and restaurants, and by night for the lights that hang over the water.
If you’re a period drama fan, you might recognise Bath’s unmistakable Royal Crescent. It’s the best address in Bath and Number 1 is now open as a museum. Just around the corner, the Museum of Bath Architectures opens each winter and showcases a model of the city. Or check out Gainsborough in the Victoria Art Gallery.
Young and theatrical? Try The Egg. Nosh up before or afterwards in The Garrick’s Head. Or try the Theatre Royal Bath, host to 120-plus West End plays. Shops? Head for Milsom Street for iconic independent shopping or Bartlett Street with its historic shopping and fascinating antiques centre.
Happy hens
Bath is perfect for hens. Kick things off with a wander round the Roman Bath Museum, home to natural hot springs and plenty of history. Then relax in the mineral-rich waters of the rooftop Bath Thermae Spa. Stay up high for a flight over the city as far as the Mendips or Cotswolds, with Bath Balloons.
Retail therapy comes with an independent feel here, and it all begins on Milsom Street. Follow the one-of-a-kind boutiques from Jolly’s right down to the SouthGate area with its designer brands, plus High Street regulars such as Debenhams, Urban Outfitters, H&M, and Topshop.
You don’t need to be a bookie’s tipster to have a good time at the races, so enjoy great food, good wine, and delightful company with a flutter at Bath Races. Or come in early spring and revel in the Cheltenham Festival. Or how about a punt or boat trip rented by the hour or day starting from Bath’s Pulteney Weir?
Call up the Pamper Company for a home spa with manicures, pedicures and massages without leaving the house. Book an in-house cocktail workshop or head out to The Botanist to shake, stir and sip your way through a cocktail masterclass, hosted by an expert botanist. Or solve the clues and beat the clock with Bath Escape.
