Bath has been a leisure and wellbeing destination for over 2000 years – and its popularity as a city to explore, relax and rejuvenate show no signs of diminishing. A cultural, historic hub within the South West – its grown-up grandeur and beauty attract house-buyers who are looking for city life at a more gentrified pace.
“Bath is so accessible from The Cotswolds, great for a day trip and as self-confessed property addicts, the architecture cannot be beaten’. Peter Sharvell.
Everyone knows that Bath was home to literary legend Jane Austen, but it’s also the city that inspired Mary Shelley to finish writing Frankenstein.
Beautiful honey Bath-stone Regency and Georgian townhouses in the city’s 7 crescents are the epitome of Bath housing stock, as well as smaller terraces and luxury, cutting-edge modern new builds.
The compact city centre of Bath is easy to navigate on foot, with a thriving mix of independent boutiques, artisan food shops and major high-street names. There are six ‘quarters’ in total to discover – the artisan district is where you will find quirky interiors, vintage and antiques shops, as well as a popular Saturday flea market. A regular farmers’ market at the covered former railway Green Park Station runs on Saturday mornings too, perfect for direct access to the region’s top foodie producers.
Whether you are looking for High Tea, Michelin-Starred gastronomie or good pub grub – Bath can cater for your every culinary whim. We love Woods British Bistro – a family-run affair since 1979, it offers ‘British food with a French accent’. If you’re looking for a great coffee and cake pitstop – one of the UK's leading artisan bakeries, Thoughtful Bakery also offer a café and bakery school. If you’re looking for something stronger, the Wraxall Vineyard makes award-winning still and sparkling wine in nearby Shepton Mallet.
If you want to experience ‘Crescent life’ – the Royal Crescent Hotel is steeped in 250 years of history but the really gem is hiding in the 1 acre of gardens out the back – the award-winning bath house has a monastic feel about it; offering full-day treatment packages, or simply an escape from city life to revive in its waters. The Pig near Bath, is a great quirky Country House just outside the city – perfect for foodies as everything on the menu is sourced from with a 25-mile radius.
A bit of a tourist destination, and busy at peak times, however the Thermae Bath Spa has to be experienced at least once – the rooftop infinity pool has the best view in town. Take advantage of the wide array of museums and galleries in town – from fashion to literary, art to social history. Then watch history come to life on one of the family-friendly city trails that will help you uncover corners of Bath you never knew existed. If you need to escape the tourist hordes – explore the Botanical Gardens in Royal Victoria Park. Children will love the huge adventure playground and duck pond to blow off some steam.
Further afield, using Bath as your base ,there’s loads to discover – from motor racing at Castle Combe, to animal antics at Longleat Safari Park. There are plenty of National Trust properties to flex your membership at, plus make sure you leave time for a game of rugby at Bath’s renowned club! Bath comes into its own at Christmas, from its atmospheric street market to ice rink, lights and cathedral carol concerts. A must-see destination for festive shoppers.
With every city amenity you would expect, Bath is an easy 90-minute train ride to London. On the M4/M5 corridor and close to Bristol and Oxford – Bath is well placed for city hopping and has immediate access to some of the finest Somerset and Cotswolds’ countryside.