Getting There

Bath is about one hundred miles west of London and a perfect day trip if you’re staying in the jolly capital. Day tours to Bath sometimes include a stop at Windsor Castle first and a visit to Stonehenge. Even without a guided tour though, with the price of fuel in the UK you’ll probably find that bus or motor coach is the best way to travel – especially in groups.

The Bath Experience

Bath is built over England’s only natural hot spring. The Romans built their famous bathhouses at the springs, and today’s Bath still embodies the great architecture and ancient luxury of Rome. When visiting the Roman Baths you’ll walk in the same luxurious halls the Romans once frequented for relaxation (all of them but the Christians and philosophers – apparently Bath wasn’t so popular for them). In the Pump Room you can actually sample the spring water. This is a luxurious room with seating for breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea.

The ancient rooms and treasures don’t end with the famous pools. You’ll find remnants of what used to be some of the most luxurious surroundings the Romans knew, filled with colonnades, vaulted ceilings, marble, and mosaics. Of course, even though Bath is a World Heritage Site for its long and famous history, you can also enjoy it with all the modern luxury of the twenty-first century.

Thermae Bath Spa makes use of the same natural hot spring the ancient Romans used but now in modern style, including a warm, roof-top pool. The visitor’s center here is free, though you can pay for various spa experiences as well – including aroma steam rooms, waterfall showers, and the open-air pool on the roof.

Bath is an amazing natural wonder with a history of man-made pomp and circumstance as well. It’s a great day trip for London tours and can be combined with any number of popular landmarks in the UK.

(Also: Consider Bath for literature tours in Europe. The city featured often in the novels by Jane Austen.)

Photo by Meygun on Flickr.

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