Bath, England — Attractions
Roman Baths
The Romans were the first to capitalize on the only natural hot springs in Britain, but it is believed that they were a local attraction long before the building of Rome. These ancient baths were once considered the finest in the Roman Empire, but in the middle ages fell into disrepair. It was not until a visit by the ailing Prince George in 1702 that the baths once again became a popular healing destination. Over the course of the city's redevelopment in the late 18th century the Roman ruins were rediscovered and restored. Today visitors can see the seven ancient baths and view the Georgian splendor of the Pump House where the musty mineral waters can be sampled by the strong of stomach. The magnificent centerpiece is the Great Bath. Lined with lead and filled with hot spa water, it once stood in an enormous barrel-vaulted hall that rose to a height of 131ft (40m). For many Roman visitors this may have been the largest building they had ever entered in their life.
- Region/City Name
- Bath
- Address
- Stall Street
- Phone Number
- (0)1225 477 785
- Email Address
- romanbaths_bookings@bathnes.gov.uk
- Website
- www.romanbaths.co.uk
- Hours
- Daily 9.30am to 5.30pm, last entry 4.30pm (January, February, November, December); 9am to 6pm, last entry 5pm (March to June, September and October); 9am to 10pm, last entry 9pm (July and August)
- Admission
- ¤11.50 (adult), ¤7.50 (child 6-16)
Longleat
Longleat is regarded as the best example of high Elizabethan architecture in Britain and one of the most beautiful stately homes open to the public. The magnificence of the House itself is matched by the splendor of its surroundings; a spectacular mixture of landscaped parkland, lakes and formal gardens. In 1949 Longleat became the first stately home in England to open its doors to the public and a few years later opened the first safari park outside Africa - visitors can drive through eight enclosures where a wide range of animals can be seen, including: elephant, rhino, giraffe, monkeys, lions and tigers. Longleat has become one of the UK's most popular family tourist attractions. It has been the home of the Thynn family for more than 450 years and is currently lived in by the eccentric 7th Marquess of Bath, Alexander Thynn.
- Region/City Name
- Bath
- Address
- Longleat is on the A362 Warminster Frome road
- Phone Number
- (0)1985 844 400
- Email Address
- enquiries@longleat.co.uk
- Website
- www.longleat.co.uk
- Transport
- 20 minutes south of Bath by road
- Hours
- Various, see website for details.
- Admission
- Passport Ticket: £24 (adults) and £17 (children)
Berkeley Castle
Berkeley (pronounced 'barkly') is a perfectly preserved 840-year-old castle with a keep, dungeon and splendid staterooms with the original tapestries, furniture and silver. It was most famously the scene of King Edward II's gruesome murder in 1327. It is believed that Edward was deposed by his French consort, Queen Isabella, and her paramour, the Earl of Mortimer. The castle also played an important role in the English Civil War (1642-1649). The oldest part of the castle was built in 1153 by Roger De Berkeley, a Norman knight, and has remained in the family ever since. The surrounding meadows, now the setting for pleasant Elizabethan-style gardens, were once flooded to make a formidable moat.
- Region/City Name
- Bath
- Phone Number
- (0)1453 810 332
- Email Address
- info@berkeley-castle.com
- Website
- www.berkeley-castle.com
- Transport
- 40 minutes from Bath by road. Take Exit 14 off the M5, the castle is signed from the A38 between Bristol and Slimbridge
- Hours
- Various, see website for details.
- Admission
- £7.50 (adults), £4.50 (children). Family tickets and group concessions available
Building of Bath Museum
The fascinating story of Georgian Bath is encapsulated in the only museum in the city about the city. The Building of Bath Museum is the natural place to start a sightseeing expedition. It is housed in the Gothic Countess of Huntingdon's Methodist Chapel, built in 1765 and renovated in 1984 by the Bath Preservation Trust. Inside visitors are treated to a unique exhibition, which describes how Bath developed from a small provincial spa to the most fashionable resort in Georgian England. Using models, maps, paintings, reconstructions, live crafting demonstrations and hands-on exhibits, including a touch-screen computer, a visit to the museum is an informative and entertaining experience.
- Region/City Name
- Bath
- Address
- The Countess of Huntingdon's Chapel, the Vineyards, the Paragon
- Phone Number
- (0)1225 333 895
- Email Address
- amanda@bathmuseum.co.uk
- Website
- www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk/museums/bath
- Transport
- 10-15 minutes on foot from Bath bus and train station
- Hours
- 10.30am until 5.00pm; last admission 4.30pm. Closes for winter.
- Admission
- ¤4 (adults); ¤2 (children 6-18); concessions available
Herschel Museum of Astronomy
Distinguished astronomer William Herschel used a telescope he built himself in this delightful Georgian townhouse to discover the planet Uranus in 1781, securing his place in history as one of the greatest astronomers of all time. His observations, and telescope constructions, doubled the known size of the solar system in his time. Visitors to the museum can view his workshop, the original kitchen, and the music room in the Herschel house, where William lived with his sister, Caroline, at the end of the 18th century.
- Region/City Name
- Bath
- Address
- 19 New King Street
- Phone Number
- (0)1225 446 865
- Email Address
- admin@herschelbpt.fsnet.co.uk
- Website
- www.bath-preservation-trust.org.uk/museums/herschel
- Hours
- February to mid-December; 1pm to 5pm on weekdays (closed on Wednesdays), 11am to 5pm on Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays.
- Admission
- ¤4.50 (adults); ¤2.50 (children under 15). Concessions and student prices available
Fashion Museum
Bath's comprehensive fashion museum brings alive the story of fashion over the last 400 years from the late 16th century to the present day. The huge collection is fetchingly displayed on hundreds of dummies, providing a chronological journey through changing styles over the centuries. Visitors can listen to an audio tour or take a conducted guided tour through the ages.
- Region/City Name
- Bath
- Address
- Bennett Street
- Phone Number
- (0) 1225 477173
- Email Address
- costume_enquiries@bathnes.gov.uk
- Website
- www.fashionmuseum.co.uk
- Transport
- The museum is easily reached on foot; otherwise Lansdown buses 2 and 9 from the city center stop nearby. A round trip sightseeing bus stops at the adjacent Assembly Rooms
- Hours
- Daily. March to October, 10.30am to 5pm; November to February, 10.30am to 4pm.
- Admission
- ¤7 (adults); ¤5 (children up to 16); under 6 free; other concessions available
Jane Austen Center
Bath's best-known resident, period novelist Jane Austen, is celebrated in this permanent exhibition which showcases her life and work. Bath was her home between 1801 and 1806 and her love and knowledge of the city is reflected in her novels Northanger Abbeyand Persuasion,which are set in Georgian Bath.
- Region/City Name
- Bath
- Address
- 40 Gay Street, Queen Square
- Phone Number
- (0)1225 443 000
- Email Address
- curator@janeausten.co.uk
- Website
- www.janeausten.co.uk
- Transport
- Park & Ride bus to Queen Square (center is close to the bus stop). The Round the city sightseeing buses stop outside the center
- Hours
- Daily 9.45am to 5.30pm (summer) and 11am to 4.30pm (winter).
- Admission
- ¤6.95 (adults); ¤3.95 (children 6-15); children under 6 free; other concessions available
Bristol Zoo and Garden
Situated 14 miles (23km) from central Bath, children will love spending a fun-packed day at the Bristol Zoo and garden where over 450 species of animals can be found. Most of the exhibits are undercover making this the prefect destination come rain or shine. Kids will be amazed by Gorilla Island or seal and penguin coast where an underwater viewing area makes things a little more exciting. There is also Monkey world, a reptile house, aquariums, exotic birds and an adventure playground for children to let of any excess steam. The zoo also features a café, gift shop and picnic areas.
- Region/City Name
- Bath
- Address
- Clifton, Bristol
- Phone Number
- 01 17 973 8951
- Email Address
- information@bristolzoo.org.uk
- Website
- www.bristolzoo.org.uk
- Hours
- Open daily from 9am to 5.30pm in peak season, closing at 5.00pm off-peak (as of 26th October).
- Admission
- £11.81 (adults); £7.27 (children)
Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park
Located in the beautiful Avon Valley just 4.5 miles (7km) from central Bath, Avon Valley Adventure and Wildlife Park is the perfect day out for families with children. Children can let loose in the adventure playground which features a junior assault course, a riverside trail, farm animals like Shetland ponies, llamas and wallabies, a boating pond and even a miniature railway. Younger kids will love the indoor play area where they can enjoy enormous slides and ball pits. Families should pack a picnic to enjoy on the riverbanks while the children enjoy the wide open space and exciting activities.
- Region/City Name
- Bath
- Address
- Pixash Lane, Bath Road, Keynsham
- Phone Number
- 0117 986 4929
- Email Address
- info@avonvalleycountrypark.co.uk
- Website
- www.avonvalleycountrypark.com
- Hours
- Open daily from 10am to 6pm (activities cease at 5.30pm gates close at 6)
- Admission
- £7 (adult); £6.50 (children)
Wookey Hole Caves
A popular tourist attraction in the village of Wookey Hole in Somerset, just 20 miles (32km) from Bath, Wookey Hole Caves is an intermingling of pagan and Christian legends where a river flows out of the underworld. Children who visit the caves will be utterly thrilled by the mysteries of man and how early cavemen, who inhabited these eerie caves, lived. Many legends exist about a witch who inhabited the caves during the dark ages whose frozen image can still be seen in the cavern known as the Witches Kitchen, but this is not where to adventure ends. When your tour of the caves is done, kids can enjoy over 20 life-size dinosaurs in the Prehistoric Valley, relax with fairies, dragons and elves in the Fairy garden, or visit the Monster Mill where a mirror maze, cave museum and penny arcade will provide plenty of fun. A great excursion for the whole family.
- Region/City Name
- Bath
- Address
- Wookey Hole, Somerset
- Phone Number
- 01749 672243
- Email Address
- witch@wookey.co.uk
- Website
- www.wookey.co.uk
- Hours
- Open daily from 10am 5pm (April to October) and 10am 4pm (November to March)
- Admission
- £15 (adults); £10 (children)
Longleat
A fantastic day out for the whole family with a wide variety of attractions and activities, Longleat is one of the most popular attractions near Bath. Children will love discovering some of the Africa's most incredible animals such as lion, giraffe and rhinos in the Safari Park, while Longleat House's heirlooms and treasures will offer visitors a glimpse into yesteryear. Try not to lose your kids in the World's longest maze, made up of more than 16,000 English Yews, take the little ones for a ride on the miniature railway, or to meet some of the animals at Animal Adventure, and let the kids loose in the Adventure Castle.
- Region/City Name
- Bath
- Address
- Warminster, Wiltshire
- Phone Number
- 0198 584 4400
- Email Address
- enquiries@longleat.co.uk
- Website
- www.longleat.co.uk
- Hours
- Open daily from April to November
- Admission
- Passport tickets: £24 (adults); £17 (children)
